welcome screen trouble

[Guest]

In the last two weeks I have noticed a problem on a few Windows XP
Professional computers when logging off to change to another user or simply
switching users. When the Welcome Screen appears, my keyboard sometimes
stops responding and I cannot log on. My mouse works, and clicking on the
user's image opens the logon box, but the cursor fails to appear. I either
have to restart the computer once or twice to be able to log on or I can log
on to an account that doesn't require a password and log off to the Welcome
Screen again (doesn't always work).

All of the computers have SP2 and are current with Windows Updates. They
have never had this trouble before which makes me think that a recent
Microsoft update--perhaps from the October Patch Tuesday--changed something.

Any ideas?

 

[Galen]

In sjcinnamond had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

In the last two weeks I have noticed a problem on a few Windows XP
Professional computers when logging off to change to another user or
simply switching users. When the Welcome Screen appears, my keyboard
sometimes stops responding and I cannot log on. My mouse works, and
clicking on the user's image opens the logon box, but the cursor
fails to appear. I either have to restart the computer once or twice
to be able to log on or I can log on to an account that doesn't
require a password and log off to the Welcome Screen again (doesn't
always work).

All of the computers have SP2 and are current with Windows Updates.
They have never had this trouble before which makes me think that a
recent Microsoft update--perhaps from the October Patch
Tuesday--changed something.

Any ideas?

I don't know if the response is going to help...

The keyboard is still working - it's working like a champ. It's not
accepting the cursor - at all.

I can confirm it and I too suspect it has to do with an update.

Press CTRL + ALT + DEL twice and type in the user/pass, doing it just once
seemed to have fixed it here... Why? I have no idea... If it doesn't fix it
there then, well, try the support and ask for a hotfix and I seriously
expect it to be free as it DID happen just after the updates.

That being said, well, I don't know if it fixed it...

What I do know is that after using the above method it stopped doing it at
that time and has worked okay since that without needing to use the CAD to
login.

--
Galen - MS MVP - Windows (Shell/User & IE)
http://dts-l.org/ http://kgiii.info/

"Chance has put in our way a most singular and whimsical problem, and
its solution is its own reward." - Sherlock Holmes

 

[Guest]

In sjcinnamond had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:


I don't know if the response is going to help...

The keyboard is still working - it's working like a champ. It's not
accepting the cursor - at all.

I can confirm it and I too suspect it has to do with an update.

Press CTRL + ALT + DEL twice and type in the user/pass, doing it just once
seemed to have fixed it here... Why? I have no idea... If it doesn't fix it
there then, well, try the support and ask for a hotfix and I seriously
expect it to be free as it DID happen just after the updates.

That being said, well, I don't know if it fixed it...

What I do know is that after using the above method it stopped doing it at
that time and has worked okay since that without needing to use the CAD to
login.

--
Galen - MS MVP - Windows (Shell/User & IE)
http://dts-l.org/ http://kgiii.info/

"Chance has put in our way a most singular and whimsical problem, and
its solution is its own reward." - Sherlock Holmes


Galen,

Thanks for the reply. I will try CAD when it next happens. However, I seem
to recall that the keyboard would not respond to any keystrokes. I may be
wrong--I work on a lot of computers here and my memory might not be correct
for that detail. I'll let you know what happens.

thanks!
sjcinnamond

 

[Guest]

Galen, Here's an update to your suggestion: It worked! Not long after I
read your suggestion I had to put it to the test. Sure enough, CAD x 2 gave
me the other logon dialogue box and I was in business again.

It would be nice to know, however, why this started happening...

Again, thank you for your help.

sjcinnamond

 

[Galen]

In sjcinnamond had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

Galen, Here's an update to your suggestion: It worked! Not long
after I read your suggestion I had to put it to the test. Sure
enough, CAD x 2 gave me the other logon dialogue box and I was in
business again.

It would be nice to know, however, why this started happening...

Again, thank you for your help.

sjcinnamond

Not a problem and, alas, I've got no clue why it happens. I just happened to
have it happen here and knew how to bring up the login prompt so, well, it
worked so added it to my list of things to remember.

--
Galen - MS MVP - Windows (Shell/User & IE)
http://dts-l.org/ http://kgiii.info/

"Chance has put in our way a most singular and whimsical problem, and
its solution is its own reward." - Sherlock Holmes

 

[barry]

I have this exact same problem with multiple computers that use
the welcome screen for logon. They have all come down with the same
problem at the same time. The computers are for use in classrooms
by faculty members who would probably have difficulty in undersatanding
the double ctrl-alt del workaround. If anyone has any ideas about the
cause
I would love to know.

 

[Galen]

In barry had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

I have this exact same problem with multiple computers that use
the welcome screen for logon. They have all come down with the same
problem at the same time. The computers are for use in classrooms
by faculty members who would probably have difficulty in
undersatanding the double ctrl-alt del workaround. If anyone has any
ideas about the cause
I would love to know.

This isn't much help BUT it seems to do it just once? For now I'd suggest
that they call help desk (hopefully you don't have to send a tech out for
that) and that help desk talk 'em through it - it only SEEMS to happen just
that once and I think (don't quote me on this but I've now seen it on 3
local systems plus in the newsgroups) that it's associated with a recent
update, which one I could not say - it is not easy to replicate nor is it
happening with all updated systems. You could try Microsoft support and see
if there's a hotfix in the works? Support for issues caused by updates is
free as are any hotfixes associated with it.

This sounds absolutely crazy but it isn't a horrid idea when I think about
it though it WILL result in some help desk calls and a brief retraining? You
could enable secure login which would mean that everyone then had to use the
CAD sequence to login - it does have the added benefit of knowing that it's
not a fake screen to steal passwords and it does get rid of the problem but
it is such an extreme measure to take (even though it's likely only a 5
minute training session) for such a strange and not-entirely-common problem.

Either way, I'd look into the first part and cope via help desk for now as
well as contacting support or the OEM if applicable (who will then refer you
to Microsoft) if that's your required first contact in your support channel.

--
Galen - MS MVP - Windows (Shell/User & IE)
http://dts-l.org/ http://kgiii.info/

"Chance has put in our way a most singular and whimsical problem, and
its solution is its own reward." - Sherlock Holmes

 

[barry]

Thanks for the advice.

The problem is sort of temporarily cured by either a reboot from the
welcome screen
or a successful logon via alt-ctrl-del x2, but then it re-appears again
after logging
in a few times via the welcome screen.
It is a somewhat unique situation in that these are classrooms shared
by 3
different colleges and they each want to have their own account on the
computers.
It is easier for the various and sundry parties to logon via welcome
screen
so that they just have top remember the password and not the user name
for each account. To further complicate things, the IT depts of each
college
all have their fingers in the pie, and have set up unique VPN stuff on
each account.

Anyway, I have google far and wide, have tried out many possible
solutions,
and so far I've come up empty handed. Thanks for the input.

Barry

 

[Galen]

In barry had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

Thanks for the advice.

The problem is sort of temporarily cured by either a reboot from the
welcome screen
or a successful logon via alt-ctrl-del x2, but then it re-appears
again after logging
in a few times via the welcome screen.
It is a somewhat unique situation in that these are classrooms shared
by 3
different colleges and they each want to have their own account on the
computers.
It is easier for the various and sundry parties to logon via welcome
screen
so that they just have top remember the password and not the user name
for each account. To further complicate things, the IT depts of each
college
all have their fingers in the pie, and have set up unique VPN stuff on
each account.

Anyway, I have google far and wide, have tried out many possible
solutions,
and so far I've come up empty handed. Thanks for the input.

Barry

And I still haven't been called back... "We'll look into it and call you
back as soon as we have an answer."


--
Galen - MS MVP - Windows (Shell/User & IE)
http://dts-l.org/ http://kgiii.info/

"Chance has put in our way a most singular and whimsical problem, and
its solution is its own reward." - Sherlock Holmes

 

[barry]

I have the same exact issue. Has anyone found a solution yet? I know for sure
it started after I installed the Oct. updates.

That sounds about right to me. That is in and around the time my
troubles started.
I had also installed Ultra VNC around that time, but uninstalling it
and disabling the
VNC service didn't help. It is surprising to me that this bug has hung
around so long
and been so little remarked on. No Windows updates have improved the
situation.
I can't be the only person in the world who uses multiple passworded
accounts with the welcome screen. I am going to try re-installing
Windows at this point and see if it helps.

-Barry

 

[Guest]

I think I will try a different approach, since I have redone my XP install
not long ago. I am going to try to uninstall each update one at a time to see
if I can figure out which one is causing the problem, then reinstalling them.
Problem with that is there's only four out of six of the updates that can be
uninstalled.
Good luck! Keep me posted as I will you.

Toy

 

[Guest]

I'm new at posting to groups, but I also have the same problem. It started
around Oct 06 with Microsoft updates. I have to use the same workaround with
xp sp2 (CADx2). Reinstalling xp does not work. Been there done that. I've
been looking for a fix for 2 months, haven't found one yet. Microsoft hasn't
replied with a solution as of this post. It seems to be isolated. Maybe it's
the Bios configeration. I may try to update the bios. I wish everyone Good
Luck. With Microsoft we are all going to need it.

 

[Guest]

Dear Charles and others on this thread,

I haven't visited this posting for a while to see all of your comments.
Here's what I have found to be the trigger, although I have no solution.
When I am working on a computer or servicing one, I often switch quickly
between accounts, depending upon whether I need to be in an administrator's
account or not. I find that if I log in to one account and try to switch
users too quickly (as in, oops, wrong account, I need to be elsewhere) that's
when I need to do the double ctrl alt del. If I can take my time, it does
not happen.

No one has been complaining other than me since I'm the one who does service
and logs in and out the most. On the computer that I use most frequently I
simply switched to secure logon all the time.