Windows key short cuts not working

I have a PC where the user is complaining that Windows key keystroke short-cuts have stopped working. For example, (Windows Key) + (e) does not open Windows Explorer, and (Windows Key) + (r) does not open the Run dialogue.

Can anyone tell me where these short-cuts are set?

I think there is an underlying permissions issue. His PC has also stopped running an application that runs from his log-on script. However, I want to first rule out whether the Windows key problem is an isolated problem that can be fixed by simply reassigning the keystroke combinations.

There appears to be a setting in Group policy that can enable/disable the windows key combinations. See this article:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/301422

However, the user should have the same group policy as other users who don't have this problem. As a group policy issue may also cause or influence the other problem, this is probably where I am going next. However, first I'd like to rule out local settings - hence my question.

BTW, I don't think this is a keyboard fault as both the Windows and "e" keys work perfectly when used on their own.

 

When shortcut keys don't work, the first thing I usually look at is the drivers. Couldn't hurt to uninstall/reinstall the keyboard again to see if that corrects the issue.
Johanna

 

Thanks - useful things to look at there.

 

OK - finally had time to return to this issue.

Following review of the link Steve supplied I went into Regedit. It opened in at a similar key - which told me someone else had been fiddling with the settings in this area (A developer had been "helping" sort out the problems before it was reported to me -- and they wonder why I don't give them access to my servers ). So I checked the settings in two other XP Pro PC at:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

And found both had a single setting: NoDriveTypeAutoRun set to 0x0000091

On the problem PC I removed all the entries in this key except NoDriveTypeAutoRun and rebooted. The result was return of normal Windows key functionality.

So I'm happier (once I've rung the neck of our little helper). There is still the permissions problem to sort out, but at least the user has his shortcutr keys sorted.

Thank you both for your help.