Zig,
I attempted to try your procedure in the local security policy change, but did not get past 1st base. When I put "local" in the search box --- Vista takes me to the screen where you choose what continent you are on and your time zone.
I tried other ways to find the local security policy but Vista has it well hidden from me.
Any other ideas on how to get there? Thanks.
Well, I broke down and pulled out my wife's Vista machine. ~shudder~
After poking around on it and the internet, it would appear that the option to get the old login screen only appears on Vista Business/Ultimate.
Want to switch to Linux? It's very nice.
At this point, I'm not sure if it's your computer/Windows that is freezing up or if your keyboard/mouse just aren't re-initializing after a reboot.
Are you able to get the login screen to work at all, or have you not been able to login to this computer at all since the problem started?
Does a full shut down allow you to sign in?
Can you get into safe mode? (Pound F8 during start up before the Windows logo shows up. I think this should still work in Vista).
Hopefully someone else has some ideas, I'm running out.
--zig
If you get the chance pick up a cheap USB (wired) keyboard and mouse. You can find them for under $10 and they are nice to have around when troubleshooting.
If you go into the device manager - Start>control panel>system>Device Manager - look toward the bottom for Universal Serial Bus Controllers. If you expand that by clicking the "+" next to it you will see several entries. Toward the bottom of the list you will find several labeled "USB Root Hub". You will have to do this for each instance listed.
1. Right click the entry
2. select Properties - A new window will open with tabs across the top.
3. Look for the Power Management tab and click it.
4. One option listed on that tab will be "Allow computer to turn off this device to save power" - Make sure this is unchecked and click OK.
5. repeat for each USB Root Hub entry.
Type Power in the Start Menu and click Power Options.
1. On the right will be three selections (Balanced, Power Save, Performance). One will be selected.
2. Under the one that is selected click Change Plan Settings. The window will update.
3. Toward the bottom click "Change Advanced Power Settings". - A small window will open.
4. Scroll down the list to USB Settings and click the "+" to expand the list.
5. Click the "+" next to USB Selective Suspend.
6. There are two entries. Makes sure both say disabled and if they don't change them to disabled.
7. click Apply and OK.
This is a good idea even if you aren't using a wireless keyboard/mouse. This should prevent your USB ports from entering a suspended or low power state.
If this doesn't fix the problem I'll bet the wireless dongle is losing sync with the keyboard/mouse during restart.
Zig,
Login screen does work.
Full shut down does allow me to sign in.
I can get into safe mode.
Dave
I found 2 root hubs under USB controllers. Both had the check box you described but neither box was checked.
Made the adjustments in the power options. The setting changed was "recommended" . Made the change to "disable" in both boxes.
Dave,
Tried a restart after following the instructions on USB Root hub and Power Options, but no luck. Screen still does nothing upon restart. Had to power off then back up. Logged in OK after that. How about canning all this and going back to a "trash 80"? Sure would be easier to work on.
That's OK, even though it didn't work. It's a good idea to make those changes, especially on a desktop. BTW, did you ever update the chipset drivers?
I'm leaning toward the fact that the dongle loses sync with the OS during a restart.
Is there only one user account? Do you trust your wife? (don't answer that!) Have you considered bypassing the login screen and allowing the OS to boot automatically?
I'm going to agree with Dave here.
The fact that you can get everything to work on a cold boot (start with the computer off) but not from a warm boot (computer never shuts off) seems to point to a problem with the wireless dongle and/or device. The reboot seems to confuse it into thinking it no longer needs to work, then it has issues when things come back up.
Have you attempted re-connecting/re-syncing them after boot up? (you should have a sync button on each wireless device). If that works, it will point the finger at the wireless devices for sure.
Update:
1. Yes, chipset updated.
2. 2 user accounts - mine as administrator and wife - not administrator.
3. My wireless keyboard and mouse came as a combination package from Logitech. There is a USB hub that sits on the desk with one end plugged into the CPU and the other end is a pen drive recepticle device where the pen drive goes. I have unplugged this from the CPU in previous tests but it apparently made no difference in the problem. Since this has no sync button (that I know of) do I just unplug it to re-synch it?
Bypassing the login screen seems like a practical answer since this is a home computer and access is not a problem to be concerned about. What procedure do I follow in this attempt?
Thanks.
Soldat - Sorry for jumping in here, but the answers to your questions are:
Every wireless mouse and/or keyboard I have ever seen comes in two parts, i.e. the main device plus a sender/transmitter which is generally connected to one of the USB ports. It is this sender which should have a 'sync' button, because you bought a package there will probably be just one sender with two buttons (one for each device). It would be highly unusual for no button to exist.
You can bypass the logon screen by simply deleting your wife's account, hence Dave's comment about 'privacy'. Go to 'start/control panel/user accounts' and select your wife's account and then select the option to 'Delete the account'......now you will be asked if you wish to keep the files from the deleted account. To save the account
Just to add -
You will also have to remove the password from YOUR account after you delete the other account. Start>Control Panel (classic view)> Remove My Password.
and my 2 cents:
the connect button should be on the keyboard and the mouse. I've seen the dongles you're talking about (looks like a USB key, right?) and the buttons are usually on the underside of the dongle itself (the usb key like thing, not the extension).
--zig
Update --------- working on re-synch of wireless keyboard and mouse. As luck would have it, I did something and neither are responding now. Hopefully I can get that fixed soon. I did confirm with my ISP that ports 25 and 110 are not blocked. I did remove Trend Micro Anti-Virus and restarted. Went to mail and tried to send message, but no luck. Still getting same error code.
did you ever find a cheapo usb keyboard to try? or PS2 (keyboard that is) in a pinch?
for that matter, PM me your address, and if you're in the US, I can just ship you one.
--zig
Update --- Thanks to Zig for the USB keyboard and mouse. I have them hooked up now and have tried the Restart function and it works. I also have no problems switching between users. Zig, guess you were right on the money with this idea. Now - what do I do to get my wireless keyboard and mouse to respond the same way. These wireless devices are Logitech products. I think you or Dave once said I should unistall Logitech then reinstall it. Not sure about this, so please clarify what your recommendations are. Many thanks.
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