We ahve been tossing this around in Chat for a while and Ithought I'd toss it out for the geeks hereabouts.

the problem is that I seem to find a seq of keys on my ALPS WAVE Touch-pad keyboard that locks the keyboard up tight.

I am looking for an executable file which will duplicate the CTRL-ALT-DEL keystroke, and soft boot the machine into what I (as a doddering old mainframer) think of as Windows Supervisory State, in the hopes that returning from there will reset whatever buffer, or set of bits in the IO sub-systems and unlock the keyboard.

the problem is that it has to be CLICKABLE as only the touch-pad works when this happens.

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), February 03, 2000

Answers

I don't remember, but can you put keystrokes into a DOS batch file? If not, a quickie program in Quick Basic that just has the keystrokes? I don't know if that key sequence would "pass through" to Windows, though. If you get a program, to access it by mouse, put an icon for it on your desktop.

You might consider reloading drivers, also. ?

-- A (A@AisA.com), February 03, 2000.

Chuck, I could write a program to reboot
or you could just download a freeware
program that would do it.

If you would like me to do this, send an
email request.

-- spider (spider0@usa.net), February 03, 2000.

The freeware program is StatBar 97
I think it's from PC Magazine.

-- spider (spider0@usa.net), February 03, 2000.

What's the point of doing a warm boot in this case? Hit your reset button or power off/on. Also, take your keyboard, turn it upside down and shake it. I often find that keyboard problems are due to scraps or crumbs getting into them.

-- Buddy (buddydc@go.com), February 03, 2000.

Here's what you do to make a clickable shutdown or restart icon...

1. Right-click your Desktop and click New. Then click New shortcut.

2. In the Command line box, paste this for shutting down:

RUNDLL.EXE user.exe,exitwindows

OR, paste this to restart the machine:

RUNDLL.EXE user.exe,exitwindowsex 2

3. Click Next.

4. Give it a suitable name (such as "Shut Down Windows NOW") and click Finish.

5. Change its icon if desired by right-clicking it, picking Properties, clicking Change Icon, and finding an icon.

Poof, you have a shortcut that, when double-clicked, will cause Windows to shut down or restart without prompting. If you need to restart and used the shutdown instructions, just wait 30 seconds or so and restart the machine.

It sure is nice to have an MSDN Universal subscription so I have access to so much behind-the-scenes stuff... ;-)

O d d O n e, who uses this a LOT.

-- OddOne (mocklamer_1999@yahoo.com), February 03, 2000.

Oops, I got that restart one wrong. It's

RUNDLL.EXE user32.dll,ExitWindowsEx 2

O d d O n e

-- OddOne (mocklamer_1999@yahoo.com), February 03, 2000.

Thanks troops, i KNEW there HAD to be a way, since Windows is really a big back door with a little front window dressing.

10Q

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), February 03, 2000.

O O,

Thanks! You never know what gems lurk in this place.

Frank

-- Someone (ChimingIn@twocents.com), February 04, 2000.