I sometimes accidentally switch the keyboard to characters other than standard English. I don't even know how I do this. How do I switch back to the standard keyboard? If I switch the computer off, then restart it I'm back to the standard keyboard. That's fine, but I'm sure there is a more efficient method. Thanks Dave

on a standard keyboard should be key under backspace key

Hi there! Keys like the Windows key don't have an ASCII value. Only keys that are 'printable' have an ASCII value. To detect keys like the Windows key you have to use either the Key Down or Key Up events and use the Key Code to detect which key was pressed. You can find the values for Key Codes on MSDN



Hope this helps!

Hai ! This is possible : )

Type in Chinese, Japanese, and other character-based languages

To type text on your computer in character-based languages, such as Chinese and Japanese, follow these steps:

[Source: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/Type-in-Chinese-Japanese-and-other-character-based-languages]

1. Add the language as an input language. If you want to use an input method editor (IME), make sure you select it when you add the input language. For more information, see Add an input language.
   Add an input language

   You can edit documents in multiple languages by changing the language (the input language) in which you type. Input languages are included with Windows, but you need to add them to your list of languages before you can use them.
   

   1. Open Regional and Language Options by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking Clock, Language, and Region, and then clicking Regional and Language Options.
      

   2. Click the Keyboards and Languages tab, and then click Change keyboards.
      

   3. Under Installed services, click Add.
      

   4. Double-click the language you want to add, double-click the text services you want to add, select the text services options you want to add, and then click OK.
      

1. Change your input language to the language you installed. For more information, see Change your input language.
   

Change your input language

The input language is a setting in Windows that controls the language you use to type information on your computer. Before you can change an input language, you need to add that language to Windows. For more information, see Add an input language.
To change the input language

Click the Input language button on the Language bar, and then click the input language you want to use.

Language bar Note

If you don't see the Language bar, right-click the taskbar, point to Toolbars, and then click Language bar.

1. Change your keyboard layout to the desired layout. For more information, see Change your keyboard layout.
   

Change your keyboard layout

You can customize your keyboard for a specific language or format by changing the keyboard layout. The layout controls which characters appear on the screen when you press the keys on your keyboard. Some input languages have several keyboard layouts; others have only one. For example, you can change your keyboard layout from the English QWERTY format to the English Dvorak format. After you change the layout, the characters on your screen might not correspond to the characters on your keyboard keys.

Before you can change the keyboard layout, you must add the input language and keyboard layout that you want to use to Windows. For more information, see Add an input language.
Hide all To change the keyboard layout

1. On the Language bar, click the Input language button, and then select an input language.
   

   
   Language bar

2. Click the Keyboard layout button, and then select a keyboard layout.
   

Note

If you don't see the Language bar, right-click the taskbar, point to Toolbars, and then click Language bar.
To change the keyboard layout on the Welcome screen

On the Welcome screen, click the Keyboard layout button , and then select a keyboard layout.

TIP:
After you are done you can switch between Japanese and English very easily by manually pressing the on screen buttons or using keyboard commands like SHIFT+ALT to switch between Japanese (???) and the Alphabet.

Dear Sir,

You must have accidentally changed your comps type setting from english to 'canadian french'. at the bottom right-hand corner of your screen, there should be a small picture of a keyboard, click on that and switch back to US.


Thanks For Your Time,

go to control panel...
click clock,language and region...
then go to keyboard and language tab...
click change keyboards.....
on the general tab...
look for english(united states) US on the add/remove keyboard list..
then press apply then press ok...
now the last step is restart ur netbook...
gudluck!
i hope it helps u...

Click Start
Click Control Panel
Click Classic View
Click Regional and Language Options

Be sure that you are using the "US English" input method
as your "default" language.

Once you do, then SHIFT of "slash" will produce the '?' character.

one of 3 things seems likely: 1) you have a key on your motherboard that is stuck. tap the heck out of your Fn key, as well as all your Ctrl, Alt, and Shift keys. 2) your computer (operating system) has switched keyboard modes from standard western world american english setting to some other style. See if you can use your mouse to checkout keyboard settings in the control panel. 3) your keyboard is toast. hit dell/ebay for a replacement keyboard (the cheapest part of a laptop).

Yes, I have a solution. Throw the bugger away! This has been the biggest piece of garbage I have ever bought. It has loads of unecessary features like using the buttons for other things. I am sick of it asking me if I want to assign an action to a key. I want a bog standard wireless keyboard. Yes, I'll assign an action alright. I'll throw it through the bloody window!!!!!!

You need a new keyboard.

Same keyboard, same problem for almost 2 years now, and just now figured out how to fix it!! Try a simple left ctrl-shift, your language tab up top will switch between US English/Canadian English/Canadian multilingual, or whatever you set it for. I occasionally want the alternate characters applied, so now I can switch back and forth easily. You may need to set the language tab to your preferred settings. Hope this helps!