*grrr* new k/brd has a power off button!

[Choggy]

I'm not using a Mac.

I don't want to use a Mac.

I'm perfectly happy to do a Start>Shutdown, but some moronic designer has seen fit to include an "Instantly shut down without any warning or option to save open documents" key right above the Print Screen key on this new keyboard I've inherited.

HOW DO I TURN THE BLOODY THING OFF?!?

I've got Win2k SP4 installed and have already lost two documents due to this ridiculous key - I don't intend to lose any more (to the extent I'll pull the damn keyboard apart and remove that key if there's no way to disable this with software!)

Here's hoping someone can help me out and save me from going bright red and jetting steam from my ears cartoon-stylee!

Thanks in advance

Ceri

 

[smah]

Usually these button functions can be modified. Is there an icon in your taskbar that relates to keyboard functions? What about in the Start Menu, or possibly in control panel? If you can't disable it, you may be able to set it to 'ask' or 'sleep'. I'm quite surprised that windows doesn't prompt you to save open files (unless they haven't been modified).

 

[bcastner]

I think you could make this non-maskable. The "power good" line often feeds through the keyboard controller, and it is a non-maskable interrupt.

So having a hardware key to do the function of the older style "Reset" button is perfectly believable.

Take the key off the keyboard.

 

[Kocky]

Yeah bcastner is right. I had the same problem and with a screwdriver and a little force and got rid of the damm thing.

 

[Choggy]

Thanks smah: sadly I'd already thought of all that stuff (My profile says I'm a technical user, but I've got 6 years of IT Support experience behind me, which is why I'm so frustrated at not being able to solve this one myself! It should be easy!).

Sadly the keyboard is using a Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard driver and there's no special "Turn off this really irritating key" function either on the keyboard driver, the task bar or anywhere else. I've tried to find an appropriate driver - the keyboard appears to be a BTC (Behaviour Tech Computing) 5123s keyboard, but their English language site doesn't appear to have a driver for this model. I've emailed their tech support people, but am yet to hear from them.

Looks like I might have to take bcastner and Kocky's advice after all! I'll keep you up-to-date on my progress!