Keyboard connection problem?

[JayE]

Hi everyone,

The NT server at the company where I work in IT support has a rather strange problem with our keyboard connection, and we can't seem to get to the bottom of it.

The server automatically locks when you leave it for a while and you have to do Control-Alt-Delete and key in the server password to unlock the server.

Every now and again, for hours at a time, you can get it to recognise Control-Alt-Delete and type in the password - BUT although it shows the correct number of characters, it will not recognise the passsword. Once you get the server unlocked, everything seems to be normal as far as keyboard recognition goes.

This may be because it's thinking Caps Lock is on when it isn't (ie. 1 button isn't working), but we've tried changing the keyboard (brand new) to no effect.

Is there anything else we can try? The problem is intermittant, but is causing real problems because I can't get in always when I need to.

We have a "backup" method of getting the server to unlock, using VNC remote control, BUT what happens if this stops working, or if no-ones here to use VNC?

I do hope you can give me some pointers.

Regards,
Jay/UK

 

[bgauntt]

Can't you disable that feature for password protection when the computer locks up. Like in W2K you can password protect a screen saver and when you move the mouse after the screen saver is active you are required to do CTRL-ALT-DEL and enter your password. I also wonder if you can disable your power settings so that your monitor and hard drive never power off after a period of time.

 

[JayE]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply.

I believe this automatic locking of the workstation is to do with NT and is not a password protected screensaver.

And in any event the server HAS to lock after inactivity to prevent unauthorised or even accidental actions.

Any further thoughts?

Kind Regards,
Jay/UK

 

[Guest_imported]

Well if you've changed the keyboard and it makes no difference, then my guess would be it's a motherboard problem, perhaps in the keyboard controller area...


ROGER - GØAOZ.

 

[thatrenowned]

Don't know if this will help, but I had a similar problem with Windows 2000. At the username-password-domain prompt, the keyboard was set as English-American i.e " wasn't above 2, @ wasn't above ' etc. However, once you got into Windows it went back to English-British. Is there a chance your keyboard is set this way for some reason? It took us ages to figure it out because someone had '£' or something in their password.

Anyway, hope this helps...

 

[JayE]

Hi,

Interesting thought. But if this was the problem we wouldn't be able to get it to accept the password at all, would we.

But it's an occasional problem, and rather worrying because what if it refused to accept our password when restarting the server when you have to log in to NT with your password. We'd be "locked out" because we wouldn't even be able to use VNC to remotely control the server from a workstation.

Any further comments/suggestions?

Regards,
Jay

 

[thatrenowned]

Is the keyboard going through a KVM serve-switch and what connection does it use (PS2 I presume)?

Any other info like this would help...