I just installed XP SP2. Occasionally now, my keyboard layout
changes without warning and I don’t know how to get it back to the normal
“qwerty” layout. For example:
q=’
w=,
e=.
r=p
t=y
y=f
l=n
I haven’t been able to figure out what triggers this. Sometimes it corrects
when I change programs; otherwise I reboot. I’ve checked the language and
regional settings; they’re okay.
The list of character changes was particularly helpful. It’s what happens
if a keyboard gets put into Dvorak layout.
But why did it happen? That’s a little unclear.
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Dvorak is an alternate keyboard layout that’s more ergonomic and efficient
than the traditional “qwerty” layout we’re all familiar with. Where qwerty was
designed specifically to slow down typists that were too fast for old
mechanical typewriters. Dvorak is designed to be fast and efficient. You can
read more about the Dvorak keyboard, its origins, and resources here at
The Dvorak Keyboard – A Brief Primer.
It’s unlikely that Windows would spontaneously load up the Dvorak driver –
the first time takes a reasonably complex procedure.
Once the driver is loaded, you can set it to switch back and forth via an
icon in the notification area of the taskbar a specific keyboard sequence. But
you’d probably know it, as it has to be set up for either or both.
You can check in Control Panel, Regional and
Language Options, Languages, and then the
Details button.
I think I can answer this one. Spyware/Adware creators are on the run.
However, they are probably bored. I mention this because usually if I am browsing around I’ll get messages asking to install plugins.
Yesterday it said there was a Microsoft Corporation plugin that was going to install. There was NO way to cancel it.
At this point, I could have clicked anything and the program just installs — in your case — a keyboard driver and made it active.
The only way I could avoid it was by opening Task Manager (I use Ctrl-Alt-Del for fun), then I clicked IEXPLORE.EXE and clicked End Task. The horrifying installation dialog box disappeared.
Just thought it might apply to this situation!
Hi!
By default, the short keyboard way to toggle between keyboard is “left alt+ Shift”. Perhaps you did that sequence… you can change this behavior with the specific tool in the taskbar. Just try to delete the short way!
You haven’t listed a fix to this. I’m having this exact problem. Generally, it only affects one or two programs and the others will work fine. The problem I have is in MSN Messenger. I’ll be using it quite happily and suddenly it will randomly switch to Dvorak. Is there a remedy? This guy is right, restarting the program or restarting the machine solves it but it is quite the annoyance.
Mike Farrow
I’ve had the same problem for a while. A few months back i was messing with the diffrent keyboard languages, and the thing is, is that there is hotkeys to change them. For instance when im playing a game, i hit alt + shift somtimes, and then all of a suddent my keys are changed. If you go to the control panel, then to regional and language options. Hit the languages tab, and then hit details and your there. Make sure that US is bolded, and not devorak or left handed devorak. If you want just remove those because you wont have to worry about those. Hope that this helped. 🙂
also, if you want to see the hotkeys for it, while your in the details, if you hit the key settings, it will show you that you can switch the languages buy pressing left shit + alt.
Tfne is right: When I installed Dvorak, my system had only the standard US keyboard listed. Dvorak wasn’t even on the list until I put it there from the installation CD. If I decide that Dvorak is not for me, then I will delete the listing — a habit since Win31.
I have been trying to add a second keyboard for a user who has one hand that doesn’t work as well. When I change applications it always seems to go back to US standard. I am thinking about having a second user created for her so that only one keyboard is installed for each user.
I don’t remember when, but at some point last year I had installed the Dvorak keyboard option (I guess I was just curious) and had forgotten about it. Flash-forward to this year and I’m typing in Lotus Notes and go to cut+paste something and start to type again – and the keys have gone all funny.
I called my helpdesk and they said my keyboard was going bad, which I knew wasn’t the case because it was only happening in Lotus Notes (twice in two weeks!) and exiting and coming back in resolved the problem.
So to appease the helpdesk, I switched keyboards with someone else to see if I could eliminate the problem, and two weeks later, it’s happening again, only this time it happened in Microsoft Word. And to cap it off, I found the key combination that was turning it off/on. For me, it was left ctrl+shift.
Searching for “control + shift” and “dvorak” brought me here and the posted information helped me find the issue. I removed the dvorak option from my settings and I no longer have the issue.
i dont get my normal keyboard on my laptop.i have to use Fn key to Get normal Keys on my laptop?
help me
Solution XP: Remove Dvorak
Ctrl Panel -> Regional and Language Settings -> Languages(tab)-> Details (Button) -> Select Dvorak from installed services and click Remove (Button)-> Click OK
Shine’s solution doesn’t actually take effect until you reboot.
Windows sure can be annoying.
Try holding ‘alt’ and pressing ‘shift’ three times.
alt+shift+shift+shift
I have the opposite problem. I like to have my keyboard set to Dvorak, and every now and then it will mysteriously switch to Qwerty. Advanced Key Settings says I have no hotkey for switching between Dvorak and Qwerty. I think there must be a secret Windows hotkey–one of its bugs/features.
Found it! Ctrl-Shift will switch between all the keyboard languages you have installed. I guess it gets pressed by accident sometimes.