turn off the num lock key at startup?

When is it being switched on? When you start Windows? Or when you boot your laptop?

98 can still use a config.sys file, right?

make a text file and call it config.sys at the root of C:, if it's not there already.

Numlock = off

drake6, I have never heard of such a thing.  numlock is a hardware thing, not software.  Please reject the answer.

You don't mention the model/type of laptop you have.  Depending on the mfg of your system board/BIOS, you can get into the CMOS/BIOS using the following keys on bootup:

F2
F10
Del
Esc
Ctrl-Esc
Ctrl-Alt-Esc
Ctrl-Alt-S (sometimes you can do this when your system is already running)

http://sysopt.earthweb.com/perform2.html

Try here for more info on BIOS.  

http://www.sysopt.com/bios.html

Of course, always ask the mfg of the system too.  Check their website.  www.mfg.com

If this does not resolve your issue (as the CMOS is already setup this way) you may need to either upgrade your BIOS or check the registry of your system.  To upgrade BIOS, go to mfg again.  Try these articles for changing your registry.  ALWAYS backup your registry (or at least the key you change) first before making changes.

The Windows 98 Config.txt File---click on Edit at the top and look for numlock.
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q232/5/57.ASP?LN=EN-US&SD=gn&FR=0&qry=numlock&rnk=62&src=DHCS_MSPSS_gn_SRCH&SPR=MSALL

KEYBOARD AND KEYBOARD LAYOUT ENTRIES FOR USERS---click on Edit at the top and look for numlock.
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q102/9/78.ASP

NUMLOCK Causes Logon Problems with Portable Computers
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q170/9/03.asp?LN=EN-US&SD=gn&FR=0&qry=numlock&rnk=46&src=DHCS_MSPSS_gn_SRCH&SPR=MSALL

Programs to Turn NUM LOCK On and Off
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q71/6/32.ASP?LN=EN-US&SD=gn&FR=0&qry=numlock&rnk=82&src=DHCS_MSPSS_gn_SRCH&SPR=MSALL

For O/S answers try http://support.microsoft.com and let your fingers do the walking.

Hope this helps.

dd

Well slink, the fact that you never heard of it is not my problem. I just tested it and it worked.
NUMLOCK=OFF turned it off with a cold boot in the 98 operating system.
BIOS turns it on, OS turns it off.
That what an operating system does. It operates the hardware.

Just want to throw in my opinion, which is that slink9 is correct. The proper way of controlling numlock state at bootup is in bios, which is why the bios has that option. I have never heard of the other option that drake6 mentions, and i haven't tested if it works, but IMHO try slink9's suggestion first, as it will continue working even if you reformat the HD. Drake6's suggestion won't as it is located in the OS, which will be wiped out, during a reformat of the HD.

As a personal note to drake6, i want to tell you, that the accepted policy when answering questions among experts, is letting the questioner decide, what comment helped him/her the most. This is why you see that other experts are submitting comments rather than answers.
( Slink9 could easily and with full rights have submitted an answer, but followed the accepted policy and submitted a comment )
You are new at this site, and i must admit i made the same mistake when i first started here. Someone was so kind to tell me about the accepted policy among experts, and i have followed it ever since, as all other experts at this site is. Please don't take this personally, as i'm only giving you an advice. (If i'm not doing it, you can be sure that someone else will in a very short time)

Regards to all
Tonny

I have looked at that command but haven't tested it.  There is a numlock command that can be used in CONFIG.SYS; but as mentioned, this will disappear with a hard drive reformat.  The safest and best way is the BIOS.
I apologize for assuming that something I had never heard of was naturally incorrect.  I would guess the reason I have never heard of it is that it duplicates the purpose of a BIOS function.
I also believe that this would be rather unreliable because of the different BIOS versions and the way they handle different functions.  You know that the BIOS option will work because it is built in no matter which version or revision of BIOS you have.

If accepted policy is to submit comments and not answers then your point is taken, and hereafter that is what I shall do. I certainly have no problem with that.

While it may be the simplest solution (and safest for a novice user), you may consider the answer withdrawn.

But it's OK to advise people to reject solutions because they have not heard of them? Isn't that a tough case to make in IT?

drake6: Not sure if your last question was to me, but i take your point. Advising people to reject answers because i and others never heard of that, is of course not OK, but that was not the reason. It was only, as slink9 has explained, because the feature already IS in bios, and can be controlled here regardless of OS.

Look forward to work and learn with you in the future.
Regards
Tonny

Thanks gents. Bcoleman4, as they say this is definitely configurable in BIOS and would toggle NUMlock regardless of any OS that loads next. Sorry for the diversion. Cheers.

bcoleman, any input on this one?

This is the first time that I have to agree with a person which has locked a question.
drake6 is 100% right.
You guys do a test:
Add this line to your config.sys
Numlock = off
Now reboot. It works.
When I saw his answer, I reacted the same way you guys did. But I gave it a try and it worked.
I think drake6 has posted a simple and working proposed answer which should solve the problem.
I give drake6 credit for this simple answer without messing hardwares and Bios.
Navid

It is important that we evaluate all proposed answers before asking the questioner to change to comment.
Some cases like this one, answers are very good and deserv to be posted as proposed answers.
--EE policy:
Proposed answers should not be a theory or maybe works maybe not and should be any copy of other experts and should solve the problem for the questioner.
In this case, the proposed answer fylls all EE rules. So why not propose answer?

Correction:
"...Proposed answers should NOT be any copy of other experts..."
sorry

So far, none of these have worked.  However I made the mistake because my system is Windows 2000.  I will move it over to that forum.

BColeman

bcoleman4:
".....So far, none of these have worked. ....."
The suggestion from drake6 should work.
Even if that did not work for you, which it should, the suggestion from Slink9(disabling numlock in Bios) will work.
If these suggestions did not work for you. Post this question in Hardware section since something is wrong with your keyboard!!

Can you get into your BIOS?

This is a registry fix for the numlock on/off, but do try the bios first.

HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Keyboard\InitialKeyboardIndicators
(WinNT/2000)

This REG_SZ or String value when set to 2 will make the NUMLOCK turn on when Windows loads. A value of 0 will turn the numlock off.
This will make the change for all users. If you want to do it for an individual user, then change the same value in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER hive.

Normally I try each response. If the numlock=off was tried as mentioned and found in dos books on would find out it does indeed work except when reformating. When reformatting on has a wholl lot of problems reconfiguring which numlock is the least of it. I have used it when I used win 95 and then turned it off when i went to win98 in the bios. I gues this is just a recap of the above.

So did you try the registry fix ?.

I would guess the registry fix won't "work", either, since this person apparently does not even know how to get into the BIOS.  The BIOS is a guaranteed fix but it supposedly didn't work.  Whatever - you have to deal with many different levels of knowledge here.

Comment to the questioner:
This is not the first time this questioner ignores good answers. I beleive This questioner has 3 good and working answers. (1) Disable numlock in Bios from Slink9 (2) Adding numlock = off by Drake6 (3) Manipulating registry  to disable numlock by Tonnybrant
The first anwer which is about disabling numlock in Bios will work in ALL PC. No matter the OS.(100% sure)
I have tryed the suggestion from Drake6 and it worked also.(but not 100% like disabling Bios). The registry manipulation could also work.(have not tryed it) but Tonnybrant has find the right key in registry.
Now we are waiting an A to one of these comments. Do not come up with comments like: no comments worked. I do not think that any of us is buying it.
You have asked an extrenly simple and basic question to a bunch of "computer experts" which have worked with computers in many many years. We know with fact that some of the answers must work.(if your system is working)
This is not the first time you ignore good answers. Watch this question also:
http://www.experts-exchange.com/jsp/qShow.jsp?ta=win98&qid=20132497

I agree, Navid, Tony and Slink; I say this one's done, and I don't care who gets credit! Who's for the bar?

Split the points.  There is no definitive answer, although there is one proper answer that always works.

On time I think I spent 8 hours trying and responding to each comment. It is only courtious that one do so, since effort is being made to help.

oh!!! Go to BIOS setting and Trun off the NUMLOCK... I think this is the answer :-)

Yes, rajans, that would be the best solution and the first proposed to answer this apparently abandoned question.Some of the users here don't have the courtesy to actually close questions.  They ask the question, experts work hard to provide the best answer to it, and they "take it and run."  Such is life.

i don't know how the hell to get into the BIOS... thanks for talking in language I don't understand and then getting angry because I do not accept any answers

Then you should have told us that you didn't understand, and we could have told you how to do the things we have suggested, but there was no feedback from you.

The comment from DrDos should have told you how to get into the BIOS  I believe it covers most ways  Have you bothered to read everything