Microsoft KB Archive/926934

Knowledge Base

You cannot use a keyboard shortcut that uses the ALT GR key in a Terminal Services session that connects to a Windows Server 2003-based terminal server

Article ID: 926934

Article Last Modified on 10/11/2007

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard x64 Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition (32-Bit x86)
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Datacenter Edition (32-Bit x86)
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition (32-bit x86)
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Datacenter x64 Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit x86)
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition (32-bit x86)
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard x64 Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter x64 Edition
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition for Itanium-based Systems
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition for Itanium-Based Systems

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SYMPTOMS

In a Terminal Services session that connects to a Microsoft Windows Server 2003-based terminal server, you cannot use a keyboard shortcut that uses the ALT GR key to type an extended character.

Extended characters have an ASCII value that is greater than 127. For example, the euro symbol (€) is an extended character. Typically, this problem occurs if you apply Windows keyboard shortcuts to Terminal Services sessions.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use one of the following methods:

• Use the CTRL + ALT keyboard shortcut instead of the ALT GR key to type extended characters in the Terminal Services session.
• Configure Windows to stop applying keyboard shortcuts to Terminal Services sessions. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, click Run, type mstsc.exe, and then click OK.
  2. In the Remote Desktop Connection dialog box, click Options, and then click the 'Local resources' tab.
  3. In the Apply Windows key combinations list, click On the local computer.
  4. On the General tab, click Save As, type a name in the File name box, and then click Save.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

Microsoft is researching this problem and will post more information in this article when the information becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

When you use a keyboard shortcut that uses the ALT GR key, Windows uses hooks. Hooks modify messages before they are sent to a program window.

When you redirect Windows keyboard shortcuts to a Terminal Services session, the client uses hooks to determine which shortcuts to send to the terminal server and which shortcuts to send to the client computer. Occasionally, some parts of these messages are delayed. Therefore, the extended character that you typed does not appear in the program window.

For more information about hooks, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms632589.aspx

Keywords: kbtshoot kbprb KB926934

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