# ctrl-alt-delete
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ctrl-alt-delete/32458
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [September 8, 2000, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ctrl-alt-delete/32458 "2000-09-08T04:18:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 18
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2000, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ctrl-alt-delete/32458/1 "2000-09-08T04:18:04Z")
I accidentally spilled water all over my keyboard. It’s working pretty well now, except for a few wacky keys (pressing 8 yields “83”, for instance, and the space bar has some odd little quirks). Worst of all, I can’t control-alt-delete. Is there a mouse-based way to bring up the c-a-d screen? thanks a lot!
jb
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### Author:  [@geekgurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/geekgurl)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2000, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ctrl-alt-delete/32458/2 "2000-09-08T04:37:56Z")
I know the following works in WinNT, but I am not sure with version 9x (I can’t access a Win9x machine at the moment!)
For WinNT, right mouse click on the task bar and select TASK MANAGER.
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### Author:  [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2000, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ctrl-alt-delete/32458/3 "2000-09-08T04:40:33Z")
the keys work individually so some keys are just not working right. I would carefully disassemble the keyboard and clean it throroughly. All keyboards I’ve had (including remote controls, calculators, etc) need cleaning every so often because some keys start having problems. This keyboard is fast approaching that point.
Normally you can pull all the key caps off, take a few screws off the back and disassemble the keyboard. Clean everything well with tissue and alcohol and reassemble and it should be ok.
OTOH a new keyboard costs close to nothing so you may want to just get a new one. I am the kind that just repairs anything as a reflex and I have keyboards and mice that friends threw away. I repair them… and have no use for them… I even have several microwaves… as I say, I can’t help myself.
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### Author:  [@geekgurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/geekgurl)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2000, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ctrl-alt-delete/32458/4 "2000-09-08T04:53:28Z")
**sailor said**
> [@](#):
>
> I would carefully disassemble the keyboard and clean it throroughly. All keyboards I’ve had (including remote controls, calculators, etc) need cleaning every so often because some keys start having problems.
…yeah, those doritoes crumbs are a really bummer!
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### Author:  [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2000, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ctrl-alt-delete/32458/5 "2000-09-08T04:57:27Z")
**geekgurl** - nope, I have Windows 95. Can’t do it. Used to have NT at work, so I thought maybe 95 had some kind of shortcut.
**sailor** - already took the whole bugger apart. pulled the back off, undid all the fasteners and screws, pulled the pocky plastic key button thing off, unfolded the etched plastic within, and cleaned and dryed all. before I did that, the keyboard didn’t work, and it made the computer beep constantly if it was plugged in.
damn. oh well, it’s not too big a deal. Restarts instead of forced quits.
thanks!
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### Author:  [@Lazarus7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lazarus7)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2000, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ctrl-alt-delete/32458/6 "2000-09-08T05:43:16Z")
keyboard = $15 …
irritation due to bad keyboard = priceless
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### Author:  [@Mikahw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikahw)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2000, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ctrl-alt-delete/32458/7 "2000-09-08T05:44:06Z")
Are you trying all combos of ctrl-alt-del? (left ctrl, left alt; left ctrl, right alt; right ctrl,left alt; right ctrl, right alt)
If you are, it’s obviously the del key that’s messed up.
why not just get a new KB? they’re just $10-20 nowdays.
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### Author:  [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2000, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ctrl-alt-delete/32458/8 "2000-09-08T05:53:30Z")
that’s strange. When some of my keys start having problems due to dirt in the contacts, I open the whole thing, wipe the contacts clean with tissue and a _little_ alcohol and they’re as good as new for another couple of years.
I also take advantage to clean the caps etc as every keyboard looks filthy after some time of use. Well, you might want to buy a new keyboard or just try another cleaning session.
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### Author:  [@falcon2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/falcon2)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2000, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ctrl-alt-delete/32458/9 "2000-09-08T06:00:23Z")
Although this seems pretty obvious to me, it might not to be to all. Tap water usually doesnt ruin electronics unless you leave it powered on while its wet.
If your keyboard, computer, CD player, etc gets water on it:
unplug it/take the batteries out
try to get all the water out
and let it dry
it should be fine
Soda, Beer, Grapejuice, riverwater or anything else that has a high acid,sugar, salt or misc gunk content can totally screw stuff up.
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### Author:  [@Aglarond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aglarond)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2000, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ctrl-alt-delete/32458/10 "2000-09-08T12:46:04Z")
What Falcon said. I clean my keyboards in the dishwasher. Word of warning: don’t use heated dry. It doesn’t really melt the keyboard, or anything, but it does something that makes it stop working. Anyway, just make sure it’s dry before plugging it back in and you’re fine. If you’re still having problems after cleaning, drop $20 on a new one.
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### Author:  [@geekgurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/geekgurl)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2000, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ctrl-alt-delete/32458/11 "2000-09-08T14:01:49Z")
aaaaaahaaaaa…I think I have come upon a solution young jb\_farley!
Go to your windows folder and click on the file called taskman.exe. This will open up a task manager type window which shows all your active windows. You can shut them down from there if you like.
The only thing it doesn’t do is reveal “processes” which may not be responding (eg. systray and rnnapp).
Hope this gets you part way there…
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### Author:  [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2000, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ctrl-alt-delete/32458/12 "2000-09-08T22:36:18Z")
**geekgurl** - weet! that’s exactly the kind of thing I was looking for. And it’s okay, cuz the processes don’t come up in Windows 9x, only NT. I will give that a try. thanks sweetheart. _kissy kissy_
jb
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### Author:  [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2000, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ctrl-alt-delete/32458/13 "2000-09-08T22:42:37Z")
Just a note from someone who noticed nobody had given idiot-proof instructions:
You want to make sure your keyboard is unplugged from the PC before you fiddle with it, probably. And you also want the PC to be turned off. Playing with electronics when they are on is a no-no.
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### Author:  [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)
#### Post date: [September 8, 2000, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ctrl-alt-delete/32458/14 "2000-09-08T22:58:47Z")
If your keyboard gets wet, unplug it, turn it over, let it dry. I usuallyput things like that in the oven with only the pilot light on for a few hours or put it in the sun.
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### Author:  [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2000, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ctrl-alt-delete/32458/15 "2000-09-11T01:58:52Z")
Many of the computers where I work (I don’t use 'em at work) have a screen saver that says, “To unblank screen, press Ctrl-Alt-Del.” Is this a joke screen saver, or is there some prgram where this will actually do something other than a warm boot? Many folks at my workplace couldn’t pour out a warm boot with instructions written on the heel.
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### Author:  [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2000, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ctrl-alt-delete/32458/16 "2000-09-11T15:07:25Z")
AskNott, sure. Sounds like a joke. Touching any key should bring things back.
Reminds me of those computer commercials where they have someone come in hitting all sorts of buttons to get a computer back & then they hit ‘return’ & it gets things back. When in fact, all they needed to do in the first place was hit ‘return’…
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2000, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ctrl-alt-delete/32458/17 "2000-09-11T15:22:56Z")
> [@](#):
>
> ```
> Many of the computers where I work (I don't use 'em at work) have a screen saver that says, "To unblank screen, press Ctrl-Alt-Del." Is this a joke screen saver, or is there some prgram where this will actually do something other than a warm boot? Many folks
> at my workplace couldn't pour out a warm boot with instructions written on the heel.
>
> ```
Depends on the operating system. NT uses Ctrl-Alt-Del to lock/unlock the system.
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### Author:  [@mrblue92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrblue92)
#### Post date: [September 11, 2000, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ctrl-alt-delete/32458/18 "2000-09-11T16:12:01Z")
> [@](#):
>
> I usuallyput things like that in the oven with only the pilot light on for a few hours or put it in the sun.
Do you make sure to grease your keyboard with Crisco or Hawaiian Tropic where appropriate?