my keyboard will not type any symbols on the numbers keys no matter what. it's a fellowes microban. i hit the shift key like usual on the 9 to get a parenthesis and the 9 still shows up.

coreen, April 2011

The numlock have nothing to do with your ability to use the special characters of the number keys.

Can you type UPPER case letters? As your question is all lower casem, it may be related.
If not, it probably means that your shift key is defective.

In that case, there are very probably some other keys that miss function or are about to missfunction.

Most peoples use the shift key on the left of the keyboard. There is another on the right side just under the Enter or Return key. Does that second key works?

Probably time to get a new keyboard.

Electro, April 2011

You have not said what the PC is (which is unhelpful) but it sounds as though it is not actually a desktop but rather Laptop with NumLk (Number Lock) on. The fix, switch NumLk off.

T, April 2011