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If you need to fix your keyboard on windows
BlogIf you happen to be cursed into having to use windows but want a ’l33t h4x0r keyboard (Dvorak keyboard, with caps lock turned into control) like I use the following documents are excellent.
- Add the Dvorak keyboard layout via the control panel, hit the ‘make default’ button.
OK, so now you’re Dvorak-ized. Awesome.
Not awesome, windows uses QWERTY as default for the login. This sux0rz.
Do the following (taken from This Tech-Ed document. By the way, you should probably back up your registry. I didn’t but I don’t want to be responsible if you do something stupid doing this ( I didn’t backup, but I’m foolish like that).
- Log on to Windows NT using the Dvorak keyboard layout.
- Using Registry Editor, change the “Preload” value to 00010409 in the following registry key:
HKey_Users\.Default\KeyboardLayout\
MORE INFORMATION
The Preload value for the Dvorak U.S. English keyboard layout is 00010409. The Preload value for the standard U.S. English keyboard layout is 00000409.
Got it - that’s go in and change the Preload value.
Reboot and that should stick. Now you’re Dvorak thru and thru (and see someone try to log in as you - suckers).
All right, but you still have that worthless caps lock there – OR you’re stretching like finger yoga when you use an emacs session. Not good. Let’s turn Caps to control.
Oddly I found this one on a slashdot Read More… who knew!
Here’s how I made capslock an extra control in Windows 2000/XP.
Go to this path in the registry editor:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SYSTEM \ CurrentControlSet \ Control \ Keyboard Layout
In that registry path, add a new binary value, like so:
Name: Scancode Map
Type: REG_BINARY
Data:
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
02 00 00 00 1D 00 3A 00
00 00 00 00
This required a reboot to take effect (for me, anyway).
(Thanks Falzer! - I sent him a nice email).
Reboot once more (hey it’s Windows, you’re used to rebooting, no?).
So now you’ve got the dopest keyboard layout known about town, clown.
w00t.