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So some may have read a recent Water Cooler thread I posted about a new office pc… Yesterday I noticed that I can no longer use my Windows Key… mostly I notice when going to lock my PC… a habit of mine… I simply use ctrl-alt-del for now… but I can’t seem to figure out how to fix this.

I did a bit of digging but only had maybe 15 minutes.

Things I have tried/looked at based on some Googling:

  • does not appear to be a registry editing (the fix is to remove a registry entry which does not exist)

  • does not appear to be group policy settings… it’s a domain PC and only happening on mine.

  • I ran sfc /scannow and there were no issues.

  • I believe it may somehow be related to the new keyboard (Cyborg), but even after un-installing all related software, the issue persists.

  • initially I thought it was only the WinKey-L that I thought was not working, but then when trying just the Windows key… it does nothing alone…

  • brand new machine running 7 pro x64 - only things installed… drivers/patches/fully up to date/MSSE/Office/CS5/Magic Tactics/Steam/and a new F2P FPS called “Bullet Run”… It is pretty clean at this point so I am not sure where else I might check… short of a re-install.

I have read suggestions of the work-around by creating a shortcut for locking the PC… but that’s an ugly solution to me… and one I’ll avoid.

Willing to explore any other suggestions… thanks!

8 Spice ups
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Have you swapped in another keyboard and removed any extra “Cyborg” software? I have a feeling this is a gaming keyboard.

4 Spice ups
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As far as the Windows key thing goes, is there a “gaming mode” switch on your keyboard?

Some keyboards have switches or options that disable the Windows key so that you don’t accidentally minimize your game.

Also, check out this KB http://support.microsoft.com/kb/240022 (if you still have issues)

As always try a basic keyboard, that might be laying around.

3 Spice ups
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I’m with Rockn - try it with a generic keyboard and see if that’s your culprit

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I agree with Rockn. Alot of gaming keyboards have a default option of disabling the windows key because most gamers get annoyed when there in the middle of a kill streak and hit the windows key only to minimize their game :stuck_out_tongue:

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Mstokes wrote:

As far as the Windows key thing goes, is there a “gaming mode” switch on your keyboard?

Some keyboards have switches or options that disable the Windows key so that you don’t accidentally minimize your game.

Also, check out this KB http://support.microsoft.com/kb/240022 (if you still have issues)

As always try a basic keyboard, that might be laying around.

I have a Logitech G110 and I did this accidentally and thought it was broken.

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I have not swapped keyboard… it is a gaming keyboard but I WAS using WinKey-L when I first set it up… I have tried completely removing the Cyborg/Saitek software to no avail.

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Mstokes wrote:

As far as the Windows key thing goes, is there a “gaming mode” switch on your keyboard?

Some keyboards have switches or options that disable the Windows key so that you don’t accidentally minimize your game.

Also, check out this KB http://support.microsoft.com/kb/240022 (if you still have issues)

As always try a basic keyboard, that might be laying around.

I have read some suggestions regarding those toggles on a keyboard… I am not consciously aware if mine has one… (I do not think so) but it could be a hidden/secret/sneaky little switch somewhere… the manual does not mention one that I recall.

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It maybe set somewhere in the software for the keyboard. My last gaming keyboard has 3 color back-lighting and when I first set it up it was purple I think. I wasn’t going to stare at that all the time, so (I hate to say it) you might want to look at the book for how to toggle this. I can all but guarantee any decent, new, gaming keyboard is going to have an option for disabling the Windows key, but it’s usually a switch at the top of the keyboard so you can turn it back on quickly.

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I had a look at the KB article above, it says it is for Win 98… despite coming a long way since then I looked at my system.ini, and there is no [keyboard] section at all…

I then checked my work pc’s system.ini for the same, and there is also no [keyboard] section at all, and my Win Key works fine here…

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I just Google’d the PDF manual of the keyboard… while it doesn’t mention “disable Win Key” anywhere, I am wondering if the circled part in the attached screenshot might be doing that… If so I will have to wait until I get home to test/check. Physical button… I can’t remember if the problem comes/goes whether or not lights are on or not.

http://www.saitek.com/manuals/cyborg_keyboard_manual_final.pdf

AHHHH I read the fine print on the side and it says: “Cyborg Mode - instantly disable the Windows keys and configure the colour and brightness of your gaming keys at the touch of a button”

FML… lol… damnit… RTFM Kelly! Thanks everyone… seems I was over thinking it… sadly that means my lights have to be off in order for the WinKey to work? Seems silly…

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3 Spice ups
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Dan4638 wrote:

I agree with Rockn. Alot of gaming keyboards have a default option of disabling the windows key because most gamers get annoyed when there in the middle of a kill streak and hit the windows key only to minimize their game :stuck_out_tongue:

I used to physically remove that key when playing HL…

2 Spice ups
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Have you rebooted 3 times? :slight_smile:

1 Spice up
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Kelly Armitage wrote:

I used to physically remove that key when playing HL…

Heh, seen people do that (& more) to the “shutdown” key some keyboards had.

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I hope this isn’t at work. People will really think you are a geek with that Klingon looking keyboard.

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Denis Kelley wrote:

Have you rebooted 3 times? :slight_smile:

damnit! I knew I missed something… I’d only tried rebooting twice! :frowning:

1 Spice up
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Rockn wrote:

I hope this isn’t at work. People will really think you are a geek with that Klingon looking keyboard.

haha well this is my home office/small business setup not my FT position at the museum…

When I sit down at my desk at home now, it feels like I am sitting in a cockpit… and I AM a geek most times :Þ

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Hey, i have the same problem, i dont usually get the problem of pressing the windows button when playing and i would like my windows key to be alwasy on, is there any way to do it?