keyboard types numbers instead of letters

[RLCunningham]

My computer keyboard types numbers instead of letters when 'Num Lock' is on.  The Num Lock selection used to only affect the ten key calculator on the right, but now it also affects the alpha characters. How do I turn off the numbers on the alpha side of the keyboard?

[DavidSMP]

Hi @RLCunningham,

Welcome to the HP forums! It is a great way to engage, post questions and find resolutions by working with specialists in the HP community. I understand that you want assistance with the keyboard typing numerals when the number lock is selected, instead of alphabets. It will be a delight to assist you with this.

First off, we need to isolate the issue to being software or hardware related. To do this you need to check the keyboard in the command prompt outside of the windows Operating System.

Steps to do it:

• Power down the unit. When you power it back up, immediately tap the F11 key gently several times.
• It takes you to recovery manager. Here please select the option “Troubleshoot”. Then please select “Advanced options “ and  “command prompt”
• Type all the keyboard characters in this black window especially the keys that do not work correctly.
• If F11 does not take you to recovery manager, please keep tapping the “ESC” gently several times the instant you power on the unit. It takes you to the startup menu and you could press F11 from there to go to recovery manager.
• With the num lock on please type all the letters from the keyboard in the command prompt screen which is a black window. If all the keys type and print characters correctly, then the keyboard is fine and the issue is software related. If it still does the same thing, then the unit has a hardware issue.

Once we establish that the issue is only software related ,you could perform a system restore to an earlier date when it worked fine. Please visit this link to perform a system restore: http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c01835735

Please follow the step “Restoring Windows 7 to a previous point” from the link. There is an associated video for it as well.

Please let me know how this goes. I genuinely hope the issue is corrected and the computer works great without hassles.

Thanks for reaching out. Please let me know if this helps. If it does, please mark this post as "Accept as Solution". If you require further assistance, let me know and I will gladly do all I can to help. If you wish to say "thanks" for my efforts to help, click the "Thumbs Up" button to give me a Kudos.

Do take care and have a blessed week ahead.

[RLCunningham]

I have the same problem in a command prompt screen. I hope you understand my problem. 'K' is represented as a 'K' when numlock is off. 'K' is represented as a '2' when numlocks is on. I have a Pavilian DV9700. Microsoft has been working on it for a couple of days and have been able to come up with no solution.

[DavidSMP]

Hi @RLCunningham,

I thank you for your quick response. I understand you perfectly. If the issue persists in the command prompt outside of the windows operating system, then it may be  a hardware issue with the keyboard. 

I request you to contact phone support to get the unit serviced by visiting this link http://hp.com/contacthp You need to select the region and language. Then please enter the product# of the unit and follow the instructions on the screen to contact HP phone support. I genuinely hope the issue gets resolved at the earliest and your computer works great without hassles.

Thanks for reaching out. Please let me know if this helps. If it does, please mark this post as "Accept as Solution". If you require further assistance, let me know and I will gladly do all I can to help. If you wish to say "thanks" for my efforts to help, click the "Thumbs Up" button to give me a Kudos.

[RLCunningham]

Well, Microsoft is done working on it. They did a lot in an attempt correct the issue to no avail. Though there is a new noise when numlock is turned on/off. The final thought from them is that the system never had the capability of having the numblock on while being able to type on the keyboard. I find that hard to believe. Can you confirm this function for a Pavilian DV9700?

[DavidSMP]

Hi @RLCunningham,

Thank you for your super quick response. I read your post and we have deduced that it is a hardware issue with the keyboard. Excellent job troubleshooting the issue so extensively. Aren't you really smart!  I checked the function of the numlock key for your computer. "the system never had the capability of having the numblock on while being able to type on the keyboard." That is not correct. It just developed a hardware issue. Please check this link out. http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c01951704

when you go through the maintenance and service guide. Please click on the "Keys" option from the Table of contents and that should answer your question regarding the numlock key.

Thanks for reaching out. Please let me know if this helps. If it does, please mark this post as "Accept as Solution". If you require further assistance, let me know and I will gladly do all I can to help. If you wish to say "thanks" for my efforts to help, click the "Thumbs Up" button to give me a Kudos. That will be greatly appreciated.

You take care now and do have a splendid week ahead.

[RLCunningham]

What is the process of simply resetting the entire computer back to factory default? It needs cleaned up anyhow and I have a windows disk to upgrade frm vista. Wouldn't this fix the problem if it is anything other than a hardware issue? The computer isn't worth the service costs of replacing the keyboard and I question it being a hardware issue as the keyboard works fine in all other aspects. It only fails when the numbers pad is set to numlock. I've read that changing bios setting would fix the problem but following the processes didn't help. I've also edited registry entries to no avail. The thought is that if I simply set the computer back to factory default, that should clean up any potential bios &/or regestry issues and set everthing back to the way it was from the factory those many years ago. 

[DavidSMP]

Hi @RLCunningham,

I thank you greatly for your quick post. As I was on a long weekend I could not respond to your post immediately. I did read the post and there is no ambiguity about the issue being hardware related with the keyboard. Restoring it to factory settings will not change the situation as It has been checked in the command prompt outside of windows. The whole idea to check the keyboard in the command prompt was to isolate the issue to being software or hardware related. It clearly establishes the situation to being hardware related, even if it is only for the num lock key's functionality going awry.

Thanks for reaching out. Please let me know if this helps. If it does, please mark this post as "Accept as Solution". If you require further assistance, let me know and I will gladly do all I can to help. If you wish to say "thanks" for my efforts to help, click the "Thumbs Up" button to give me a Kudos. That will be greatly appreciated.

You take care now and do have a splendid week ahead.