Reversing the function keys

[cBurnet]

Hey guys,

My laptop is a pretty good laptop, with a proper nvidia graphics card an i7 cpu and even 16gb of ram. Even having a 17 inch full HD 1920 * 1080 screen, making it amazing for games! Even GTA V for Pc runs pretty well on this powerful laptop.

All of those things make this an amazing gaming PC, however it has one draw back that makes it almost impossible to play a game with a good steady flow.

This one fatal gaming flaw is in fact the keyboard, but to be specific it is the function keys. The HP Envy 17 has both F1 - F12 and the insert key. However these are the secondary keys. The primary keys are system keys which change the brightness or the volume. What this means is if I want to use F2 in a game I have to hold the function key then press F2.

This sounds minor but when playing games it can be annoying having to hold down a function key just to use one of the F keys.

Dies anyone know of a way to get this fixed and reverse it, that way if I want to mute my laptop I have to press function and then the F6. I hope people know what I mean and please if you do know a fix that would be great if you could post it bellow.

Thanks,
Connor Burnett.

[banhien · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Yes, I've been using F1-F12 keys daily for the last 35 years or so but luckily I always use external keyboards when using laptops (on or off docking stations). You may not be able to swap but disable. Please use the following article:

    http://support.hp.com/au-en/document/c02035108

Regards.

[cBurnet]

Dude thanks for that super quick reply! It took me a bit to find out how to get into bios for Windows 8.1 as its different from Windows 7.

But anyway got into the bios and changed the settings worked for perfectly. The F1 - F12 keys are now default like normal keyboards and the special keys now need the function key to be pressed and it all works how I wanted it to be!!!

Thanks,
Connor Burnett.

[koam]

I agree with the OP 100%. F keys should be F keys.  When you press F3 it should be F3.  The secondary function of the F key should be a keyboard combo using fn + F# key.

It is very strange that HP took it upon itself to reverse the basic fucntion of how computer keyboards work when they've been around for 40 years.  In fact, it's disturbing.  Many people go from one computer to another in the course of a day. There IS a standard for how keyboards work.  Having the operation of the Function keys reversed on HP computers is really a major mistake. 

[koam]

The BIOS solution did work on my new HP Pavilion 17-inch laptop.  Thank you for that.

I see that HP uniquely considers the Function keys (F1-F12) to be "ACTION KEYS."   This deviates from the industry standards.  They are Function keys to the rest of the PC world.  The graphics on the keys should have the F1 through F12 in large type, rather than tiny type.

[A_Arnold]

Hi Connor, I am trying to follow the steps to reverse the function keys as well. You mention that it took you a while to get to the BIOS screen but you eventually did it. I'm having trouble as well, holding the power button and F10 key at the same time is not bringinhg this up. Can you share how you were able to get to the BIOS screen? I'm on an HP Pavilion Notebook. Thanks!

[Anthony1231]

I can't go into BIOS. When I switch on the Power button, and press F10, it doesn't go to the BIOS mode.  It still boots up to Windows.

[koam]

The wording of some of the previous posts may be a little misleading. 

The process for entering BIOS on a PC is different from the one used to enter Safe mode on a smartphone.  

On a PC, we don't hold  or press two buttons a the same time to get to BIOS.

On a PC, after we press and release the power button, we immediately  (don't wait or you'll miss the chance) Tap Tap Tap Tap Tap repeatedly on one of the F-Keys to get it to go into BIOS or another Boot mode. 

Which F-Key may vary by model and PC maker.  

If it's F10 for your model, try this:

Entirely power down your computer (not sleep mode or hibernate, just off)

Press and release the power key and then immediately

Tap tap tap tap on the F10 key

If that doesn't work, then either F10 isn't the right key for your model or something's wrong with the keyboard (unlikely).