Refresh (F5) takes me to home page

[Mady]

I'm used to use F5 to refresh, but with my new laptop, windows 7, the F5 takes me to my homepage. Can you please tell me how to fix it?

[hotmatrixx]

I think your new computer is an HP/Compaq LAPTOP. Right?

If so, the problem is that you have to press the "Fn" key at the bottom left of your LAPTOP keyboard.
HP has some stupid setting so that pressing F5 actually "opens your default browser", and the other Fkeys do things like volume and screen brightness.

See the picture below, in the attachments.

You can disable this setting, Hewlett Packard actually has a link on their website, HERE That shows you how to do it.

I am reprinting it on this forum, in full, in case the link gets broken:

On most HP and Compaq notebook PCs, it is necessary to press and hold the function key (fn) while pressing one of the f1 through f12 keys to activate the default functions; such as, increasing or decreasing the brightness of the display, the sound volume, sleep, keyboard lock, etc. On the HP Envy notebooks and other notebooks with advanced BIOS options, the function keys can be configured so that it is not necessary to press and hold the fn key.

1 - Function Keys f1 through f12
2 - Configurable Function key fn

Disable fn in the BIOS
To disable, or enable, the function key (fn) in the BIOS, do the following steps.

1. Press the power button to turn on the computer.
2. Press the f10 key to open the BIOS setup window.
3. Use the right-arrow or left-arrow keys to navigate to the System Configuration option.
4. Use the up-arrow or down-arrow keys to navigate to the Action Keys Mode option, and then press the enter key to display the Enable / Disable menu.
5. Select the desired mode:
   *Disabled : Requires pressing fn key + f1 through f12 to use the action as indicated on the action key.
   For example, if Disabled , pressing fn + f11 will mute the sound as indicated on the key on this model PC. Alternatively, pressing f11 only will minimize and maximize a web browser if open.
   The action keys may vary depending on the model of notebook.
   *Enabled : Requires pressing only f1 through f12 to use the action as indicated on the action keys.
   For example, if Enabled , pressing f11 only will mute the sound as indicated on the key on this model PC. Alternatively, pressing fn + f11 will minimize and maximize a web browser if open.
   The action keys may vary depending on the model of notebook.
6. Press f10 key to save the selection and restart the computer.

The function key (fn) option can be reset at any time.

The other image below shows the correct BIOS screen mentioned in the quote.

Please come back and mark this post as solved if I have helped you to fix it :)

[Mady]

You're right. It's an HP.
Thank you very much for your answer.

[hotmatrixx]

That's great.

If you "mark this thread as solved", then the person who posted last (hopefully the person that gave you the solution if you are careful) gets brownie points. Could I have some brownie points, please?

[Mady]

I haven't fix it yet, but I guess you deserve a brownie already :)
But... how do I mark it as solved??

[caperjack]

I haven't fix it yet, but I guess you deserve a brownie already :)
But... how do I mark it as solved??

in you other post you made it sound like the answer fix your problem ,you shouldn't have marked it solve until its actually fixed ,now other helpers will not look in to this thread

[crunchie]

Now marked as unsolved until the OP confirms the problem is resolved.

[hotmatrixx]

Now marked as unsolved until the OP confirms the problem is resolved.

Sorry, I must have confused OP earlier.

Not just HP. Mine is dell and its also similar (f5 is brightness though)