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G74s numlock problem

StanG
Level 7

‎12-30-2011 08:21 AM - last edited on ‎03-06-2024 10:28 PM by Community Admin

Greetings ROG members:
I got a G74S notebook for Christmas but I must confess that I am not a computer gamer. I bought it because it had a large 17" screen and lots of power. Unfortunately the notebook doesn't "honor" the setting of the numlock key even when an external USB keyboard is connected to it.

I am vision-impaired and the software I use to access the computer and programs running on it require that I use the 10-key number pad as a cursor pad, with numlock off most of the time.

Has Asus released a BIOS update to allow the notebook to honor the setting of the numlock key?

If not, are they planning to do so?

Many thanks.
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8 REPLIES 8

fostert
Level 12

‎12-30-2011 09:16 AM

The current BIOS (203) is the one we've had for ~2 months now: thats 2 months of loud complaints from G74 owners to ASUS for a numlock fix. If they ever do release another BIOS for the G74 (I'm doubtful there will ever be another one) I'm confident the numlock will be the thing fixed by it. For now, I think I read somewhere that the Windows program "numlocker" will turn the numlock off when you run it. Of course for us Linux users we are doomed to run with the thing on...and I need it off too for some of my favorite hotkey bindings in my display and analysis programs! Sigh.
--
G74SX-CST1-CBIL, i7 2630QM 2GHz
32GB DDR3 RAM @1333MHz
GTX560M 3GB DDR5 (192 bit)
17.3" LED 1920x1080
Sentelic TP, BIOS 203
Debian Linux Wheezy (Testing) Kernel 3.2, NVIDIA 295.40
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City_Builder
Level 7

‎12-30-2011 10:13 AM

Very strange behavior. I can turn on and off the numlock on my external usb microsoft 4000 keyboard. But I've got to do it in a strange way...

I hold down the numlock key on my external keyboard while pressing the 8 key several times. The numlock is then turned off. To turn it back on again I simply press the numlock key once and it turns on. When the numlock is in the off state, I can then use all the cursor keys (8 2 4 6) to move the cursor around (in a text document, I've not tried to use those keys ever in a game).
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StanG
Level 7
In response to City_Builder

‎12-30-2011 12:06 PM

Thanks for the quick replies.

Can I enter the G74S BIOS screen with F2? (I want to see the BIOS level the notebook is currently running)

I think it extremely strange that Asus would setup a machine that doesn't honor the numlock setting especially from an external keyboard.

Is it worth discussing with Asus or should I think about returning the notebook?
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fostert
Level 12

‎12-31-2011 06:51 AM

Others disappointed about the numlock situation have been PM'ing Gary Key on these forums about it, as it is supposed that he has some influence on what goes into the next BIOS release. Perhaps MarshallR@ASUS could also bring these concerns up the chain?
For me the numlock thing wasn't worth returning the notebook over, as there are simply too many other amazing features on this notebook that make it worth living with the annoyance. But I really want a new BIOS to fix this!!
--
G74SX-CST1-CBIL, i7 2630QM 2GHz
32GB DDR3 RAM @1333MHz
GTX560M 3GB DDR5 (192 bit)
17.3" LED 1920x1080
Sentelic TP, BIOS 203
Debian Linux Wheezy (Testing) Kernel 3.2, NVIDIA 295.40
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City_Builder
Level 7
In response to fostert

‎12-31-2011 07:07 AM

fostert wrote:

For me the numlock thing wasn't worth returning the notebook over, as there are simply too many other amazing features on this notebook that make it worth living with the annoyance. But I really want a new BIOS to fix this!!


^^This, exactly This^^
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shol
Level 7
In response to fostert

‎12-31-2011 07:09 AM

http://numlocker.en.softonic.com/

I use that for now and run it with windows gets the job done
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StanG
Level 7
In response to shol

‎12-31-2011 02:43 PM

I downloaded and installed Numlocker, and it does work with Windows 7, although it interferes with my text to speech software's ability to recognize and voice some key-presses, notably caps lock.

This is goo d enough for me to probably keep this amazing notebook, but Asus should really correct this lame-brained notion that such a fine notebook should be saddled with this problem.
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fostert
Level 12

‎12-31-2011 02:58 PM

Agreed 100%: ASUS really has something to brag about in the G74, so why would they let it remain a crippled product when a fix to a very specific problem is so easy to make? I don't understand....
--
G74SX-CST1-CBIL, i7 2630QM 2GHz
32GB DDR3 RAM @1333MHz
GTX560M 3GB DDR5 (192 bit)
17.3" LED 1920x1080
Sentelic TP, BIOS 203
Debian Linux Wheezy (Testing) Kernel 3.2, NVIDIA 295.40
0 Kudos