# My laptop is typing numbers/symbols instead of letters



## christinareid (Sep 14, 2012)

I've read a ton of fixes for this problem and none of them are working. 

My setup: I have a work laptop (Lenovo ThinkPad T410) that sits in a docking station. I do have KVM switch in which I have my work laptop and my personal laptop hooked up - dual monitors and of course, one keyboard and one mouse. 

I have always used my USB keyboard with my work laptop, I hate typing on laptops. I started out with no issues - I could have the Num Lock on and still use the letter keys and the number keypad with no issue. Then, it I ran into the issue that if NumLock was on then I couldn't use the letters because they would type letters. I have no idea how I solved it the first time, I'm pretty sure I just restarted one day and it was fixed....then there was a long time of happiness with it working the way it should. About two days ago the stupid thing started up again. 

I've tried the on screen keyboard trick, doesn't work. Here's the problem - my UBS keyboard does not have an FN button so I can't try the FN + Shift and the other trick. My laptop keyboard does not have a NumLock because it doesn't actually have a number pad...

I have to get this fixed...I type emails, etc all day and it's slowing me down 
tremendously if I have to either use the number keys above the letters or switch Numlock off and on.

Help please!


----------



## etaf (Dec 28, 2008)

> . My laptop keyboard does not have a NumLock because it doesn't actually have a number pad...


 laptops still have num lock and use the main keyboard 
keys 
are you sure theres NO num lock - or do you mean it DOES have a keypad ?
even with a laptop keypad - there is often a numlock to change the settings


----------



## christinareid (Sep 14, 2012)

Sorry, you are right - there is a NumLock. It's actually on the Scroll Lock as the secondary function. 

When I tried FN + Shift + Num Lock (on the laptop keyboard) and then went back to my full keyboard all the sudden my o key typed a ^ instead of a 6 or o...I eventually got it back to where it would type an o as long as my Num Lock was off on my full keyboard.

Any thoughts....this use to work. Up till to days ago I was able to use my full keyboard with the num lock on and still type letters. It must be some type of setting or something...:banghead:


----------



## oscer1 (Jan 27, 2010)

by chance did you install constant guard or guarded id on one of the computers?


----------



## christinareid (Sep 14, 2012)

I have not - no new software has been installed on either when it was working correctly or after it stopped working correctly.


----------



## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Some laptops have a key, can't recall the key name, that will change letter to symbols.


----------

