Num Lock not turned on when booting Windows 8

Anonymous

Hi everyone,

After turning on my system after loading Windows 8, the Num Lock does not turn on automatically as it is set in my BIOS. I followed suggestions given in the forums and changed the registry entries for the InitialKeyboardIndicators key in the registry to have a value of 2. This still does not work.

What I noticed is that if I sign off in Windows 8 and then select shut down after signing out, the num lock light will be on after rebooting my system. However, if I go into settings and power off directly without signing off, num lock is turned off when I reboot my PC.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Michael

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Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

Try:

Control Panel => Hardware and Sound => Power Options => System Settings

Uncheck (Turn on fast startup).

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Answer accepted by question author

Anonymous

I cannot find the suggested path in Windows 8.1's Control Panel.

See my hints on page 1 of this thread? There is no direct path there. You must take the detour via the "Choose what the power buttons do" link. That's what I described as: Win-X O, Tab, Tab, Enter.

BTW I am now using the W8.2 on Surface RT and although it has the above link it doesn't have any way of achieving the ultimate objective (of turning off "Fast Startup"). I do remember that I would have been using a real W8.1 to make my observations. However, since this is essentially a BIOS function I now suspect you are more likely to be able to do something similar via the Advanced Restart function. So, see if instead you can do what you need via Win-w Advanced Startup Enter (and then Restart from there).

Good luck

Robert Aldwinckle

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125 additional answers

Anonymous

2013-11-19T21:48:20+00:00
This option doesn't even show on my computer. Has something changed?

I go Control Panel => Hardware and Sound => Power Options......but there is no System Settings option.

I have the following listed directly under Power Options:
- Change battery settings
- Change what the power buttons do
- Require a password when the computer wakes
- Change when the computer sleeps
- Adjust screen brightness.
If I click directly on Power Options I get a new screen asking me to "Choose or customize a power plan". There I can choose between ENERGY STAR, Power saver, or High performance.

Help?
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Anonymous

2013-11-15T18:07:16+00:00

On my keyboard I have number keys above the letters. Using those alleviates this issue without changing the fast start up OR messing with the Bios.

Valérie this seems like the most sensible solution atm, since num lock behaves differently whether I'm signing up after startup or reboot, or if I'm logging after another user.

Since there is currently no way to be sure if the num lock is on or off (my kb doesn't have a led for this) then it is by far easiest to just use the keys on top of the keyboard. My six year old daughter knows how to do this - in fact it was her who showed me the example of logging like this in the first place :D
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Anonymous

2013-11-15T17:46:46+00:00

Hi Pascal

The registry entries are effective only after the logon, so no help there I'm afraid.

This bug is related to the fast power up option, which speeds up startup. After full reboot, the num lock works, but on normal shut down + fast boot up, it doesn't work.

Anyone saying this is security issue and made like this by design can also explain why the num lock is enabled after reboot then. Thanks.
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