Switching to UK Keyboard

So I got tired of switching back and forth (UK keyboard at work, US at home) so I bought a Microsoft wireless UK keyboard to go with my Dell computer. Works great (the wireless part) but the corresponding type is that of a US keyboard. If I hit the @ symbol key on the keyboard I get ", if I hit the " key, I get @, etc. Any ideas on how to fix this? I've gone into every utility I can think of to change oevr to UK English but it's still happening. HELP! 

On my computer, I think it's under Control Panel. Then you go to 'Date, Time, Language and Regional Options." There should be a list of languages -- including English US and English UK.

With Windows XP from the Start panel, select "Control Panel", then the "Languages" tab.  In the "Text services and input languages" box, select the "Details" button.  Select the "Settings" tab.  You may select the default input language in the "Default input language" box.  More importantly, you should select the right keyboard in the "Installed services" box.

By the way, most "US" keyboards are really "US-International" keyboards, and you can easily use them for the UK.  I suspect that the US keyboard supplied with your Dell PC is really US-International.  My PC was supplied with a US-International keyboard.  If you select the default language as English (United Kingdom) and the keyboard as US-International, you can probably keep your Dell keyboard.  With the US-International keyboard, you select the right ALT key or ALT-SHIFT keys to get alternate characters.  For instance, £ is 4 plus ALT-SHIFT and € is 5 plus ALT.  These are amongst the "extended characters" available with the US-International keyboard.  A complete list of them is available at the Microsoft web site and others if you do a search.

On Windows systems, the location varies a little.  If you're running on older WIndows 95/98, you'll find it under Control panel -> Keyboard -> Language, then select "Add," find the appropriate entry, and set it as the default.

You may have to have your Windows installation CD to hand for it to locate the U.K. keyboard driver, since U.S. is, naturally, considered the standard keyboard and anything else has to be installed as a variation. 

If you need to run DOS applications under Windows as well, then you should also make sure that you modify CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT in the root directory to load the appropriate DOS keyboard drivers, otherwise your DOS programs will still assume a U.S. keyboard with the resultant "/@, #/£ etc. problems. 

If you're running Unix of any flavor or some other system, then it will be totally different, of course!

P.S.  On a PC-layout  keyboard, get ready to be forever hitting "\" when aiming for the left shift key!   If you're using a U.K. keyboard at work, I expect you've already realized that though!   

Actually Stephen, the point in changing keyboards was to use the same at work and at home....it was just too confusing to go back and forth. And yes, Paul, the \ key and I are old enemies now! 

Thanks for the tips everyone. Will try to fix the d*** thing tonight!

And yes, Paul, the \ key and I are old enemies now! 

The backslash key was actually in that same awkward position between shift and Z on the original American IBM PC keyboard back in 1981.    There were so many complaints that when the extended PC/AT keyboard appeared three or four years later they'd moved it over to the right where you'll find it today.

For some curious reason though, only the U.S. keyboard was changed, and the U.K. version retained that silly position where it still resides today.  Maybe we Brits didn't shout loudly enough?   

For some curious reason though, only the U.S. keyboard was changed, and the U.K. version retained that silly position where it still resides today.  Maybe we Brits didn't shout loudly enough?   

Yes, there's quite a difference between "It appears that this key arrangement is very awkward" and "Fix the f***ing thing, dammit!"    Squeaky wheel gets the grease!