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I am working on a computer that is totally stuck at the lock screen.

Keyboard works, but no mouse cursor is visible.

I have tried plugging in a USB mouse but that does not help.

The computer is a netbook with no CD drive (so I can't do normal recover mode with the CD).

Any ideas on how I can get past the lock screen?

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Define "totally stuck". :) Doesn't hitting any key work to present the password box? – techie007 Dec 8 '12 at 6:06
@techie007 - nope. – Vaccano Dec 8 '12 at 17:02

2 Answers

up vote 1 down vote

If you are at the lock screen and the keyboard works, can't you tab around, log in, then reboot the computer to try to remedy the situation? You really don't need the mouse to do anything, you can do anything with a keyboard, a mouse just makes most things more convenient.

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up vote 0 down vote

Tried Esc and Reboot. Nothing worked.

Hit just about every key. Nothing would respond. (Though the volume keys worked, so I know the keyboard was "on")

Finally I had to boot to safe mode and do a reset (the one that has you loose apps, but not documents)

That fixed it.

Sadly this was enough to cause the user to decide to send the computer back and go with a Mac.

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The problem re-occured again after a day or so. – Vaccano Dec 10 '12 at 1:26

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