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How to Remap Keyboard Keys in BootIt NG Using the KBMap Utility

Note: The KBMap utility is a 16-bit DOS program. It will run on DOS and all versions of Windows that support 16-bit DOS programs (e.g. XP 32-bit). It will not run on 64-bit versions of Windows.

This article will explain how to use the free KBMap utility to remap keys while using BootIt NG. This remapping can be helpful if you use a non-QWERTY keyboard.

  1. After downloading the KBMap utility, extract the archive to a directory on your hard drive and run KBMAP.EXE. If no BOOTITNG.KBM file is found, you will be prompted to use either the "scan code" or "ASCII code" method to remap keys. Choose whichever method you prefer by entering either S or A and then pressing Enter.

  2. Now, you can proceed with the remapping of keys. This process is very simple and is carried out as follows:

    • Press the key you want to remap.
    • Press the key you want to change the key to.

    For example, let's say you want to change the J key to behave as the A key. To accomplish this, you would simply press "J" when prompted Press key to be changed. Then, when prompted Press key to change to, press "A".
    • Note:  If you chose the "ASCII code" method of key remapping in Step 1, shifted and unshifted keys are treated separately, as are special key combinations (i.e. those involving the use of the Alt key).

  3. To test a particular key mapping, press F5 and then press the key whose mapping you want to test. KBMap will then display the key it is mapped as. Following the example provided above, if you were to press F5 and then J, KBMap would display A (because "J" was remapped to "A").

  4. To test a key's unmapped assignment, press F7 and then press the key whose unmapped assignment you want to test.

  5. To save your changes to a BOOTITNG.KBM file, press F10 and then press Y followed by Enter when prompted to save changes. KBMap will exit and create the BOOTITNG.KBM file.

  6. To install your BOOTITNG.KBM file, you have two options:

    1. Create a BootIt NG installation diskette.

    2. Copy the BOOTITNG.KBM file to the BootIt NG installation diskette.

    3. Install, reinstall, or upgrade BootIt NG from that diskette.

    --or--

    1. Copy the BOOTITNG.KBM file to the directory containing the contents of the extracted BOOTITNG.ZIP file.

    2. Run MakeDisk (recommended) or BOOTITNG.EXE and you will be given the option to add BOOTITNG.KBM to the .DAT file. Once added to the .DAT file, the boot media created from that .DAT file will also contain the BOOTITNG.KBM file.

  7. To uninstall your BOOTITNG.KBM file, you have two options:

    • Delete BOOTITNG.KBM from the BootIt diskette and EMBRM partition.

    • Create an empty file named BOOTITNG.KBM (using a text editor such as Notepad) and install it using the steps given above.

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