JoAnn,

Try resetting the keyboard.

Go to Device Manager, open Keyboard on the list, choose uninstall, Windows will ask you to restart, click yes, after restart you may be asked to restart again, click yes. That should eliminate your keyboard troubles.

Elmer wrote, "I've never seen a PC with a back or copy key."

It's the Backspace key:

but Apple computers do not have a Backspace key -- they have only a Delete key. On a PC, if you're on the Internet and press the Backspace key it functions the same as the Back Arrow on the browser.

As for "Copy," I believe JoAnn is referring to the Copy function, which can be accomplished a couple of different ways. You can block whatever it is that you want to copy, then press the Control key (Ctrl) and the C (letter) key, that copies the selection to the clipboard and you can then Paste it where you want it by again pressing the Ctrl key with the letter V key. Or, you can block (select) what you want to copy, then right-click on it and from the little menu that pops up, click on Copy. Go to where you want to Paste the selection and again right-click and then choose Paste.

1st thing to always do is reboot. It is amazing how much that can fix. Clear browser cache and possibly cookies. There are settings to have it double space lines maybe you accidentally changed one. I am assuming you mean that for the going back 2 pages you are referring to the browser back button?

The Arrow that points left at the top let on the keyboard is your page back key. I am using Chrome. I have doen all I know how to do

try my fix

Awesome, lindsey. Nice touch with the image but that's a backspace key. Does the backspace button on your PC send you back one PAGE? Or one space? You may have missed it but JoAnn said it was a Back button that sends her back two pages. As I said, I've never seen a back button.

Have you?

PS - an arrow on a keyboard that points left is a left arrow key. There's also a right key, an up key and a down key. And they're in various places on different keyboards.

PS - As an intermediate level PC user, I'd never uninstall a keyboard as Brushworks suggests. Especially not a built-in one as with a laptop. Maybe it's a vanilla thing to do, I wouldn't take the chance without someone like a pro tech support person (who presumably could fix it if it goes wrong) telling me to do so

A plugged in Keyboard, using a USB slot? Different story, I'd unplug and then replug but I'm not sure what that would acccomplish. Or a wireless one, switch the power off and then back on. Sure. That doesn't tamper with the drivers.

Perfectly safe to uninstall keyboard and allow windows to reinstall the driver.

No support person required for such a simple, beginners level task.

In case Elmer has scared you.

Keyboard Repair

Ok, I wasn’t sure if you were talking about the back page on your keyboard or your screen. I’ve had that happen to me and it ended up being that there was something interfering with the button connection. It could be as simple a piece of dirt prohibiting the key from going down all the way. My husband fixes pcs at work, he gave me a can of air duster to clean it with and it was good after that.

Nontraditional solution but turn the keyboard upside down and shake it. There may be something under the surface that is moving more than one key especially if you use the top row of your keyboard.

Elmer, If you’re experience is intermediate, than you should know that there is nothing wrong with uninstalling a keyboard, and it doesn’t matter if it’s the original or a new one. It’s just a driver and it would automatically reinstall the same way a new printer or a stick in a usb port does. Brushworks is right.

JoAnn_Fla said: "The Arrow that points left at the top let on the keyboard is your page back key. I am using Chrome. I have doen all I know how to do"

Don't you mean the top of the screen, not the top of the keyboard?

Doing a Google search I found this page that deal with the problem:

https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!msg/chrome/n6jmDyzSBtk/GhS70N8cAgAJ

Elmer, yes, when I am using my desktop pc with a keyboard, I often use the backspace key to go back one page, because it's quicker to reach for that key than it is to move my hand from the keyboard to the mouse, and then move the cursor to the browser's back button (upper left corner in IE and Chrome). I am using my iPad right now, but if I were using my desktop and hit the backspace key, it would take me back to the page with a list of the different threads. Haven't you ever tried this?

Elmer, to clarify a bit... If I am typing something, such as this, pressing the backspace key will move the curser back one space, deleting the last character (or sace) that was typed. But if I am only reading, whether it is here or, e.g., a news site, pressing the backspace key will take me back to the previous page.

Alt+left arrow is the keyboard shortcut to go back a page and is common to most browsers. Alt+Home is also common to most browsers and takes you to your home page. Personally I use my mouse. But I use a wireless trackball so I am not anchored to my desk. Lean back in chair, trackball resting on knee as I scroll.

lukki, I bought my first home PC in the early 80s. I'm not an IT guy or PC tech but I managed an IT department for a medium-sized office (hundreds of users) as a part time responsibility for about 5 years. I've helped friends and family with untold problems and have used and maintained a household of PCs, a sophisticated network and lots of attached devices since then. We have 5 PCs currently in service here now. I've never, ever had to do a thing with a driver (besides do an initial install when something like a new printer or even a standalone scanner years ago was purchased) nor uninstall hardware to get it to work. Tell me about your experience and what I'm missing.

Lindsey, just tried your backspace key suggestion in a browser and no navigation step happened. Alt -left or right arrow I know about, different story. When reading, my hand is on the mouse and keyboard shortcuts aren't shortcuts.

Gosh, Elmer, I don't know what to tell you. I've used 5 desktop computers and 2 laptops here at home, as well as a heck of a lot of computers at work (when I was still working) and every single one of them would take me back one page if I pressed the backspace key on the keyboard.

The Dell optical mouse (the link is to the identical mouse available on Amazon) that I use has a little button on each side, with the left-side button functioning as a "page back" button and the right-side button functioning as a "page forward" button. I don't often use those buttons because it's faster for me to just hit the backspace key on the keyboard with my right hand pinkie finger than it is to use the mouse. But, if I'm reading stuff, like news articles, or Facebook, or Twitter, I use those buttons.

Gosh, Elmer, I don't know what to tell you. I've used 5 desktop
computers and 2 laptops here at home, as well as a heck of a lot of
computers at work (when I was still working) and every single one of
them would take me back one page if I pressed the backspace key on the
keyboard.

Even some experts like Elmer don't know that.

Elmer, if you're reading this, please press the BACKSPACE key and it will take you to the top of this thread. Press BACKSPACE key again, and it will take you back another page. Keep pressing it and it will take you back to the very first page the browser opened for this session.

the problem is the arrow on the top of my screen to go back. I just do things automaticly so I can't remember what or where I am doing things. Sorry I just don't explain my self clearly.

Uninstalling malfunctioning hardware (aside from a sound card) is a common fix and absolutely not going to cause any harm. It returns the hardware to default settings.

JoAnn, sounds like you mean the back button on your browser. If a restart of your computer doesn't help, could you try with Firefox? I always use Firefox to browse websites, just a habit. I just tried opening up some GW forums in Chrome and something has changed. When I click a topic or thread, it opens in a new tab (so no back arrow at all). I don't like it but lack time right now to narrow down what's wrong. I am used to clicking a thread and having it open up in the same page. I don't know if it's GW/Houzz or Chrome, but I suspect that it's Chrome.

I'm logged in on newest version of Chrome on a Dell XPS. All browser features are functioning properly. Left Arrow says, Click to Go Back; Hold to see history.

Best option from here is probably update your Chrome version.

Or, RESET the Chrome Browser.

PK, there's a setting in Chrome for these options:

On startup

Open the New Tab page

Continue where you left off

Open a specific page or set of pages

Learn something new every day - never knew that pressing backspace key on keyboard would take you back one page but it sure does - thanks

You're welcome!

Your experience or history means little if you can’t reinstall or even figure out how to reinstall a simple keyboard. LOL.

Really?

I'm not turning this into an argument, honestly. But my backspace bar doesn't do anything.

Alt + left arrow takes me back one page.

I like keyboard shortcuts. I use the Home and End keys all the time to zoom to the top or bottom of the page.

Jasdip, all keyboards are not created equal so it may be the type of keyboard you have.

On my keyboard Alt + left arrow makes my cursor jump a full word instead of a space.

Jasdip, it won't do anything if you're in the Posting Box.

It works every time on every windows machine I have, regardless of browser.

This is amazing, I didn't know that hitting the BACKSPACE key would send me back a page! You learn something new every day.

Just wanted to add that even I know that reinstalling a driver will sometimes fix a problem of unknown origin. I can't believe someone with as much experience as Elmer Fudd didn't know that.

I didn't know about the backspace key either but I just tried and it works :-)

You're welcome, PK. :)

And if you're bored, it's always fun to visit the Device Manager, open every device, right click and update driver. You'll be surprised how many will update and smooth the operation of your computer.

TY I just tried it and it worked for me too. I guess I am never to old to learn something new.

Huh...my keyboard is a wireless I use with my Ipad so maybe that’s the difference. I’m going to have to try that on my laptop at work later.

And if you're bored, it's always fun to visit the Device Manager, open every device . . .

Wow, Brushworks, you know how to have a good time - LOL!

Perhaps it is my keyboard but with this laptop it never went back page/pages but two of my previous ones and one at work before I retired did that. Too bad my tech lead did not know about this.

Brushworks -

"Elmer, if you're reading this, please press the BACKSPACE key and it will take you to the top of this thread. Press BACKSPACE key again, and it will take you back another page. "

Nope, nothing happened, neither in Chrome nor Firefox. Is it the keyboard, the PC? No nevermind to me, I'm mostly a mouse user anyway, and as I said, I don't use the Alt- arrow sequences either.

lukki, you read selectively (a polite way of saying you don't seem to read all comments) so responding to your misunderstandings doesn't seem necessary.

when I pressed the backspace key on the keyboard it didn't do anything. Is it suppose to?

Chrome hasn't, for a couple of years now, supported using the backspace key as a keyboard shortcut. Google Chrome does have an extension to download if the function is important to you. It called backspace to go back. I never saw the need for it.

It would be really really really helpful if anyone asking for computer help would give some basic info.

What device are you using

What browser are you using

Mouse or keyboard problem

Luckiirish responded first by rightly asking the most basic question. Before the OP could respond everyone jumped in with advice. Then the OP finally responds and her answer becomes lost in the shuffle for a bit. Then it turns out that her problem has nothing to do with keyboard shortcuts. SMH

I'm with jasdip. Pressing the backspace key when just reading various comments in the thread does absolutely nothing on my laptop!! And if anyone cares, I am using Opera browser with Windows 10.

The only way to go back a page on my laptop is to use the left arrow symbol at the top of the page.......so NOT a keyboard function at all but a browser function :-)

Gee, Brushworks, just where was it when you told folks that the backspace key works to take a person back one page?

Thanks Watchome!! I can’t take credit, cause I cheat. My DH & SIL are both computer guys, with about 40 years combined experience. So what one doesn’t know the other does. DH worked for Dell (bleh) for 5 years so he knows their computers well. I had asked him and those were his questions.

Elmer, I can only take so much of your posts, read what I could handle and responded, seems like others agree with me though. :c).

Lindsey,

I'm sorry. I was responding to those who posted after my explanations given to Elmer.

Your first response to Elmer included a quote of what I had written, which explained the use of the Backspace key. And included in that response of yours to Elmer, you said that pressing the Backspace key once would take him to the top of this page, and pressing it a second time would take him back one page of his browsing session. That is incorrect. Pressing the Backspace key once (when not in the Comment box, typing like I am) will take you back one page in your browsing session and pressing it a second time will take you back one page further in your browsing section. If you are reading on a page and you want to get quickly to the top of the page, press the HOME key. The PAGE UP key will also move you upwards, but not completely to the top with one press. Depending on how far down the page you are, you might have to press the PAGE UP key several times.

Lukkirish, LOL Same here. My DS is our reluctant computer guru. But I have learned a lot myself due to wanting to avoid his eye rolls. I can see them over the phone, even though we don't do video calls. Heck I can hear them rolling. It's a competitive thing of sorts although I am not half the brainiac he is. Not even close. He pretty much taught himself in the dark ages of the internet. Hung out with all the hackers/crackers and phreaks. Now in IT security. Doesn't really use Windows and hates being asked questions. "Just Google it" is his stock advice.

I never even knew the backspace button was used to go back a page when browsing. I suppose you learn something new every day. I am using Windows 7 with Pale Moon as my browser. It works for me. I'd always just used my mouse and cursor to go back pages.

I am gald some of us have learned something new. My problem doesn't seem to be quite as bad. I am dealing with it for now. Thanks for all the suggestions. I really am not that computer savvy. (as you can tell)

This has been an interesting read. Although a computer novice, I've always used the backspace key for going back a page. The only time it returns to the top of the page for me is when I've signed in within a thread--all other times it goes back a page, unless I'm typing a post. I have noticed that if I wander away from the computer long enough for it to go into sleep mode, I sometimes have to click on the page, to get the backspace and arrow keys to work. I use Firefox exclusively, on a laptop.

Sometimes I use the back button on the top left of the page, and I often 'right click' on it if I want to go back to a previous page in the browsing session. I find that easier than clicking to go back one page at a time. I also use the Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down keys. And ctrl F for finding a specific word on a page.