Anyway to disable the 'start' key on the keyboard

dugweb

Diamond Member
Oct 17, 2002
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I hate this button with a fiery passion, i always accidently hit it when i intend to hit alt.

Is there anyway to disable it, or change its function to equal that of the alt key?
 

CloE

Member
Mar 2, 2007
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wow, i learn something new. I will love to disable that WINDOWS key too, it often happens when I playing online game trying to hit ALT but got that windows key make the screen pop out to desktop and can't get back to the game.
 

dugweb

Diamond Member
Oct 17, 2002
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Originally posted by: CloE
wow, i learn something new. I will love to disable that WINDOWS key too, it often happens when I playing online game trying to hit ALT but got that windows key make the screen pop out to desktop and can't get back to the game.

that is the exact same reason i wanted to disable it :p

thanks a lot for the help Aberforth... it worked great :)
 

nweaver

Diamond Member
Jan 21, 2001
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you all are crazy. When I am running windows, I require that key, and it bugs me when I'm working on a keyboard that is missing it, or a laptop that puts it all the way up in the corner.
 

Aberforth

Golden Member
Oct 12, 2006
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Originally posted by: nweaver
you all are crazy. When I am running windows, I require that key, and it bugs me when I'm working on a keyboard that is missing it, or a laptop that puts it all the way up in the corner.

I need Win key too- can't live without it, but i'd rather answer to the topic. No preachings :)
 

Sunner

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Originally posted by: nweaver
you all are crazy. When I am running windows, I require that key, and it bugs me when I'm working on a keyboard that is missing it, or a laptop that puts it all the way up in the corner.

I think I'm standing with one foot in each camp :)

When I don't have it, I miss it for the shortcuts it provides.
When I do have it, I hate accidentally hitting it, which wouldn't be a problem if every keyboard except for Keytronic's ErgoForce boards and the old IBM clickys didn't suck, but unfortunately they do.

I'd be a much happier camper if Windows allowed me to just specify my own keyboard shortcuts(hello, KDE has allowed this for ages).
Oh and if someone can give me any hints regarding the above, that person will make my hero-of-the-day list :)
 

Aberforth

Golden Member
Oct 12, 2006
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Originally posted by: Sunner
Originally posted by: nweaver
you all are crazy. When I am running windows, I require that key, and it bugs me when I'm working on a keyboard that is missing it, or a laptop that puts it all the way up in the corner.

I'd be a much happier camper if Windows allowed me to just specify my own keyboard shortcuts(hello, KDE has allowed this for ages).
Oh and if someone can give me any hints regarding the above, that person will make my hero-of-the-day list :)

You can create your own shortcut keys, just right click on the shortcut file>Properties>and enter key combination in shortcut text box. you can also customize your keyboard layout using 3rd party tools like Key Transformation, Hotkey Manager etc.
 

drum

Diamond Member
Feb 1, 2003
6,810
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Originally posted by: nweaver
you all are crazy. When I am running windows, I require that key, and it bugs me when I'm working on a keyboard that is missing it, or a laptop that puts it all the way up in the corner.

no doubt, i use that key more than the spacebar
 

Sunner

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
11,641
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Originally posted by: Aberforth
Originally posted by: Sunner
Originally posted by: nweaver
you all are crazy. When I am running windows, I require that key, and it bugs me when I'm working on a keyboard that is missing it, or a laptop that puts it all the way up in the corner.

I'd be a much happier camper if Windows allowed me to just specify my own keyboard shortcuts(hello, KDE has allowed this for ages).
Oh and if someone can give me any hints regarding the above, that person will make my hero-of-the-day list :)

You can create your own shortcut keys, just right click on the shortcut file>Properties>and enter key combination in shortcut text box. you can also customize your keyboard layout using 3rd party tools like Key Transformation, Hotkey Manager etc.

Maybe I'm missing something obvious, but that seems to have two limitations.
Only works on shortcuts.
Only creates ctrl-alt-$key shortcuts.

Was thinking more along the lines of just creating any shortcut you'd like using any key combination(more or less, save for reserved stuff like ctrl-alt-del and such).
 

bruceb

Diamond Member
Aug 20, 2004
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In my view it is a useless key ... you can get to all you need from Start
 

nweaver

Diamond Member
Jan 21, 2001
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Originally posted by: bruceb
In my view it is a useless key ... you can get to all you need from Start

Windows key + R + cmd + enter all before you locate run in the start menu....

A mouse sucks
 

Griffinhart

Golden Member
Dec 7, 2004
1,130
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Originally posted by: f1sh3r
buy a logitech g15, its got a button to disable it :)

I love that feature. It's great for stopping that annoying accidental tap of the Windows key, but It's just s flick of a switch to re-enable it when using Windows.

 

JonnyBlaze

Diamond Member
May 24, 2001
3,114
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Originally posted by: bruceb
In my view it is a useless key ... you can get to all you need from Start

using keyboard shortcuts is MUCH faster than using icons or menus.

 

bruceb

Diamond Member
Aug 20, 2004
8,874
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Perhaps .. if you can remember all of them .. I am not in a big hurry when I use a computer
 

nweaver

Diamond Member
Jan 21, 2001
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Originally posted by: bruceb
Perhaps .. if you can remember all of them .. I am not in a big hurry when I use a computer

most make sense....WK+D to show the desktop, WK+L to lock (in XP), WK + E to open explorer. Plus, if I am doing something in the command window, it's so much easier to hit WK + R, cmd, enter and then start typing then to take my hands off the keyboard.