CTRL+ALT+DEL Doesn't Work on Dell Latitude E7440

[muthabored]

Dell Latitude E7440
BIOS Version: A15
OS: Windows 7 Enterprise (64-bit), SP1
4GB RAM
Inter Core i5

The issue is that, even after uninstalling/reinstalling Windows 7 3 times, replacing the keyboard twice, and replacing the system board,
once it's at the CTRL+ALT+DEL screen, nothing happens. An external keyboard connected to the laptop works.
I don't have another copy of Windows that I can try but I've made sure that the device drivers for the laptop are current.
All Windows updates/anti virus software is current as well.

Also, all of the other keys on the laptop's keyboard are functioning properly.

Any help would be greatly appreciate!

 

[goombawaho]

nothing happens

What do you mean? Do you get the correct screen that you should get after pressing CTRL ALT DEL or not?
Or do you mean that you can't select any of the options once you get to that screen.

All your troubleshooting is logical and yet no results and you have already spent more on the laptop than it's worth!! Abandon troubleshooting and call it a day would be my advice.

What else could you possibly do if you wanted to keep troubleshooting anyway? There is no BIOS update, I see.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[muthabored]

Once Windows loads and CTRL+ALT+DEL appears on the screen, the CTRL+ALT+DEL keys on the laptops keyboard aren't working so I can't get to
the actual login screen where I'd enter in a username/password.

CTRL+ALT+DEL works/I can get to the sign in screen with an external keyboard and the Windows On-Screen keyboard but these keys on the laptop's keyboard don't work
(I've even tried them in Safe Mode).

 

[guitarzan]

Most keyboards have two CTRL and two ALT keys. Did you try both? When you are in Windows, did you confirm that the CTRL, ALT and Delete keys work individually? Do the Caps lock / Num lock lights toggle on and off at the login screen?

 

[goombawaho]

Is there any feature in the BIOS where the CNTRL key is changed and requires the FN (function key) to be pressed or the option to "Swap FN with CTRL key" or something like that?

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[cdogg]

With the On-Screen Keyboard showing, press the CTRL key on the physical keyboard. As you hold it down, you should notice the key lighting up on the On-Screen Keyboard. Test CTRL and ALT to make sure they are registering. DELETE won't light up, so to test that key, you have to use the On-Screen Keyboard to unlock the screen. Then in the username box, attempt to use the delete key to remove a typed character (place the cursor in front of the character you are removing). It sounds like one of the 3 keys just aren't working and this is a quick & easy test.

-Carl
"The glass is neither half-full nor half-empty: it's twice as big as it needs to be."

[tab][navy]For this site's posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[cdogg]

Also don't forget you can disable the CTRL-ALT-DEL prompt as a worst-case scenario.

 

[muthabored]

Thanks to everyone for their replies.

I will try your suggestions as soon as possible and report the results.

 

[muthabored]

guitarzan: Most keyboards have two CTRL and two ALT keys. Did you try both? When you are in Windows, did you confirm that the CTRL, ALT and Delete keys work individually? Do the Caps lock / Num lock lights toggle on and off at the login screen? CTRL & DEL keys work within Windows, ALT does not - Caps Lock & Num Lock lights toggle on and off at login screen

goombawaho: Is there any feature in the BIOS where the CNTRL key is changed and requires the FN (function key) to be pressed or the option to "Swap FN with CTRL key" or something like that? There are no settings in the BIOS with the features that you've mentioned

cdogg: With the On-Screen Keyboard showing, press the CTRL key on the physical keyboard. As you hold it down, you should notice the key lighting up on the On-Screen Keyboard. Test CTRL and ALT to make sure they are registering. DELETE won't light up, so to test that key, you have to use the On-Screen Keyboard to unlock the screen. Then in the username box, attempt to use the delete key to remove a typed character (place the cursor in front of the character you are removing). It sounds like one of the 3 keys just aren't working and this is a quick & easy test. Using the On-Screen keyboard, CTRL & DEL work when pressed on the physical keyboard but ALT does not.

 

[cdogg]

OK, so we've narrowed it down to the ALT key. Do both ALT keys have the same problem?

You've already tried everything I can think of: replacing the keyboard (twice), reinstalling Windows, replacing the system board (which comes with new BIOS defaults). It just doesn't make sense. Some Dell laptops have a keyboard diagnostics utility you can get to by pressing F12 at startup, so I recommend trying that. It's also possible that Windows 7 is just not recognizing the built-in keyboard properly. Make sure you've installed every hardware driver listed at Dell's website for that model just in case.

Last resort is to disable CTRL-ALT-DEL and hope the user doesn't need ALT when using the laptop.

 

[goombawaho]

It just doesn't make sense

Especially if the keyboard has been replaced.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[rclarke250]

You could try UBCD Link,Boot from it. And run the Enhanced Keyboard Checker, this would tell you if it is hardware or software, it monitors the ALT key, and will display the ASCII code. You have not said if you have tried a different OS load, or are running a company image. Also, you could try another version of windows 7, unless you purchased Dell white boxes, I believe you have an OS key on the laptop, this is not the Enterprise key, and will still be a valid OEM key, you could download the right version of windows from Microsoft, they were pulled from Digital River and use that key, it will make you validate through the phone, but it will work, at least as a test.