Frozen at Ctrl-Alt-Delete

Upon rebooting my Toshiba Laptop I cannot get past the Ctrl-Alt-Delete function at the welcome screen. I have tried safe mode and all other startup options with no success. I can see my hard drive through my network and I am able to copy files to other computers within the network. My keyboard functions during startup but the welcome screen request of Ctrl-Alt-Delete is not working. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Jim

 

Since this is a laptop, I would suggest first connecting a normal keyboard to rule out a disconnected or damaged keyboard. You should have a PS2 port for this purpose, or at least a USB one; PS2 is preferable.

Did you have it set not to show your login screen until you did the ctrl+alt+del?

 

Yes my laptop was set to require the ctrl-alt-delete before logging in. I connected both a PS2 and a USB keyboard and its the same result. I cannot
get the CD to boot the system either.

 

Does the keyboard function prior to this ? I take it that you can use it to select safe mode boot and bios setup.
So we have eliminated defective ctrl+alt+del keys or loose keyboard connection as the cause.

You say it will not boot to a bootable cd? Presuming that the cdrom is set as a higher boot priority than hard drive, my next suggestion would be that your battery is weak or dead and that this is interfering with the ability of the power adapter to deliver sufficient power. Some batteries will act as a short if they fail.
Have you tried with battery removed? Can you have the battery tested?

 

Yes the keyboard functions fine prior to windows loading. I reset the boot sequence to the CD and I got the same result. I just tried rebooting with the battery removed and nothing changed.

 

Do you have the install cd? Can you boot to a recovery console?
Repair XP and the recovery console

 

another test = safe mode boot.

 

Just rereading this; I am wondering if I misunderstood.
Do you mean it lets you login, but no longer asks for the ctrl+alt+del and you want it to ? Or that it never brings up the login screen, and doing the ctrl+alt+del does not bring it up either?

 

Oshwyn,
The system boots as it always has and when the welcome screen pops up I have always had to hit ctrl-alt-delete to then login. All is the same except now when hitting ctrl-alt-delete nothing happens and I am unable to login or do anything else other than hit the power off button. I tried a cd boot disk and nothing changes. Every boot option in setup results in no change. My hard drive can be seen through my network but only those files that are shared. I'm lost as to options.

 

This is abit of a longshot, but have you tried booting from "The last known good configuration "?

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/prmb_tol_ustn.asp

 

u'r keyboard ok? hookup an external keyboard & test.

another test = use the 'lighted' keys and see if the toggle on/off when pressed. if they don't, turn over the lappie and see if anything spills out. no joke ... coke/coffee most often found when i've had this happen. watch the clothes u wear doing this. ruined a few good pairs of slacks this way

 

Have you tried with the network disconnected just to make sure that it is not trying a network login before your account login?

Do you have your XP cd? Have you considered a repair install?

 

Since I have tried all that I can do without throwing this thing through the window, how do I erase and reformat my drive since I can't get the CD drive to boot or any other boot modes to work?