I'm not sure about the second problem, but for the ALT+TAB box -- it only stays on screen while you are holding down the ALT key.  If you let up on ALT the box disappears.

Thanks - but it still disappears even when holding down the Alt key. Keeping both keys depressed maintains it but it cycles from one icon to the other so quickly that it's almost impossible to pick the right program!

I seem to have clicked 'solved' by mistake - sorry. This problem is still with me.

Larry you have a challenging little problem to solve here. I have the same problem, hold Alt, press Tab, the box of programs icons pops up for a second and then disappears. I've searched long and deep for solutions. Only three instances I can find, mine, this one, and one other fellow like me with an Inspiron 1501.

 

Things I've tried: Confirmed the alt keys is recognized. Went into Notepad, typed a few charaters and they show up, hold down alt while typing a bunch more, sure enough they don't show. If I happen to hit a menu key (e.g. alt-f) then a pull-down responds.

 

 This is Vista business. I've tried with performance settings set to all the Vista whiz-bang (transparent windows etc) and with all that turned off.

 

 Found reference to a reg edit that affects windows which window gets focus HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop item ForegroundLockTimeout. No change.

 

Found an apparently old reference to a reg edit that's supposed to affect how alt-tab behaves  \HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer item AltTabSettings. No change.

 

It's a real pain when doing work that requires constant quick switching between programs. A solution would be great.

 

I asked a couple of coworkers if they had ever seen the problem before and one asked if the problem showed up if you use the other ALT key? That leads to the question, have you tried another keyboard to see if the problem happens there as well? For a notebook, try connecting an external keyboard.

 

[edit]

 

Nice to see at least one of you got the problem resolved. ;) 

To be honest, I haven't the faintest idea why its behaving like that for you guys.  I've never run into the problem before this post, and that combined with your searching reinforces that it is not a common problem.  I will ask around to see if I can get any other suggestions, but I don't know how successful I will be.

 

Out of curiosity, does the ALT+TAB actually switch applications and just fails to stay on screen, or does it fail to switch tasks as well? 

My problem appears to have solved itself!

 

I had disabled quite a few of the start up programs which didn't seem to be things I needed and after re-enabling some of them the Alt + Tab worked perfectly and the pop-up problems were also resolved.

 

The programs I re-enabled were mainly connected with Dell Support, I think: sprtcmd,  dsca and dsagnt. I can't think why these would have affected Alt + Tab and perhaps it is just coincidence that the propblem resolved itself after I made these changes.

 

Sorry I cannot supply a meaningful solution and hope you are as lucky with your problem. 

I just got an auto-email saying my post was being pulled because it had my express code in it. So I'm posting again.

 

Tried an external keyboard.

 

Both alt keys behave the same.

 

Bios is current (2.6.3, my express code is  _________).

 

Tried it in safe mode, same result.

 

Vista (Business) is up to date.

 

Ran a keyboard diagnostic program that gives a log of what keys are pressed, scan codes, when they go down, when they come up, etc. It shows my alt key stays down as long as I hold it. But it also shows, at almost exactly 1-sec intervals, that the "wake" key is being pressed. Not that it's stuck down, rather that it is pressed and released. I have no "wake" key, neither does the external keyboard I tried. This is not the "sleep" or "standby" keys, those have different codes. This is "wake", windows scan code 255 (FF), bios scan code 13 (0D).

 

As I say, this happens even in safe mode, so it's no add-in that's creating these phantom "wake" keystrokes, it's either coming from the system or being created by Vista even in safe mode.

 

If you want to try the keyboard util it's http://www.passmark.com/products/keytest.htm. Passmark has been around for a long time and is a good company. If you run the program you will see (at least on mine) right away the 255/13 code showing in the upper right boxes. There is a radio box for monitoring either at the bios or windows level. If you switch to windows level you get a continuous stream of "wake" down/up every second. So where is this coming from?

 

Thanks,

Tom

 

So, it sounds like the "wake" keyboard scan code interrupts the holding of the ALT key, causing the problem.  So now it is just a matter of figuring out why the keyboard is constantly sending a "wake" power management command, especially since I don't think that keyboard has a "wake" button.

 

Check your power management options and see if anything there dealing with the keyboard is enabled.  Also, you might consider removing and reconnecting the keyboard for the system (the Vostro 1000 service manual has the instructions).  If the keyboard cable isn't connected quite right there is a chance it is causing the problem, although I doubt it.

I have looked at power management settings. I'll experiment with them further.

 

This is an Inspiron 1501. I'll look at the available docs and see if unplugging the keyboard is described. I don't remember seeing it. And I'm a little wary of it. I know on some laptops you put it in from the top and kind of bend it to slip it in under its catches. I can't imagine you can do that too often without risking damage. Would the hardware engineers on your end have and clues?

 

Thanks,

Tom

 

The service manual for the 1501 is here.  It has the instructions for removing/installing the keyboard.  You'll need a small screwdriver (keyboard screws) and something flat to pry up the hinge cover plastics (just above the keyboard).

Took the keyboard completely out, booted with no keyboard, ran the keyboard util, still getting "wake" keystrokes.

 

Selected "dell recommeded" power settings and set that to its defualt values. No difference.

 

Tom

 

OK, if the problem happens without the keyboard connected then it is pretty obvious the keyboard is not the problem.  I talked with another coworker today (he's been out of the office the last few days) and he said the only time he has ever seen wake commands like you describe, malware was involved.  Unfortunately, just because an malware search says it didn't find anything does not mean nothing is there to be found. ;(

I'm a computer consultant by trade, so I know the best way to check a drive is to take it out and connect it to another system. I knew it wasn't infected but I ran AVG & Symantec anti-virus, anti-spyware, and AVG root kit. Nothing.

 

If this were a Vista thing I would imagine it would be more widespread. Can your hardware engineers come up with any ideas? The one other reference I saw about this on another forum was also about an Inspiron 1501. This is the AMD version.  Motherboard Board: Dell Inc. 0UW744, 1.60 gigahertz AMD Turion 64 X2. Remember that it also happens in safe mode. Maybe some quirk of this board and this bios? Something somebody put in the bios to fix some power problem? This definately is at the level where the only ones who are going to have a clue are the engineers who have every detail of the whole motherboard and bios in their heads.

 

Thanks,

Tom

 

Larry,

 

So what's next?

 

Tom