BleepingComputer.com: Disable F1 For Windows Help?

Welcome to BleepingComputer, a free community where people like yourself come together to discuss and learn how to use their computers. Using the site is easy and fun. As a guest, you can browse and view the various discussions in the forums, but can not create a new topic or reply to an existing one unless you are logged in. Other benefits of registering an account are subscribing to topics and forums, creating a blog, and having no ads shown anywhere on the site.

Click here to Register a free account now! or read our Welcome Guide to learn how to use this site.

Page 1 of 1

You cannot start a new topic
You cannot reply to this topic

Disable F1 For Windows Help?

#1 jhsmurray

Senior Member

Group: Members
Posts: 383
Joined: 15-July 07
Location:6,378 km above the Earth's core

Posted 01 March 2008 - 10:36 AM

Just wondering if anyone knows how to do this. I keep hitting it by accident with my clumsy fingers, and am getting annoyed with the windows help popup - btw I can't find anything in Windows help on the subject :huh:

Acer Aspire 5732z
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate
Processor: Intel Pentium III Xeon, 2200 MHz
RAM: 3 GB
Display: Mobile Intel GMA 4500M

#2 usasma

Still visually handicapped, new avatar (a camel) :0)

Group: Members
Posts: 16,689
Joined: 02-October 05
Gender:Male
Location:Southeastern CT, USA

Posted 01 March 2008 - 06:58 PM

I'm not sure, but I think that Toshiba has a keyboard utility (maybe in Control Panel) that'll help with this?

- John
**If you need a more detailed explanation, please ask for it. I have the Knack. **

#3 jhsmurray

Senior Member

Group: Members
Posts: 383
Joined: 15-July 07
Location:6,378 km above the Earth's core

Posted 02 March 2008 - 05:34 AM

Unfortunately, none that I could find. I was really hoping to find the entry in the registry that starts C:\Windows\HelpPane.exe when the F1 key is pressed - that way F1 would still work in other apps.

According to an Ask Leo article, I can use a program called keytweak. Although its not intended for use with Vista, I can run it in XP // Admin mode and seems to run fine. Now my F1 is globally remapped to `, which should be fine for my purposes. Hope fully those registry changes that happened for the re-map hasn't caused any damage . :huh:

Acer Aspire 5732z
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate
Processor: Intel Pentium III Xeon, 2200 MHz
RAM: 3 GB
Display: Mobile Intel GMA 4500M

#4 dawian

New Member

Group: Members
Posts: 1
Joined: 17-March 09

Posted 18 March 2009 - 02:22 AM

I had this problem mainly in Total Commander when changing drives, sometimes I accidentally pressed win instead of alt + F1 and bleep, the annoying help window comes out ... after searching for different solutions I didnt find any good registry switch or system service that would disable help center. So I did it my way - as far as win+F1 is trigger for a file HELPPANE.EXE placed in win directory, I changed security permissions for this file - meaning, in permissions, I removed "read and execute" permission for both administrators and users. I left other permissions as they were, just in case system itself needed this file.
Also, have in mind that before changing permissions of helppane.exe you need to take ownership, meaning, change owner from TrustedInstall to yourself.
And there you go, in case of any problems, you can easily set permissions back.

#5 cryptodan

Bleepin Madman

Group: BC Advisor
Posts: 16,928
Joined: 08-September 08
Gender:Male
Location:Catonsville, Md

Posted 02 March 2010 - 12:20 PM

You may disable it and need it one day later.

My work schedule is as follows: Mon and Tues 1800 to 0600, Friday - Sunday 1800EST to 0600, and Wednesday to Thursday 1800est to 0600. So if I do not respond right away I am at work.
----------------
If I am helping you, then Please Send Me a Message!with your thread link in it. This is only if I haven't replied back to you within 24 to 48 hours.
----------------
My Main Site || My Backup Site || steam://friends/add/cryptodan Add me to your Steam Friends.