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Windows 7 forum: Ctrl Alt Del stopped working

by: jfwilder September 15, 2010 10:12 AM PDT

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Ctrl Alt Del stopped working

by jfwilder - 9/15/10 10:12 AM

I recently had my CTRL ALT DEL button combo stop working to bring up Task Manager.

It was working before. I tried restoring the system to an earlier time and couldn't go back very far, so that didn't help. Tried malware removers (many) and anti-virus program too. Nothing special there that was found. The buttons work by themselves so they aren't broken.

I managed to figure out CTRL SHIFT ESC brings up task manager, but that's not the point...I want my CTRL ALT DEL back as that also got somehow put as needed to log in. I had to figure out how to fix that for the time being, but don't want to go through all that again if it happens again.

I don't have an external hard drive yet, and no hard copy of the Windows 7 disk. Anybody out there have a Wile E. Coyote super-genius solution that doesn't require an MBA in physics to figure out? Thank you!


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Tell us more about that.

by MarkFlax Moderator - 9/16/10 4:33 AM

In Reply to: Ctrl Alt Del stopped working by jfwilder

You said, "I want my CTRL ALT DEL back as that also got somehow put as needed to log in".

What do you mean by 'somehow put as needed to log in'? I don't need that to log in to my system.

Mark


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CTRL/ALT/DEL not working - doesn't bring up Task Manager

by jfwilder - 9/16/10 5:00 AM

In Reply to: Tell us more about that. by MarkFlax Moderator

CTRL ALT DEL was needed when I turned on my computer. Usually I had a password to "log in" to my computer when I turned it on or brought it up from sleeping. It switched to CTRL ALT DEL. I did manage to restore and that went away, but was tricky since I couldn't use CTRL ALT DEL to get the computer to restart properly. I ended up having to take the battery out, unplug and press POWER for about 20 seconds, then put it in and hit F8 at startup to get into a recovery screen so I could restore.

Now my combination CTRL SHIFT ESC brings up the task manager, not CTRL ALT DEL. Not sure how that happened or how to put it back the way it was w/o reformatting (not about to go through that) and without the actual Windows 7 disk (damned Best Buy charging a pile to buy the disk if you want it).

Everything else is working fine now, but I'd like my CTRL ALT DEL back the way it was.


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This doesn't look easy.

by MarkFlax Moderator - 9/16/10 12:01 PM

In Reply to: CTRL/ALT/DEL not working - doesn't bring up Task Manager by jfwilder

The searches I found in Google looking for CTRL/ALT/DEL not working do not offer any single or simple solution. The range of solutions steps from trying a new keyboard to a complete reinstall of the OS.

I gather your computer is a laptop but that would not stop you trying a USB keyboard, just to eliminate keyboard problems. However, one simple thing you could try. With the laptop shut down and turned off and the lid kept open, turn the whole thing upside down and shake
carefully. You will be surprised what can fall out from under keyboards.

But I suspect this is OS damage. You mention problems logging on where you had to use CTRL+Alt=Del and this often points either to changes in the Operating System or some malware damage. The malware may have been removed, but the damage it caused could remain.

Another thing you can try is to create another Admin capable account, then log into that and see if the key combination works there. If so, that points to your main account being corrupted.

See what others think in that Google search.

Mark


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An idea

by Aladeptus - 9/16/10 1:21 PM

In Reply to: Ctrl Alt Del stopped working by jfwilder

I did a quick search on how to "disable" ctrl-alt-delete and it appears you can do so via the registry. Find out what registry keys allow you to disable it, and check on your system if that's what the problem is. If so, it might have gotten changed via malware or a virus.

Other ideas (some already mentioned): hook up a new keyword, start your pc in safe mode.


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