ThinkPad Keyboard Beeps Fixed
I’ve discovered the fix to the elusive keyboard beeps which occurred whenever I pressed certain combinations of three (3) keys. Using experimentation, I came up with this rule:
The computer beeps when I press any three key combination all in the same row including at least two of these keys: 4567rtyufghjvbnm.
Some Google searching found me the fix in a ThinkPad mailing list. At first, I thought they were talking about Linux. But no, it was Windows, and yes, it worked. Another person blogged it too (the original link to his blog was broken, so I feel it is especially important for me to blog it and clarify the instructions). Here’s what you do:
1. Open the Device Manager. You can do this from My Computer -> Properties -> Hardware -> Device Manager.
2. Show Hidden Devices. You can do this from View -> Show hidden devices. This is where I was stuck: I didn’t know the Device Manager had hidden devices.
3. Under Non-Plug and Play Drivers, open the properties for Beep. Go to Driver -> Stop, and the beeping will cease. I think you can also Disable the device, but for me, this would require a reboot.
I believe the Beep device is the most stupid device ever invented. It’s really the stupidest. It serves only as an annoyance, in very strange instances. And I’ve only seen this on the ThinkPad, after using lots of other computers.
Can anybody explain to me why this beep even exists?!
Anyway, I hope somebody found this interesting, or maybe, if you had one of the beeping ThinkPads, found it useful. I’m on a Z61t by the way.
Update: I reinstalled Windows Vista on my ThinkPad and had the same problem again. The steps are similar, but here are updated Vista screenshots to ensure nobody’s confused on what they’re looking for to fix this. Sorry for the low quality, but Microsoft Paint doesn’t compress images very well.
Make sure you select “Show hidden devices”.
There’s that dreaded beep, listed under “Non-Plug and Play Drivers.”
You are amazing. :)
This is the greatest post ever- I can’t believe that worked!
Gah! THANK you!
This would happen… constantly! After a while, I was just constantly on edge from using my laptop because I *knew* that friggin’ beep was about to launch me out of my chair.
Right, so this works on a Dell Inspiron 1520 laptop with Vista, as well. I just can’t believe that every person with a Dell, HP, or IBM laptop wouldn’t have banded together to end this by now!
And I had no idea that there were hidden devices in the Device Manager. Now I’m wondering if there isn’t anything else in there worth looking at.
Elliot Lee: THANK YOU. You are going to make me look so, SO dang cool when I get to show off this tip. (You will receive full credit and all accolades!)
We’ve been working with a program for over a year now that would BEEP for hotkey keystrokes — my neighbors have enjoyed hearing the BEEP and seeing me sit BOLT upright every time I’d hotkey. I’d have to laugh with them (albeit, from embarrassment) after each posture spasm. You’d laugh if you saw me do it, too.
Thanks so much for blogging this. I owe you a drink!
Thanks!!! Thanks for blogging the fix for disabling the beep in windows.
I see that no one has explained the history behind this. See http://blogs.msdn.com/larryosterman/archive/2005/11/04/489135.aspx
From the blog, if you don’t want to stop/disable beep for other reasons, then use the “net stop beep” on a cmd line. Basically, back in the days of character terminals/line printers, the beep was actually part of the hardware. -Phil
Free at last, free at last! You just saved a life, since if I had to listen to that beep one more time I definitely would have snapped…
This thing nearly deafened me while I was studying Calculus and listening to music tonight. Thanks for this article. I would’ve never figured it out.
thank you. thank you. thank you.
I just can’t stand the crapware IBM/Lenovo loads their systems with. I can’t think of a single one of their extensions that adds any real lasting value.
Just another note of thanks for publishing this info! My eardrums are eternally grateful.
THX. YOU SAVED MY LIFE…
this annoying thing is driving me so crazy…for DAYS…
I love you! Thanks! Some combination near “sh run mod ..” made it beep, working with Cisco gear this was really pissing me off.
Thank you so much! I was getting deaf. I use headphones to listen music on my thinkpad and that botering beep really makes me jump all the day.
Thanks for that, I was getting it when using my AOL, disabling it was the best option for me.
I agree with you – what an utterly ridiculous feature!
Regards
Jon
haha “I believe the Beep device is the most stupid device ever invented.” this made my day :D thanks for the solution !!!
Thankkkkkkkkkkkkk you! I had it tonight when my cat stepped on the keyboad while I was listening peacefully to music. The beep sent me to the roof and to your solution. SIGH!
Thynk you, this tip saved my day and my DELL Precision M90
Thanks for your tip! I’ve never had a problem with my old thinkpad and ever since I changed it to my T60, the beep has been freaking killing my ears, especially when I have headphones plugged into my system. You’re right, it’s fucking useless and the most annoying thing that has ever been invented.
Die, you *beep* *beep* beep!
tnx!
At last… the f*cking beep!
Thanks for your blog… You have saved my ears… and lots of ears suffering under the f*cking beep all round the world!
YEAH, it works! This beep was really annoying, especially when I used my IBM T20 for music performance (virtual keyboard piano).
Thank you!!
Thanks for the fix. Worked liked a charm!
I’m joining the legions of people saying thank you for posting this! My nerves are safe from the curse of the ThinkPad beep at last…. :-D
Thanks for posting this fix! What an annoyance!
You know, some of Lenovo’s services are pretty janky, but this one just got on my nerves (and scared the heck out of my cat on a number of occasions).
Now if someone could just help me understand why my text-cursor sometimes jumps around for no apparent reason, and I suddenly find myself typing over things two lines up, or even accidently sending Outlook e-mail while in mid-word…That’s what I was Googling for a fix on when I found this post.
(Oh, and my Fn+F8 function to bring up Touchpad/Trackpoint configuration stopped working for some reason…)
Janky, I’m saying…
You are god. Plain and simple.
thanks mate, you’re the man!!! hate that stupid beep for a long long long time.