Microsoft KB Archive/890837

= You are prompted to press CTRL+ALT+DEL to unlock your computer when you use a smart card to log on to your Windows XP-based computer =

Article ID: 890837

Article Last Modified on 8/29/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional
 * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

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Important This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry





SYMPTOMS
When you use a smart card to log on to a Microsoft Windows XP-based computer, and you lock the computer, Windows prompts you to press CTRL+ALT+DEL to unlock the computer.

Note In a smart card environment, you may want Windows to prompt the user to reinsert the smart card to unlock the computer.



Hotfix information
A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem, submit a request to Microsoft Online Customer Services to obtain the hotfix. To submit an online request to obtain the hotfix, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6294451

Note If additional issues occur or any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. To create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Prerequisites
You must have Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) installed to install this hotfix.

For additional information about the latest Windows XP service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322389 How to obtain the latest Windows XP service pack

Restart information
You must restart your computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information
This hotfix is not replaced by any later hotfix.

Registry information
Warning If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To enable this hotfix, follow these steps:  Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:

 With the registry subkey from step 2 selected, on the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value. Type AltSCMessages, and then press ENTER. Right-click AltSCMessages, and then click Modify. In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.</li> Quit Registry Editor.</li></ol>

File information
The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later file attributes) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

<pre class="fixed_text">  Date         Time   Version        Size     File name 20-Dec-2004 17:49  5.1.2600.2586  995,840  Msgina.dll 18-Dec-2004 22:07  5.1.2600.2586    2,048  Xpsp3res.dll

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STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the &quot;Applies to&quot; section of this article.

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MORE INFORMATION
The new version of the file Msgina.dll that is installed by this hotfix cannot determine whether a smart card is in the smart card reader. The file can only determine whether a smart card reader is attached to the computer.

If a smart card reader is attached and you are logging on for the first time, you receive the following message at the Welcome screen:

(Re-) Insert card to begin.

If a smart card reader is attached and the computer is locked, you receive the following message:

(Re-) Insert card to unlock this computer.

If a smart card reader is not attached and you are logging on for the first time, you receive the following message:

Press Ctrl-Alt-Del to begin.

If a smart card reader is not attached and the computer is locked, you receive the following message:

Press Ctrl-Alt-Del to unlock this computer.

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