Unrelated Technical Issue - Now Solved

[Josette]

This happened while I was on this Forum yesterday and I considered posting here to see if I could get a solution, so felt I had to share what happened.  I was holding a clipboard with some papers on top of it while reading, and evidently the board hit some key on the keyboard and suddenly everything was sideways!!!  I couldn't find any way of changing it.  And, it also affected the mouse, which was very weird and hard to control.  I managed to do some things I had to do sideways, but manipulating the mouse made it almost impossible.

When I called my computer technician, his assistant got on the phone, told me to press Ctrl + Alt + Up Arrow - and everything was fixed, the display and the mouse!!!!  I still don't get the connection with the mouse and he didn't really explain why it would be connected to this, but all was well - PHEW!!!

[Mysterious Benefactor]

There's never a dull moment when it comes to computer issues at your house, Josette. 

When setting up a widescreen monitor I've seen that rather than setting up the normal aspect ratio of 16X9, someone can set it up 9X16, though I've never really understood why someone would want to stand a monitor on its side. But because it is available, there must be a reason. And I suppose whatever key(s) you accidentally hit is how to orient the display for it. I have no idea what key(s) does(do) it. And the fact that it made your mouse hard to control is only weirder. But thankfully your tech guy knew how to undo it all. 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I did some research on Google and apparently hitting the Ctrl + Alt + Left Arrow keys rotates the screen 90 degrees left. How the clipboard managed to hit those exact keys is probably a one in a million accident, but lucky you, it happened.    And hitting the Ctrl + Alt + Up Arrow keys rotates the screen back to displaying horizontally.

What strikes me as most weird is hitting the Ctrl + Alt + Down Arrow keys rotates the screen upside down. Why would anyone want that?! 

[Gerard]

Thanks, Josette and MB, for helpful info in case we end having that problem.  I'm so technologically challenged I don't know how to turn on an electric light switch. 

Gerard

[Josette]

I did some research on Google and apparently hitting the Ctrl + Alt + Left Arrow keys rotates the screen 90 degrees left. How the clipboard managed to hit those exact keys is probably a one in a million accident,

That's what I couldn't figure out - I could see that it hit some keys, but a combination like that with the keys separated seems impossible.  I remember in the past there was something about using the mouse in the corner and rotating it and I was never good at that, although I finally succeeded a couple of times.  But this time there didn't seem anything at the corner to work with and I don't think I could have controlled the mouse to do anything anyway.  I expected them to try to talk me through it over the phone and probably having to take it to him.  So, when it turned out to be a simple key combination I was amazed!!!!!!!!!

[Josette]

Believe it or not, it happened again!!  The clipboard seemed to be pressing the spacebar; I don't think it hit any other keys, certainly not a combination like that.  I couldn't remember what keys to press!!!!  Again, the mouse was real weird, but I finally managed to navigate to this thread and look up the solution!  This time I saved the info in case I need it again!

[Mysterious Benefactor]

How weird!