Hot-keys without software

[Mauli]

Hi,

most notebooks nowadays use hot key software to activate buttons like w-lan, bluetooh etc.
A friend of mine uses an Acer 5020 running XP. Several weeks ago his acer hot key software crashed, so we removed it from the system. Today we wanted to activate his wlan, but of course that little button doesnt work anymore.

Now i am thinking, there's got to be a way to activate this button without using this software, some cmd command or a registry entry. Unfortunatly i am unable to find something like that.

Could anyone help me on this matter?

thanks in advance

mauli

 

[Joe Average]

Typically such hotkeys are enabled by a driver designed for that button's functionality. I've had a few machines where they're recognized by the OS and given some ability to do something but more often than not they don't work at all. It depends on what the button/switch is/was designed to do.

Personally I've never found much use for any hotkey style buttons myself, and as far as the software for Wi-Fi cards, I never use it - I just install the driver for the card itself and let Wireless Zero Configuration handle the rest, never had issues with that method but I have had issues with manufacturer's software countless times.

Acer probably offers the driver for that button's functionality someplace on their support site, or perhaps an email to their tech support would resolve the issue.

 

[Mauli]

Hey,

thanks for your help, we managed, though we had to reinstall the software. As you said, there doesn't seem to be a way to use those buttons other than to use their software.

As long as we didnt restart the computer, it worked fine.

thnx anyway!