I canno get my close program dialog box to run.
CTRL+ALT+DELETE isn't working at all. I hit it and
nothing happens. So when I have a program that is
freezing, there is nothing I can do and I lose my work.

Why won't CTRL+ALT+DELETE work? And what can I do to fix
it?

See below, for general info. Suspect you have been invaded.

See my article, "Clean Boot--What it is and why you need it"
http://www.google.com/groups?selm=%2...GP11.phx.gb l

Because some of the more recent known invaders are capable of interfering with the suggestions contained in the above, I suggest you also consider first doing the following, though it may be necessary to set up a clean boot, and even then manually kill a malicious process or two before you can even get these accomplished.

Update your Antivirus, run a full scan. Then, if you haven't already, get, update and run any or all of the following Trojan/Parasite/Adware/Spyware cleaners. I recommend getting and running *all* of them. They each target slightly different things. Again, be sure you update the definitions they are using to identify crap before running them, each time you run them--which, depending on your surfing habits, should be anything from once a month, to once a week, to once a day, to once an hour if you're really into junkware sites (aka "Free goodies", game sites, fun-places-to-be, etc.)

Ad-Aware http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
SpyBot-Search & Destroy http://spybot-spyware.com/
HijackThis http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/files/hijackthis.zip
CWShredder http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/files/cwshredder.zip

PLEASE! Before doing any of these, see also, http://www.mvps.org/inetexplorer/Darnit.htm for suggestions and cautionary information about internet surfing, and some important hints about using the above. ESPECIALLY, be aware that HijackThis scans result in a LOT of stuff that you *don't* want to delete. The admonishment to save a log and show it to an expert is critically good advice. Not following that advice can really do some damage to your system. SpyBot, too, is capable of similar problems, especially if you change default scan settings or "Immunize".

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP for Windows 9x


"Tessa" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:baec01c3edbb$77db3db0$a101280a@phx.gbl...

try using the ctrl and alt keys on the other side of the keyboard, just in
case it's a mechanical failure
of the keyboard
stephan

"Tessa" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:baec01c3edbb$77db3db0$a101280a@phx.gbl...
I canno get my close program dialog box to run.
CTRL+ALT+DELETE isn't working at all. I hit it and
nothing happens. So when I have a program that is
freezing, there is nothing I can do and I lose my work.

Why won't CTRL+ALT+DELETE work? And what can I do to fix
it?

Sometimes you must wait a bit for Ctrl-Alt-Del to close an app. Also,
some important apps will take Ctrl-Alt-Del down with them, when they
crash. It's best to solve the freeze before you ever need to
Ctrl-Alt-Del. I guess stick with Terhune on his "clean boot". Also...

First pick one of these to identify what loads at boot. Next, see
whether there is an option in it's menus to disable it from starting up.
If you really want to rid yourself of it on a more permanent basis, then
look for it in "Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs". However, it isn't
often easy to know what is what in there. One of these URL's may say.
Only last, go to StartUpCop.

http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;q137367
Startup Items
http://support.microsoft.com/support.../q179/3/65.asp
Startup Group
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;Q282107 Startup
http://aumha.org/a/loads.htm
http://users.westelcom.com/rogersr/clean.htm
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/sheppard.p/startup.htm
http://www.answersthatwork.com/Taskl...tasklist_a.htm
http://www.djbdesigns.com/wtvzone/startup.html
http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.htm
http://www2.cajun.net/~theriots/blk/start.htm
http://www2.whidbey.com/djdenham/Uncheck.htm
http://www.3feetunder.com/krick/startlist.htm

http://www.pcmag.com/ 's StartUpCop has "undo", and it is more than a
combination of "START, Run, MSInfo32, Software Environment, Startup
Programs" and "START, Run, MSConfig, Startup tab". It can even do a
permanent delete. Of course, first see whether the app has an option in
it's own menus to remove itself from the Startup Group. This is
configurable, and one may maintain multiple configurations.

Update definitions & check for viruses, and
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://www.mvps.org/inetexplorer/Darnit.htm#tshoot
http://patrick.kolla.de/spybotsd.html SpyBot- Search & Destroy. SpyBot
is gabby in it's "Checks" & "Fixes" logs. Turn them off in "Settings".
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/ AdAware
http://www.lavasoftusa.de/ Also AdAware
http://www.merijn.org/cwschronicles.html CoolWebSearch Chronicles
http://www.merijn.org/files/cwshredder.zip & CWShredder
http://www.merijn.org/files/hijackthis.zip Finally, Hijack This
may find something. (Actually, they certainly will.)

--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp@netzero.net
"Tessa" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:baec01c3edbb$77db3db0$a101280a@phx.gbl...
| I canno get my close program dialog box to run.
| CTRL+ALT+DELETE isn't working at all. I hit it and
| nothing happens. So when I have a program that is
| freezing, there is nothing I can do and I lose my work.
|
| Why won't CTRL+ALT+DELETE work? And what can I do to fix
| it?

Tessa <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:baec01c3edbb$77db3db0$a101280a@phx.gbl...
Try this

=> Press a Windows key
=> Press the R key
=> Type SYSTEM.INI in the Open box
=> Click OK or press [Enter]
=> Scroll down to the [386Enh] section
=> Look for this entry
LocalReboot=Off

If it is present as shown, change it to
LocalReboot=On
and then close the file, saving your change, reboot, and try it now

If it already says LocalReboot=On, your problem lies elsewhere

If there is no LocalReboot parameter, it will not hurt to add
LocalReboot=On
and then close the file, saving your change, reboot, and try it now

Okay guys, thanks for the suggestions, however nothing has
seemed to work.

~I added the localReboot=On.
~I tried using the Alt and Ctrl buttons on the other side
of the keyboard. Delete works in Word, so that key is not
malfunctioning in the process.
~I added the suggested strings to the correct paths in
regedit.
~I tried to perform a clean boot, but since the process is
long and drawn out I'm not entirely sure I did everything
correctly, although I think I did.

Some things I feel I should clarify: Ctrl+Alt+Delete does
not work at all. Therefore, it is not a crashing program
that is causing it. I can have no programs running and be
in safe mode and it still won't work.

I do have an updated virus scan on my computer from
Symantec. I also have AdAware and Spybot installed on my
computer and have run them multiple times.

Does anyone have any more suggestions? Or do you think I
need to reformat?

You say Delete works--I'll assume you have also verified that both Alt and
both Ctrl keys work (independently.)

Here's another test for you: Boot into Command Prompt Only mode from the
Startup Menu. Does C-A-D restart the machine? The C-A-D keystroke
combination is a hardware-level reset command that gets intercepted by
Windows and converted to whatever that version of Windows wants it to do--it
varies from version to version. If C-A-D doesn't even work in Command Prompt
Only, well then it's obviously not a Windows problem--it's a hardware issue.
If a *different* keyboard doesn't cure it, then something on the motherboard
is at fault. It's pointless to bother doing anything further to Windows if
that's the case.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP for Windows 9x

Tessa wrote:

(1)
At http://search.support.microsoft.com/...SD=GN&LN=EN-US MSKB
There is a screen full of articles for "ctrl alt del", all products, all
words. Look through them. Here is one, but it truely is tough reading.
It does seem to imply that playing with your Screen Saver may jog some
setting to reenable Ctrl-Alt-Del.

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;161133
HOWTO: Block CTRL+ALT+DEL and ALT+TAB in Windows 95 or Windows 98
(161133) - You can prevent the CTRL + ALT + DEL and ALT + TAB key
combinations from opening a task list in Windows 95, Windows 98, or
Windows Me by calling the SystemParametersInfo function in the Win32
API. A step-by-step example of this appears below. NOTE :...

(2) "START, Run, RegEdit", & navigate to...

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Policies\Exp
lorer

That is,
(a) Click plus signs, beginning at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER" & ending with
"Policies".
(b) Click "Explorer" in the left pane, & look in the right pane.
(c) R-Clk "NoClose", if there, in the R-pane, & select "Modify".
(d) Change it to zeroes: 00 00 00 00. (Use delete key.)
(e) Exit, & it may be necessary to reboot.

WARNING: Do not get carried away in the Registry. It is very important
to the proper functioning of Windows. Muss it badly, & you must boot to
DOS & "Scanreg /Restore". Then, choose the date of the last successful
boot from the five offered.

The rest of this is just informational...

......Start of Other things that may be done there.......
Right-click the right pane and select New, Binary Value:

To remove Documents, name the binary value: NoRecentDocsMenu
To disable the Documents compilation process, name the binary value:
NoRecentDocsHistory
To remove Favorites, name the binary value: NoFavoritesMenu
To remove Find, name the binary value: NoFind
To remove Log Off, name the binary value: NoLogOff
To remove Run, name the binary value: NoRun
To disable Shut Down, name the binary value: NoClose
To disable Control Panel and Printer folders, name the binary value:
NoSetFolders
To disable Taskbar context menu, name the binary value:
NoTrayContextMenu
To prevent some few settings getting saved to the Registry, name it:
NoSaveSettings

Double-click the new entry, select modify,
and add this value: 01 00 00 00.
To reverse the action, change the value to: 00 00 00 00
.......End of Other things that may be done there.......

--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp@netzero.net
"Tessa" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:451001c3ff09$731cc640$a301280a@phx.gbl...
| Okay guys, thanks for the suggestions, however nothing has
| seemed to work.
|
| ~I added the localReboot=On.
| ~I tried using the Alt and Ctrl buttons on the other side
| of the keyboard. Delete works in Word, so that key is not
| malfunctioning in the process.
| ~I added the suggested strings to the correct paths in
| regedit.
| ~I tried to perform a clean boot, but since the process is
| long and drawn out I'm not entirely sure I did everything
| correctly, although I think I did.
|
| Some things I feel I should clarify: Ctrl+Alt+Delete does
| not work at all. Therefore, it is not a crashing program
| that is causing it. I can have no programs running and be
| in safe mode and it still won't work.
|
| I do have an updated virus scan on my computer from
| Symantec. I also have AdAware and Spybot installed on my
| computer and have run them multiple times.
|
| Does anyone have any more suggestions? Or do you think I
| need to reformat?
|
| >-----Original Message-----
| >I canno get my close program dialog box to run.
| >CTRL+ALT+DELETE isn't working at all. I hit it and
| >nothing happens. So when I have a program that is
| >freezing, there is nothing I can do and I lose my work.
| >
| >Why won't CTRL+ALT+DELETE work? And what can I do to fix
| >it?
| >.
| >

PCR...how you been? Tessa, what I'm going to suggest probably won't help.
But this sounds like one of those weird problems that seem only to happen to
me. One was the keyboard wackiness that PCR was in on about a year ago.
Flashing the BIOS eventually fixed it. We all suspected a boot sector virus.
We never really found out. But when PCR steps in you'll know it is an issue
worth researching. Anyway, my 2 cents worth. Open Regedit and go to
HKEY_CURRENT USER\Control Panel\Desktop. Right-click the right-hand pane
and create a new string value: HungAppTimeout. Double-click your
HungAppTimeout and set the value to 3000 (three seconds). By the way, this
string should not be there unless you or someone else previously created it.
Then right-click the pane again and create a new value called:
WaitToKillAppTimeout. Double-click this value and give it a value of 5000
(five seconds). If there are already modifications in the Registry along
these lines then maybe some malicious code has been working in your box. If
not then maybe these settings will over-ride any problems Windows might be
having. It can't hurt. So, there you go. Let us know.

HTH,
DTV
"PCR" <pcrrcp@netzero.net> wrote in message
news:ODtavee7DHA.3360@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
Sometimes you must wait a bit for Ctrl-Alt-Del to close an app. Also,
some important apps will take Ctrl-Alt-Del down with them, when they
crash. It's best to solve the freeze before you ever need to
Ctrl-Alt-Del. I guess stick with Terhune on his "clean boot". Also...

First pick one of these to identify what loads at boot. Next, see
whether there is an option in it's menus to disable it from starting up.
If you really want to rid yourself of it on a more permanent basis, then
look for it in "Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs". However, it isn't
often easy to know what is what in there. One of these URL's may say.
Only last, go to StartUpCop.

http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;q137367
Startup Items
http://support.microsoft.com/support.../q179/3/65.asp
Startup Group
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;Q282107 Startup
http://aumha.org/a/loads.htm
http://users.westelcom.com/rogersr/clean.htm
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/sheppard.p/startup.htm
http://www.answersthatwork.com/Taskl...tasklist_a.htm
http://www.djbdesigns.com/wtvzone/startup.html
http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.htm
http://www2.cajun.net/~theriots/blk/start.htm
http://www2.whidbey.com/djdenham/Uncheck.htm
http://www.3feetunder.com/krick/startlist.htm

http://www.pcmag.com/ 's StartUpCop has "undo", and it is more than a
combination of "START, Run, MSInfo32, Software Environment, Startup
Programs" and "START, Run, MSConfig, Startup tab". It can even do a
permanent delete. Of course, first see whether the app has an option in
it's own menus to remove itself from the Startup Group. This is
configurable, and one may maintain multiple configurations.

Update definitions & check for viruses, and
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://www.mvps.org/inetexplorer/Darnit.htm#tshoot
http://patrick.kolla.de/spybotsd.html SpyBot- Search & Destroy. SpyBot
is gabby in it's "Checks" & "Fixes" logs. Turn them off in "Settings".
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/ AdAware
http://www.lavasoftusa.de/ Also AdAware
http://www.merijn.org/cwschronicles.html CoolWebSearch Chronicles
http://www.merijn.org/files/cwshredder.zip & CWShredder
http://www.merijn.org/files/hijackthis.zip Finally, Hijack This
may find something. (Actually, they certainly will.)

--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR
pcrrcp@netzero.net
"Tessa" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:baec01c3edbb$77db3db0$a101280a@phx.gbl...
| I canno get my close program dialog box to run.
| CTRL+ALT+DELETE isn't working at all. I hit it and
| nothing happens. So when I have a program that is
| freezing, there is nothing I can do and I lose my work.
|
| Why won't CTRL+ALT+DELETE work? And what can I do to fix
| it?