Microsoft KB Archive/128799

Knowledge Base

Unable to Log On After Changing Keyboard Layout

Article ID: 128799

Article Last Modified on 11/1/2006

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1
• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.1
• Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1
• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.5
• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
• Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.5
• Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q128799

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, view the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

SYMPTOMS

If you install Windows NT with a US-Dvorak keyboard layout and change the keyboard to a standard US-QWERTY keyboard and match the configuration in the International or Regional Settings tool in Control Panel, you may receive the following error message when you attempt to log on:

The system could not log you on. Make sure your username and domain are correct, then type your password again. Letters in passwords must be typed using the correct case. Make sure that Caps Lock is not accidentally on.

CAUSE

Only the current user profile contains the correct keyboard layout. The default user profile and the system profile contain the previous keyboard layout.

RESOLUTION

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it.

To resolve this issue, use the appropriate method:

Windows NT version 3.1 and 3.5

Save the current user profile information as the system default profile and as a default user profile using the User Profile Editor.

Windows NT version 4.0

1. Log on to Windows NT using the Dvorak keyboard layout.
2. Using Registry Editor, change the "Preload" value to 00000409 in the following registry key:

   HKey_Users\.Default\KeyboardLayout\

MORE INFORMATION

The Preload value for the Dvorak U.S. English keyboard layout is 00010409.
The Preload value for the standard U.S. English keyboard layout is 00000409.

Additional query words: prodnt 3.10 kbd

Keywords: kberrmsg kbenv kbprb KB128799

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