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leoslayer 0 Newbie Poster

i have been using an external usb keyboard on my laptop. i do this cause my laptop dose not have a keypad.

i have a gateway running vista home.

when i take off the keyboard it is as if my function button has been reversed. example if i push m i get a number 0 instead if i push p i get *. the only way to get the letters i want is to hold function then type at the same time.

how can i get it to work normally when the keyboard is unhooked?

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Dani AI

Generated

For : that exact behavior — letter keys producing 0, * etc., and letters only when you hold Fn — is the classic sign the laptop's embedded numeric keypad (NumLock overlay) is enabled. Quick first step: press the laptop Fn key together with the key labeled "Num Lk", "NumLock", or a small keypad/padlock icon (on some Gateways that label is on an F-key). Some models also have an FnLock (often Fn+Esc) that flips the Fn behavior; try that too.

If toggling NumLock/FnLock does not help: plug the USB keyboard back in, press its NumLock key to change the state, then unplug and test. Open the On-Screen Keyboard (Control Panel -> Ease of Access -> On-Screen Keyboard) to see whether NumLock is shown as on and click it to toggle. To determine whether the change is hardware or software, boot to BIOS or a live environment — if the overlay is present outside Windows it is firmware/hardware controlled. Check for a stuck Fn key, update the keyboard driver only from Gateway if needed, and consult the Gateway manual/support for model-specific Fn/NumLock instructions. Avoid registry or BIOS edits unless comfortable; contact support if unsure.

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