I’ve discovered the fix to the elusive keyboard beeps which occurred whenever I pressed certain combinations of three (3) keys. Using experimentation, I came up with this rule:
The computer beeps when I press any three key combination all in the same row including at least two of these keys: 4567rtyufghjvbnm.
Some Google searching found me the fix in a ThinkPad mailing list. At first, I thought they were talking about Linux. But no, it was Windows, and yes, it worked. Another person blogged it too (the original link to his blog was broken, so I feel it is especially important for me to blog it and clarify the instructions). Here’s what you do:
1. Open the Device Manager. You can do this from My Computer -> Properties -> Hardware -> Device Manager.
2. Show Hidden Devices. You can do this from View -> Show hidden devices. This is where I was stuck: I didn’t know the Device Manager had hidden devices.
3. Under Non-Plug and Play Drivers, open the properties for Beep. Go to Driver -> Stop, and the beeping will cease. I think you can also Disable the device, but for me, this would require a reboot.
I believe the Beep device is the most stupid device ever invented. It’s really the stupidest. It serves only as an annoyance, in very strange instances. And I’ve only seen this on the ThinkPad, after using lots of other computers.
Can anybody explain to me why this beep even exists?!
Anyway, I hope somebody found this interesting, or maybe, if you had one of the beeping ThinkPads, found it useful. I’m on a Z61t by the way.
Update: I reinstalled Windows Vista on my ThinkPad and had the same problem again. The steps are similar, but here are updated Vista screenshots to ensure nobody’s confused on what they’re looking for to fix this. Sorry for the low quality, but Microsoft Paint doesn’t compress images very well.
Make sure you select “Show hidden devices”.
There’s that dreaded beep, listed under “Non-Plug and Play Drivers”.
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Thanks!!! Thanks for blogging the fix for disabling the beep in windows.
I see that no one has explained the history behind this. See http://blogs.msdn.com/larryosterman/archive/2005/11/04/489135.aspx
From the blog, if you don’t want to stop/disable beep for other reasons, then use the “net stop beep” on a cmd line. Basically, back in the days of character terminals/line printers, the beep was actually part of the hardware. -Phil
Elliot Lee: THANK YOU. You are going to make me look so, SO dang cool when I get to show off this tip. (You will receive full credit and all accolades!)
We’ve been working with a program for over a year now that would BEEP for hotkey keystrokes — my neighbors have enjoyed hearing the BEEP and seeing me sit BOLT upright every time I’d hotkey. I’d have to laugh with them (albeit, from embarrassment) after each posture spasm. You’d laugh if you saw me do it, too.
Thanks so much for blogging this. I owe you a drink!
Gah! THANK you!
This would happen… constantly! After a while, I was just constantly on edge from using my laptop because I *knew* that friggin’ beep was about to launch me out of my chair.
Right, so this works on a Dell Inspiron 1520 laptop with Vista, as well. I just can’t believe that every person with a Dell, HP, or IBM laptop wouldn’t have banded together to end this by now!
And I had no idea that there were hidden devices in the Device Manager. Now I’m wondering if there isn’t anything else in there worth looking at.
This is the greatest post ever- I can’t believe that worked!
You are amazing.