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I need to send a CtrlAltDelete to a remote machine through Remote Desktop. The CtrlAltDelete is being intercepted by Windows 8, regardless of whether the remote desktop has focus or is in full screen. I'm remoting in to a Windows XP machine, and I've tried launching Remote Desktop through both the desktop and the Modern UI. How can I send a CtrlAltDelete?

I'd rather not install anything on the machine.

rtf
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14 Answers14

507

Try using Ctrl+Alt+End instead.

ohaal
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Graham Wager
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77

If you're using an RDP within another RDP, Ctrl+Alt+End may not work as expected -- it sometimes could bring up the Task Manager / Change Password screen for the outer RDP.

Instead, to bring up the Task Manager / Change Password screen for the inner RDP :

  1. Bring up the on-screen keyboard (Start > Run, type osk.exe)

  2. Hold Ctrl+Alt on the top-level machine and click Del on the OSK.

This should work for any number of nested RDPs.

SNag
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51

On a Mac, running OSX, try fn+ctrl+alt+delete

This works with Microsoft Remote Desktop client for OSX.

h q
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20

STICKY KEYS IS THE ANSWER

There is another way which will work regardless of OS and as many nested RDC sessions as you can wrap your head round. With the focus in the inner most RDC session, quickly press the shift key 5 times. This will bring up the Sticky Keys window, and one window for each level of nesting. When prompted to turn on sticky keys, click Yes/Ok for your most nested session, and No/Cancel for the outer sessions. Now with the focus still on the inner most nested session, press ctrl (then let go), press alt (then let go), press delete.

Tadah!

To turn off sticky keys, with the focus on the nested session, press shift 6 times and click No/Cancel.

Brian Galea
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19

Scenario: Your PC (node_1) and Remote PC (node_2).

Open the onscreen keyboard Start -> All Programs -> Accesories -> Ease of Access -> On-Screen Keyboard on node_2.

When you want to send ctrl+alt+del, press Ctrl+Alt in node_1 and click del in node_2. (Worked for me in node_1=XP and node_2=Win7)

Cfinley
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salsengsangma
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15

It is CTRL + F1 for people using Citrix.

Sathyajith Bhat
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Janaaaa
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9

It isn't a very quick or graceful solution, but if Ctrl+Alt+End doesn't work for what you need, you can open the on-screen keyboard in the remote desktop, and click the Ctrl+Alt+Delete keys with the mouse.

Nick Orlando
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6

You can also try installing Autohotkey on the server, and create a key binding that works to send Ctrl+Alt+Delete without Windows 8 intercepting it. A mini-tutorial is available as well

Canadian Luke
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4

Sometimes if all you can use is a command line, then you can paste

Powershell.exe -noprofile -nologo -noninteractive -command "(new-object -ComObject shell.application).WindowsSecurity()"

into CMD, PowerShell, or even the little program search text box that appears when you click the Start menu Windows icon. This simulates pressing Ctrl-Alt-Del.

I've been on servers where pretty much the only program available is the CMD shell. Makes no sense, but it's true.

John Rees
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4

Hope it will help for Windows 8 too.

Problem

Unable to use Ctrl+Alt+Del feature on remote desktop running Vista OS/ Windows 7/ Windows 2008.

Cause

Problems to use Ctrl+Alt+Del feature on remote desktops running Vista OS/ Windows 7/ Windows-2008 may occur due to one or more of the following reasons:

  1. User Access Control(UAC) is disabled in the remote machine running Vista OS/ Windows 7/ Windows 2008.

  2. Secure Attention Sequence(SAS) is disabled in the remote machine running Vista OS/ Windows 7/ Windows 2008.

Resolution

Enable UAC in the Remote Desktop running Vista OS/ Windows 7/ Windows 2008

Goto Start → Run → type msconfig. This opens the System Configuration Window.

Click on Tools tab.

Locate and Click

on "Enable UAP" or "Enable UAC" option item. This opens a Command Prompt window that automatically executes and runs certain process to Enable UAC.

Close the cmd window when done. Also close msconfig window.

Restart the computer for the changes to apply.

Set the Policy :

Execute Gpedit.msc from Run prompt.

Goto "Computer Configuration" -> "Admin Templates" -> "Windows Components" -> "Windows Logon Options"

In Windows LogOn Option , double click "Disable enable software Secure Attention Sequence" Select "Enable" option and "Services and Ease of Access application"

Click OK.

Source

Sathyajith Bhat
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avirk
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3

CRTL+SHIFT+ESC, process manager skips that window.

In the run window for rebooting a windows server:

Shutdown -r

For shutting down:

Shutdown -t
slm
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user236790
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3

When logged into the remote Windows PC, right-click on the bar the bottom, which will bring up a number of options and one of them is "Show Task Manager". Hope this helps.

E V Ramakanth
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3

In windows 7 hit the start button on the machine you are connected to via RDP and then click the "Windows Security" button which effectively is the same thing as pressing Cntl-Alt-Del.

dgress
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0

I also had this problem, with client win8.1 and server windows server 2008 R2. And there was no way to open the screen to change the password remotely because no CTRL+ALT+DEL or CTRL+ALT+END worked both on client and on server. Opening the on-screen keyboard on server also didn't worked and nothing happend. For me, the solution was to open the on-screen keyboard on client machine, then open the remote window and press the CTRL+ALT+DEL set of keys and worked for me.

Samad
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