Windows Key + L doesn't work anymore?

I've gotten into the habit of locking my XP Pro workstation when I leave it at the school by pressing the Windows Key + L. I recently did some updates as per an admin's request (without SP2; we have SP1) and installed all the serious hotfixes. Now, I can't use this key combination (although I can use CTL+ALT+DEL). I don't want to log off but rather just lock the system.

Anyone seen this before? Any idears?

(Note: I've done a quick google and MS Knowledge Base search but not finding anything specific to this)

Windows-key + L to lock the computer works on Windows XP Home Edition (SP2) for me.

It used to work on this system as well. I have a system at home -- Win XP Pro with SP1 and all recent critical updates -- and it works there. I've even tried CTL + ESC + L and that doesn't work. So I'm at a loss as to why it stopped working.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...=Google+Search

Maybe that reg key is backwards.

Hrmm... Didn't work. It's interesting to note that the Windows key works fine on its own. It seems the combination of the two doesn't. Anyone know if there is a hotkey setting somewhere (control panel)?

Hi

Maybe this http://www.winguides.com/registry/display.php/549/ ..............see if the hotkey combination is disabled in the rigistary...because in this WinKey works just the Key Combination is disabled.......but CTRL+ALT+DELETE would also should be disabled if this is the case

Your winkey works.. Does your "L" key work on its own?

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Your winkey works.. Does your "L" key work on its own?

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While it seems like a dumb comment..ie obvious.. it is possable that there is a keyboard fault.. not a non operative Key.. but perhaps there may be a problem with Keyboard Matrix or the decoder IC.. you may find other combinations don't work or work differently.

It is possable that a solvent a cleaner used (or yourself) may have damaged some of the conductive plastics inside the keyboard..

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but CTRL+ALT+DELETE would also should be disabled if this is the case

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CTL+ALT+DEL work fine.

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Does your "L" key work on its own?

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Uh... apparently enough to put an L by itself in the title and put it in this line. :D

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It is possable that a solvent a cleaner used (or yourself) may have damaged some of the conductive plastics inside the keyboard..

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Unlikely since it worked before I applied the hotfixes but didn't work after it.

Sigh. I think I'm going to have to go through those things and figure out what might have moofed something where. Wish I knew which Registry to tackle. Perhaps a visit to the bookstore and a Registry book might help...

Heh I didn't know if you were using the same comp or not :)

You could do a system restore to before you put in the updates to see if that key combination will work with the updates removed. And then if you are feeling exceptionally curious, you could apply the updates one at a time to find out which one has caused the glitch.

I found a fix:

Go to the desktop and right click. Choose New and then Shortcut.

You'll then get a window that pops up called Create Shortcut and asks where to browse to find the application in question. Instead of browsing, in the box type the following: rundll32.exe user32.dll, LockWorkStation . Then Next. Enter in a name for the shortcut (Windows Lock would be a good option) and then Finish.

This is also a good quick click option in case you are too lazy to press both keys or if you are missing the Windows key.

Anyways, that's my workaround for now. I'll investigate the bug later... ;)

MsM... might seem kind of silly... but you can create a shortcut key to activate that shortcut... :D

something like ctrl+alt+L ? you can create it in the shortcuts' properties.

I haven't found any solutions for your other problem. the win+L

I noramlly just lock by

crtl+alt+del then enter.

Uh... my post just above yours is the shortcut workaround.:D I don't want the user to log out since CTL+ALT+DEL does that. I have certain apps that run overnight with a specific user.

Your post above is the icon shortcut workaround.
I'm saying that you can make a keyboard shortcut to activate the icon shortcut. ;)

When I press ctrl+alt+del, it doesn't log me off. I get several options... lock, logout, shutdown, change pwd, cancel... but I'm part of a domain and not using the xp style logon. At home, I have two installs. One that is part of domain and one that is not. On both of them, I get all the options for ctrl+alt+del because I have disabled the xp sytle login screen and I have also disabled the fast user switching.

If they are using the new "xp logon page" instead of the classic "click ctrl+alt+del" to login... try changing them over to the ctrl+alt+del style login.

http://support.microsoft.com/default...291559&sd=tech

I don't have any machines that are not part of the domain to test at the moment.

Also, try to stop and disable the fast user switching service.
See if that has any effect.

The reason I say that is because if you have that service on, the Win+L shortcut is used to switch between multiple account.

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source
QUICK-SWITCHING USER ACCOUNTS. One reported quirk affecting shutdown is the three-account shuffle. Windows XP gives the ability to rapidly bounce between user accounts, with Win+L. If at least three user accounts exist, and you quick-switch through all three, and then log off all three in reverse order — “backing out” in an orderly way — then the machine may hang on shutdown. There may be other variations of account shuffling that cause this, but this one, clear example was provided by newsgroup correspondent John Ward. Microsoft has now identified something similar as a bug, in MSKB 320008, “You May Not Be Able to Shut Down Your Windows XP Computer.” The situation they describe is that only one user is logged on, quick-switching is used, and “Windows is under heavy stress.” A supported patch is available; see the article for details.

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