Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
There are a couple of easy steps to take to configure the email button on your keyboard.
I just installed SP2 on XP and now my email button on my keyboard goes to a web based mail account and not my Outlook Express. How do I find the file for OE to insert on my keyboard button?
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I'm kind of surprised SP2 affected this setting, but it should be an easy one to fix.
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The specifics will vary beased on the manufacturer of your keyboard, but it's likely that all you need do is fire up Control Panel and double click on the keyboard item. In there there should be options that will let you configure the special buttons on your keyboard, including the email button.
To hook up Outlook Express as the mail client for that button you would specify msimn.exe. You'll probably need the full path, which is typically c:\Program Files\Outlook Express\msimn.exe
Why is Outlook Express's file "msimn.exe"? Historical reasons. It stands for MicroSoft Internet Mail and News. That's probably what it was called before they settled on the name "Outlook Express".
Article C2194 - October 1, 2004
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
Hi Leo,
I have an HP 8540 running Win XP SP2.
Recently after adding some Windows updates,
I find that the "buttons" tab in the control panel > keyboard properties
pane is no longer showing. A visit to Www.hp.com shows keyboard drivers for earlier
versions of Windows, but not for XP.
All this means that I am no longer able to program the keys,
and worse still, the popular non HP driver SP26411.exe simply wipes all
my settings without providing a buttons tab.
Can you suggest a fix for this please.
Posted by: Martin Reed at February 15, 2009 8:37 AMsame thing happened to me so obviously it's an issue; also my nice LED blue lights for my card reader slots don't light up and CD player won't play, just opens and closes but doesn't read...
fixes are like prescription drugs. take this but it could do this, this, and this
thanks for listening to my rant; it's very frustrating try to fix stuff every time I update
Posted by: Sue at September 3, 2009 3:12 PMAfter much dabbling I have a "workaround" for this problem.
The trick is to edit the CFG.INI file. On my PC this resides at C:\HP\KBD\CFG.INI
Copy your existing CFG.INI file to another folder, as a backup in case of trouble.
Then, using the "CONNECT" button as an example:-
Open CFG.INI using Notepad, find the heading [CurrentSct], then enter the following
below it on a new line:- Connect = "Google|http://www.google.co.uk/"
Then find the heading [CurrentUrl] and enter an identical new line below it.
Delete any pre-existing line(s) beneath these two headings that may contain Connect =
Delete C:\Program Files\Netropa\ or the button's name may not show at the bottom of the screen
when you come to use it.
Re-boot the PC for the changes to take effect and with luck the CONNECT button
should now open Google.
All 7 buttons along the top edge and 3 down the left side of the keyboard can
be set to visit websites (URLs), or open files on the PC. For opening files omit the entry under
the [CurrentUrl] heading.
The entries can go in any order under a heading, I use the order printed on the keyboard
labels.
Some buttons go under 2 names. The CFG.INI file lists the alternative
where appropriate. i.e. News/People & Weather/Finance etc.
Now, all buttons work as intended on my PC. Hope this works for you too.
Posted by: Martin Reed at November 8, 2009 1:01 PMMy keyboard e-mail button goes directly to outlook. I want to change it so it opens my yahoo e-mail page. I followed the directions, i.e., in the properties box under shortcut press ALT + CTL + (press the e-mail key on the keyboard). But when I do that, it just opens up outlook again. I don't use outlook. I'm so frustrated I don't know what to do.
Posted by: Lisa at March 6, 2010 1:32 PMRe the HP 8540 Keyboard buttons when running Windows XP service packs 2or3
Good news folks, HP have fixed the loss of the Buttons tab problem with their recent
SP26752.exe which now replaces their earlier SP26411.exe referred to in my posting of
Feb 15th 2009.
To find SP26752:-
1 Visit Google and type "HP keyboard buttons missing" into its search line.
2 click on the first entry entitled "Configuring the Multimedia and Internet Keyboard Buttons....",
3 click on "HP Multimedia Keyboard/Mouse driver Update - sp26752" to start the download.
Installation takes a minute and overwrites any previous installation. By default it
creates and places its files in C:\HP\. Re-start the PC when requested.
Then twiddle the volume control knob on your keyboard, and if it shows "Increasing
or Decreasing Volume" on the screen then you'll know the installation is complete.
Then in the Control Panel click on "Keyboard", and the "Buttons" tab should show in the
Keyboard Properties pane. Voila!
Posted by: Martin Reed at April 15, 2010 12:34 PMWhen setting up a button for a long URL e.g. a Yahoo e-mail page:-
1 visit the page
2 click in the address line near the top of the page to select the current address.
3 type [CNTRL] + C to copy it
4 click on the aforementioned Buttons tab to show the "configure a keyboard button" entry box.
5 double click on the name of the button you want to use
6 in the "choose a button capability:" line select "complex remote page with label"
7 click on the "Address:" line and clear any existing address
8 type [CNTRL] + V to paste the new address in.