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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I have to thank you. I hava an R61…. Pretty often I’ve been typing on my computer with my headphones pretty loud and then the BEEEEEP came out from nowhere… It scared the hell out of me a couple of times…. This is like a relieve…. Thank you again…
THANK YOU! Thanks for publishing this fix to the incredibly annoying keyboard beep. I agree with you…what a stupid feature. Grazie! David
Is that same beep the one that signals errors and low battery or AC connect/disconnect? If so, then turning it off seems risky. Luckily I’m a two finger “typist”.
get a usb and not a ps2 keyboard by turning the beep sound off your not fixing the problem you just cant hear it any more but the keys you are trying to press still will not work
Thanks,
I never realized how many words contain the letters “oun” in sucession and was learning to hate every last one of them.