winlogon and "caps lock on"

[dmm]

When an XP workstation is locked, the Winlogon/msGina software provides an
editbox for entering the user's password. If CAPS LOCK is set, a text
balloon is displayed when the editbox obtains the focus, warning the user
that CAPS LOCK is on.

Is there a way to disable this balloon? If not a registry setting, could it
be done in a replacement Gina that hooks the msGina?

Thanks

 

[Anteaus]

This ballooon is a feature of the Windows API itself; any password input-box
shows this behaviour regardless of the calling program.

There might be a registry value to change this setting, but basically it
happens for any password-input, even in programs you write yourself, so
changing the logon GUI won't make any odds.

In principle it's a good idea anyway, as a high proportion of user-lockouts
happen for this very reason.

 

[dmm]

Hi Anteaus

I just wrote a simple win32 app and MFC app that both display a dialog with
a "password" edit box (attribute.eq.ES_PASSWORD). The "caps lock" balloon
does not show in either case when the edit box has focus. I think that this
"feature" must be pegged to the system desktop and winlogon.

Thanks
dmm

 

[Marty K]

Hi Anteaus

I just wrote a simple win32 app and MFC app that both display a dialog with
a "password" edit box (attribute.eq.ES_PASSWORD). The "caps lock" balloon
does not show in either case when the edit box has focus. I think that this
"feature" must be pegged to the system desktop and winlogon.

Thanks
dmm

Since password can (and should) contain both upper and lower case
letters plus numbers and special characters the caps lock message
appears so the user knows to turn off the caps lock otherwise a correct
password can't be entered (assuming a strong password is used).