Useful Windows trick

You guys probably already know this, but maybe some stranger will stumble across this bbs that doesn't know...

Sometimes my USB glitches and my mouse quits working. The only thing I know is to restart the system, but this is pretty hard to do without a mouse!

I found out that the ALT-F4 keystroke that closes the active window also works when all the windows are closed and only the desktop remains. Then, ALT-F4 takes you to a keyboard-friendly dialog box that allows an orderly shutdown.

tanstaafl.

Indeed. I love keyboard shortcuts.

You can also do the typical Ctrl+Alt+Del and then tab around until you get the shut down button (depending on your version of Windows).

Only with XP and earlier. Beginning with Vista, Ctrl-Alt-Del takes you to Task Manager, where without a mouse there is little you can accomplish.

tanstaafl.

I don't have a Vista computer in front of me, but 7 does not bring up the task manager.

Task Manager appearing depends on older versions dependent on whether the PC was on a domain. If it was you'd get the dialog, if not it would jump direct to Task Manager.

From Task Manager you can still fairly easily shut down if it jumps straight to it.

I don't have an XP/Vista machine to try here, but Alt+<a key> will get you to a menu where you can select shutdown and then maybe you'll have to press enter. If Task Manager appears straight away with Ctrl+Alt+Del it will have a menu to shutdown/restart etc.

You can do almost anything with a keyboard only in Windows.