The Wiert Corner – irregular stream of stuff

There are odd things with the InitialKeyboardIndicators registry setting. Technet only documents bitflag value 2.

According to the docs it should be a bitflag, but sometimes you encounter InitialKeyboardIndicators value 2147483648 (0x80000000) especially as part of the .DEFAULT profile at HKEY_USERS.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Keyboard.

The problem I had was having these symptoms:

1. while logging in locally, I manually turned of the NumLock (as I have a 46W6740 UltraNav keyboard without a numeric keypad)
2. after logging in locally, it magically turned itself on even with InitialKeyboardIndicators=0 in my local profile at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Keyboard.
3. after logging in locally and turning it off, future local logons would keep it off
4. after logging in remotely, it would magically turn itself on while logged in
5. after having logged in remotely, the local logon console would have it turned on again

After reading Num Lock problem: Strange number in InitialKeyboardIndicators in Registry, I set both values to 0.

Now that it is 0 in both at HKEY_USERS.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Keyboard and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Keyboard, symptoms 4-5 still hold. Strange.

It is not the same problem as Num Lock state not retained after resume from Hybrid Shutdown in Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012.

If it persist, I might just put a script in: [Partially Solved: re-wired keyboard lol] Registry key “InitialKeyboardIndicators” NEVER keeps NumLock ON + ScrollLock ON (6) at startup and reverts back to NumLock ON (2).

–jeroen

The 46W6740 UltraNav keyboard without trackpad which either can be used as part of the IBM Redbooks | 1U 18.5-inch Standard and Enhanced Media Consoles (part number 17238BX which is nice but expensive) or as a standalone keyboard (at like EUR 100 still not cheap, but it helps me prevent RSI).

Typical configuration of 17238BX 1U 18.5″ Standard Console

46W6740 keyboard