Remap special function keys

Hello all,

I've a Netbook with a broken keyboard.
So I ordered a new one.
The original one is a AEZG5R00110.
As indicated on several sites, the one I bought (a TK0001) should be compatible.
Well, at first it seems to be indeed, as it fits perfectly, as well as the connector.
Also all normal keys are working.
But looking at the special function keys, they are different:
AEZG5R00110:
TK0001:
For example the audio mute is on F5 instead of F8.
As you can imagine, this is not very practical.
Does anybody know how this can be fixed?
Clearly the TK0001 is made for an Acer One, so it should be posible.
Maybe another driver, or a BIOS update?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Jan Pieter de Ruiter

 

This may be a stupid question but for example does either the F5 or the F8 mute your audio? If so is the one that works coincide with the new keyboard or does it function like the old keyboard or neither? I would test out all the special function to see what each does. You may only need to remark your keys which you could do by just marking the key with a scratch, filling the scratch with some white out typing correction fluid and then covering them with nail polish.

 

Hi donec,

thanks for your reply.

Well, the keymapping stayed the same.
So when I press the F5 on the new keyboard (to mute the audio), the only thing happens is a flikker in the screen (trying to switch to the VGA output I guess).
When I press F8 (with the bluetooth icon) the audio mutes.

The only special keys that changed are the ones on the Fx keys.

Since it's not my own netbook, physically screwing the netbook is not an option.

But I contacted the supplier of the new keyboard, and he offered me to swap the keyboard for another one, with the right mapping.

But the question still remains:
Is it possible to change the special key mapping?

 

Same thing happened with my last keyboard replacement (I'm on my second or third replacement). The printing on the keys is off, so the keys may need to be remapped. But for me it's no big deal. I remember where my function keys are.

But if you have any luck in remapping the function keys I'll be very interested in how it's done. I might even poke around myself to see what I can find. If I come up with anything I'll let you know

 

Hi Jpderuiter,

As far as I know it is not possible in Windows but maybe in Linux.

 

Well, if that's true, I'm curious why these keyboards are sold.
Or even produced.

 

Each style keyboard is designed for a certain type computer, of which there are many different styles and so it sounds like you got a keyboard that was not for your computer.

 

Ummm no, the form factor, cable connection, physical architecture and underlying hardware will indeed be machine "series" specific, i.e an Acer Aspire One keyboard will fit many different AAO's, but not any other brand (go on, try and fit your keyboard into a Dell Mini). The keyboards are indeed correct, it is merely the printing that has been incorrectly layed down. The function keys and everything else work fine, so long as you're pressing the right combination, eg, Fn+F8 still mutes the audio. Correct me if I'm wrong, but just about all AAO keyboard button mappings are similar if not identical, then they are indeed the correct keyboards.

Seems to me that the cheaper keyboards come from the lowest bidder, who probably don't have their printers setup right. Never the less, they are find keyboards and are fully functional, so long as the user knows where the Fn commands are.

P.S I've just returned home from a few days away for business, I'll be digging into the necessary software to see if I can't figure something out.

 

This might work: I've used it on my XP system to rekey some of the main keys to help my big fingers on the little keyboard, but I see the software shows the F keys and nothing seems to prevent remapping them. It's easy to use, you set and forget it.

http://majorgeeks.com/KeyTweak_d4161.html

Here's the developer's user guide:

http://webpages.charter.net/krumsick/Ke ... Manual.pdf

 

The keyboards may well fit the same brand, but since models of a given brand may not all have the same features the keys may not function the same.

That could be true but it could be that the keyboard has been marked for a different part of the world and so the keys are marked differently.