# DOS based question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dos-based-question/73277>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 21, 2001, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dos-based-question/73277 "2001-07-21T02:22:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![nikjohns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/53a042/32.png) [@nikjohns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nikjohns)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2001, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dos-based-question/73277/1 "2001-07-21T02:22:13Z")

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DOS has stopped working ☹

If I have a DOS window running in Windows (whether it is [command.com](http://command.com) or a self-made C++ program), the keyboard won’t do anything. Nothing I press has any effect. The [Windows] key works, as does [Alt][ctrl][del], but nothing else - not even [alt][F4].

Does anyone have any suggestions, as I really have to do some work on my summer C++ project - and as I’m sure you can guess, not being able to input anything is a real bummer.

Thanks in advance…