How to get rid of that NUMLOCK: Predator Triton 500 SE

So this problem happens to me whenever I've been using an external keyboard (either plugged in or via a docking station) and I had the numlock on there. When I unplug it, the numlock stays on, even though there is no apparent way to turn it OFF when just using the laptop keyboard. As such, the easiest answer when you have this problem is to grab the nearest full size external keyboard, plug it into the laptop, hit the numlock key to turn it off, and you're done.

If you have no access to one, I DID find a solution though, but it's a bit cumbersome. With that warning out of the way, here's how to do it. And it involves making sure you can access both the Windows Virtual keyboard (different ways to do that, but I just put it on my start menu) AND the Microsoft On-Screen Keyboard. Why both? I'm glad you asked!

You'll need both because, just as Acer had a serious oversight in letting this problem slip through, the Windows virtual keyboard was similarly underprogrammed…there's no num lock on that keyboard either, at least not for this laptop. (This could be because it's made to match the laptop's own keyboard, but whatever the reason, it dsoesn't have one.) The reason you'll still need it, though is that it allows you to type the letter "o" which, while the numlock is locked on your actual laptop keyboard is unavailable due to the original issue (it's part of the "number pad" the numlock toggled on). The Windows virtual keyboard, though it doesn't have a numlock key, is necessary to type either "On-Screen Keyboard" in the start bar or to press WIN+CTL+O — both of which open up the more functional OSK, both of which require the letter "o."

Once you've got the Windows Virtual keyboard open, type either "On-Screen Keyboard" into the start bar or hit WIN+CTL+O. This will open up the OSK, which does have a numlock. (You may have to into settings to toggle it on in the keyboard configuration, then it will be available at all times.)

Hit numlock on THAT keyboard and your physical laptop keyboard will go back to normal.

Of course, as mentioned, the simplest fix is to plug in an external keyboard and hit the "numlock" and be done with it.

(I saw the advice to adjust the BIOS startup settings so that the computer always boots up with the numlock off—don't disable it entirely unless you never, ever use it. That's a smart additional fix as it reduces the acute fix to simply powercycling your laptop) but I've ended up using the OSK trick a handful of times, as I train myself to turn the numlock off on my external keyboard as soon as I'm done using it.