Ctr-Alt-Del dont work?

[richard1600]

am running windows xp os, firefox for the internet and regular use and update spybot, the computer runs ok and has done for a while, but occasionally the firefox application goes tits up/


my problem is when i press ctr-alt-del to try stop things running such as google toolbar and other random rubish it does nothing.

i mean the display comes up i can check processes etc but when i double click on the item or click end process etc it just remains and physically does nothing,, funny i have this problem on my laptop too but when i click end a process on the laptop it just proper messes my session up.???

 

[madder]

Sounds like a malware problem. You'll have to try to find it in regedit.

This is what I'd suggest, and make sure to follow these instructions exactly as you see them.

1.Click the Start->Run menu item.
2.In the text box, enter

regedit.exe

and press Enter.

3.This next step probably won't be needed but it's a good idea just in case. It's a safety backup of the registry in a .reg file. This will be a BIG file (think 60+ megabytes). Click the My Computer icon in Regedit’s left-hand pane.
4.Click the File->Export menu item.
5.Give the file a name and save it as a Registration File somewhere you'll be able to find it again if you need it.
6.Using the left-hand pane, navigate to this key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies\ System

7.In the right-hand pane there should be a value named DisableTaskManager. Delete it.
8.Try to bring up Task Manager by pressing ctrl+alt+del.

Does it work now?

 

[richard1600]

hi,,

thx for the reply, i had a look but there was no value set, it was just 000000

i deleted that anyways and still doesnt work,

i can load task manager its just when i click on a process to end it, it doesnt do anything?

 

[empip]

Worth a shot...
From a thread in PcReview
http://www.pcreview.co.uk/forums/thread-3430564-1.php

This looked useful
http://www.pcreview.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=13483752&postcount=14

Refers to http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb491009.aspx

Doesn't sort the root cause tho.

-0-

 

[Mickymoody]

Make sure that the actual keys, physically work?

 

[madder]

Make sure that the actual keys, physically work?

Thats a good idea, and one that never crossed my mind! Well played. On that note, also make sure that the keys are assigned correctly. I have a laptop that displays a Y when I press Z and vice versa.

 

[Rudolf]

Make sure that the actual keys, physically work?

Thats a good idea, and one that never crossed my mind! Well played. On that note, also make sure that the keys are assigned correctly. I have a laptop that displays a Y when I press Z and vice versa.

That's because it is set for Germany where they have a 'QWERTZ' keyboard.

 

[madder]

Make sure that the actual keys, physically work?

Thats a good idea, and one that never crossed my mind! Well played. On that note, also make sure that the keys are assigned correctly. I have a laptop that displays a Y when I press Z and vice versa.

That's because it is set for Germany where they have a 'QWERTZ' keyboard.

Correct, but also when I got a new HDD for it, and had to install everything from scratch with Dell utilities etc, there was an option to assign the keyboard in pretty much any way you wanted!.

 

[Monkeh]

You can do that anyway..

 

[madder]

You can do that anyway..

Well ok! So my point still stands

 

[Mickymoody]

Make sure that the actual keys, physically work?

Thats a good idea, and one that never crossed my mind! Well played. On that note, also make sure that the keys are assigned correctly. I have a laptop that displays a Y when I press Z and vice versa.

I understand the sarcasm, but I have repaired many hundreds of keyboards with 'dead' keys, especially the early IBM type click type keyboards, where there is a key that has died, or a later cheaper keyboard, where a twist of the keyboard restores functionality...

So really, did you test the functionality of the keyboards keys? Individually? Regardless of it's Windows setup to Nationality?

On the older fashioned keyboards, they either become dry jointed, or the internal structure of the key collapsed, and can be repaired, on more modern slimline cheap keyboards, the PCB can become damaged, but usually affects the whole array. Which normally means a new keyboard is more cost effective than a repair.

 

[madder]

I honestly wasn't being sarcastic! It's something that a lot of people wouldn't try. Lets be honest, how often would those keys be used together? Basically only to get to task manager. Most people would try all sorts before looking to see if a key was broken or wrongly assigned.

 

[opps]

You dont have to use CTRL-ALT-DEL

If you have only have one free hand you can use

CTRL-SHIFT-ESC

That'll be a left hand only three fingered salute

 

[tapir]

As an alternative to Task Manager, I use MS Process Explorer:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx

it's free, and offers a truck load more information about every process running on a PC. Has come in very handy on those occasions where I want to know what actual program is running a lot of processes.

 

[opps]

As an alternative to Task Manager, I use MS Process Explorer:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx

it's free, and offers a truck load more information about every process running on a PC. Has come in very handy on those occasions where I want to know what actual program is running a lot of processes.

I highly recommend that everyone gets the whole sysinternals suite