Quantcast
PCWorld.com is upgrading some back-end systems. Some site features, such as user registration, may be temporarily unavailable.
Subscribe to magazine

Blogs

    Answer Line

  • From Windows to wireless, Contributing Editor Lincoln Spector finds solutions to readers' most vexing PC problems.
  • Subscribe to this blog

Block Spying Cookies, but Keep the Helpful Ones

Lincoln Spector

Disable the Windows Key

I'm a computer gamer. Accidentally hitting the Windows key in the middle of a game is a disaster. Can I disable it?

Joe Barteluce, Kelso, Washington

You can with a little Registry tweaking. But back up the Registry first; see the boxed item below for details. Once the Registry is backed up, select Start, Run (just Start in Vista), type regedit, and press <Enter>. In the left pane, navigate to and select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Control\Keyboard Layout (this is not to be confused with the 'Keyboard Layouts' option just beneath it). Click Edit, New, Binary Value, name the new value Scancode Map, and then double-click it. Enter the code below, which will wrap automatically as shown here:

00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
03 00 00 00 00 00 5B E0
00 00 5C E0 00 00 00 00

Click OK, close the Registry Editor, and reboot Windows. Your Windows key will be no more. If you want to disable the Windows key only for specific applications, try the free WinKey Killer utility.

Back Up the Registry in Windows XP and Vista

It's always a good idea to back up the Windows Registry before installing new software or making other system changes. In XP, select Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore. Click Create a restore point, choose Next, and follow the prompts. In Vista, click Start, type sysdm.cpl, and press <Enter>. In the User Account Control box, enter your password if necessary and select Continue. Choose System Protection, Create, and then follow the prompts. Another option, and the best for users of Windows 2000 (which lacks System Restore), is the free ERUNT utility.

Send questions to answer@pcworld.com. We pay $50 for published items. You'll find Contributing Editor Lincoln Spector's humorous and other writings at www.thelinkinspector.com.

  • Recommend this story?
  • 0 Yes
    0 No

"Block Spying Cookies, but Keep the Helpful Ones" Comments

  • Great year-end deals
    for small business!

  • Get 24/7 live remote AT&T Tech Support 360* service along with select Lenovo* PCs (with Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processors) and save up to 200!

    Learn more

  • HP EliteBook* 6930p Notebook with Intel® vPro™ technology and a free HP Basic Docking Station - $641 instant savings!

    Learn more

  • *Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others. ©2009 Intel Corporation. Intel, the Intel logo, vPro and Core trademarks of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries. All rights reserved.
Learn more about the Windows Phone PCWorld Gift Guide

Focus on Personal Productivitysponsored by Microsoft

  • Personal Finance 2.0 These free and fee-based Web services not only aggregate data from your online bank accounts, they give you tools for managing your money.
  • High-Tech Travel Tips Plenty of stories provide advice for elite mobile professionals. But what about you, the unproductive traveler?

People who read this also read:

Answer Line

All PC World Blogs

  • Perfect Printing Solutions Find just the right All-in-One printer for you from HP. Visit the HP Resource Center.
  • Lenovo Laptop Showcase Find out how Lenovo IdeaPads and Thinkpads balance performance and portability. Visit the Lenovo Resource Center for more info...

Sponsored Links