ayc,
I don’t know if all laptops work the same, but on mine (which I’m not using now, so I’m just going from memory), I hit num lock (on top), which activates the keys on the right to use as a numeric keypad when hitting <fn>.
First see if you can do that. If that works, to make a smiley, I hit <fn> and <Alt> together, and while holding them down, hit the “1” (I don’t remember which alpha key that is offhand; I think “j”).
Or, just copy and paste this ?.
Here are directions to activate the numeric keypad from dummies.com:
The Hidden Numeric Keypad on Your Laptop
1
Open a program you can type in. (you can use the reply box here – DY)
Notepad or your work processor are good choices.
2
You discover in a few steps why you adore Kimmy.
3
4
Find the Num Lock key on your laptop’s keyboard.
It might be called NumLock, or NumLk, or Num, or it might even be labeled with some type of symbol.
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5
Attempt to activate Num Lock.
Press the Num Lock key. If nothing happens, try Shift+Num Lock.
If the text Num Lock is shown in a different color, find the matching-color key, such as Alt or Fn. Then press that key in combination with Num Lock.
6
7
Deactivate Num Lock.
Press whatever key combination you used to turn it on.
8
Close the program.