Function Key Issue

Are you certain that the touchpad wasn't disabled accidentally from the Fn key? There are secondary features assigned to each of the Function (F1-F12) keys, usually in BLUE. On of them is to disable/enable the touchpad (toggle-type function, do it one time to disable, the next to enable). You press and hold the "Fn" key (next to the Windows key at bottom let of keyboard, then press the associated Function Key.

You need to restart (to enter in BIOS) your computer to change this.
While first black screen comes Press F2 or del (this may differ in your laptop).

If you post exact type of laptop i can see what bios you have, but you can look for yourself for it.

If a bios screen (may be unknown to you) appear then find Function Key Behavior select Multimedia Key First or Function Key First.

Function Key First

This is the default option. Press any function key to perform the associated function. For multimedia action, press Fn + the required multimedia key.

Multimedia Key First

Press any multimedia key to perform the associated multimedia action. For function, press Fn + the required function key.

Hi,

I believe the num lock key is truned ON. IF yes, then whenever you type, it will give you only number. Try the steps below to unlockit:
Keep on holding the "Fn" Key and then press F11 (Numlk) key. i.e Fn+F11
It should take care of the issue.

Thanks and regards,
Jitha

Normally, if you hold down the "Fn" key, you'll get whatever character or function is printed in blue on those keys. So holding down the "Fn" key, you now have a numeric keypad in the middle of your keyboard. Release "Fn" and things are back to normal.
Which is exactly the opposite of what the question is asking. The person asking needed to press the "Fn" keys to get the normal, white, characters for each key.
The "problem" is simply that there is a persistent toggle. If you press "Num Lk" (I've also seen it labeled "Pad Lk" for numeric Pad) it turns on the blue keys, and inverts the meaning of the "Fn" key - it's a way to use that embedded numeric keypad without having to hold down the "Fn" key the entire time.

To fix it, just find and press the "Num Lk" or "Pad Lk" key again. (Note, sometimes these keys are themselves "Fn" keys, so you may, or may not, need to also hold down the "Fn" key to get the right function.) Often there is an indicator light associated with the setting.

F1 through F12 are called function keys because they execute programmed functions when pressed. Used in combination with the Fn key, keys marked with icons execute specific functions on the computer. The function executed by individual keys depends on the software you are using.





1. Sound Mute: Pressing Fn + ESC in a windows environment turns sound on or off. Press Fn + Enter to simulate Enter or the enhanced keyboard's numeric keypad. 2. Instant security: Press Fn + F1 to blank the screen to prevent others from accessing your data. To restore the screen and original setting, press any key or press the Touch Pad. 3. Power save mode: Pressing Fn + F2 changes the power save mode. 4. Standby: When you press Fn + F3, the computer enters Standby. 5. Hibernation: When you press Fn + F4, the computer enters Hibernation. 6. Display selection: Press Fn + F5 to change the active display device. Hold down Fn and press F5 again to change the device. 7. Internal LCD screen Brightness: Pressing Fn + F6 decreases the display brightness in decrements. 8. Internal LCD screen Brightness: Pressing Fn + F7 increases the display brightness in increments. 9. Wireless setting: If your computer has both Bluetooth and Wireless LAN functions, you can press Fn + F8 to select which type of wireless communication you want to use. 10. Touch Pad: Pressing Fn + F9 in a windows environment enables or disables the Touch Pad function. 11. Press Fn + F10 or Fn + F11 to access the integrated keypad. When activated, the keys with gray markings on the bottom edge become numeric keypad keys (Fn + F11) or cursor control keys (Fn + F10). The power on default for both settings is off. Press Fn + F12 (ScrLock) to lock the cursor on a specific line. The power on default is off. 12. TOSHIBA Zooming Utility (reduce): To reduce the icon size on the desktop or the application window, press the 1 key while holding down the Fn key. (13. TOSHIBA Zooming Utility (enlarge): To enlarge the icon size on the desktop or the application window, press the 2 key while holding down the Fn key.

Press the Function (Fn) key again to deactivate it.

Please check if the "NUM LOCK" is enabled. If it is enabled then press it to disable to resolve the letter/number key issue.

You may disable the Function key by removing the VAIO Event Services Utility or HKSERV Utility from the Startup.

1. Click on the Start, select RUN, in Run command type: msconfig and press the Enter key.

2. In the MS Configuration Utility, un-check the VAIO Event Services Utility or HKSERV Utility and then click on Apply then OK.

3. Then, restart the Computer. This will disable the Function key in the Computer.


Good Luck!!!!!!!!!

NumLock is on. Look for the Fn key in the lower left corner, and lookint in the top right, the NumLock key.

I'm wondering if you have a function lock key. Try turning on numlock and scrolllock while typing. Either that or you could use system restore and possibly the integrated diagnostics of the laptop to see if the issue is hardware or software related (hardware would show up in diagnostics) for you to contact Acer. Usually one goes to them by pressing and holding the Fn key (ironically) and pressing the power button, or by selecting it from a boot menu (by pressing F2, F8, f12, or whatever key it is on boot up.

I would suggest for the mean time, just taking the key off and holding it down using tape. Or you could press the key a few times if it's causing trouble, or press and hold it (if that is what causes the Fn lock, I'm sure it exists for a 'good' purpose but have never actually used it). I might experiment with this one :P. Definately sounds absolutely not like water damage :P

Hope this helps, stay spicy and happy lappying :)

Your keyboard may have a function key lock (could be up in the right corner) that locks the keys in the Fn mode. Look for that. I have seen this on several keyboards. On some keyboards I've been able to get around this by hitting the print screen, scroll lock, or pause key to unlock it.

Would these be keys that can also be used to enter numbers? do they have numbers on them as well as letters ?
If so I'm thinking that there is some sort of Num. Lock activated (perhaps via an FN key ?)
Can you tell us more about the laptop, make and model ?