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[7SP1Pro x64] On Screen Keyboard (OSK) not starting

I'm fresh out of ideas on the original issue. Grats on the updates. At least it sounds like you now have an otherwise good working system. Just remember, after you do a good reinstall, backup right away, and make that a forever keeper. Good luck.
 
I'm fresh out of ideas on the original issue. Grats on the updates. At least it sounds like you now have an otherwise good working system. Just remember, after you do a good reinstall, backup right away, and make that a forever keeper. Good luck.

Hi StrudlBrug,

Yes, at least I know the system is clean and all files in order etc: so that's good. Will certainly not remove the next system Image !
Also as mentioned I now know about Sysnative Forum and all you helpful people.
Thanks to everyone .


Magdalene
 
I'm fresh out of ideas on the original issue. Grats on the updates. At least it sounds like you now have an otherwise good working system. Just remember, after you do a good reinstall, backup right away, and make that a forever keeper. Good luck.

Hi StrudlBrug,

Yes, at least I know the system is clean and all files in order etc: so that's good. Will certainly not remove the next system Image !
Also as mentioned I now know about Sysnative Forum and all you helpful people.
Thanks to everyone .


Magdalene

Hi all,
Just stumbled on this very old 'Superuser' Post. windows 7 - Launching On-Screen Keyboard - Super User

Don't know how valid the info is about the Files referenced by OSK is but I don't have some of the .dll's in

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ink that are listed , and SFC surely would have picked that up?

Would appreciate your thoughts.



Magdalene
 
I don't think SFC checks all files that are written during a default Windows install, more likely the core System files and others required for 'normal' functionality, the subsystems that can be disabled/uninstalled aren't likely to be included.

If it's of any help, here's my .dll list from OSK:

OSK_dlls.jpg
 
I don't think SFC checks all files that are written during a default Windows install, more likely the core System files and others required for 'normal' functionality, the subsystems that can be disabled/uninstalled aren't likely to be included.

If it's of any help, here's my .dll list from OSK:

View attachment 36523

Hi Satrow,

Thanks for that.
Could you please tell me how to generate similar listing on my machine for comparison.

Magdalene
 
I didn't re-read every post in this thread but I seem to recall that you typed osk in the run box and of course nothing appears to happen but when you checked the Task Manager, the osk.exe was one of the processes running.

So, it is running, but for some reason, it never appears on your screen.

The $1,000 question is: what makes osk.exe invisible?
 
Hi Plodr,
The process shows briefly in Task manager (approx couple of secs) then disappears. Then get message box 'Could not start On-Screen Keyboard'
so not sure if process fully starts or not. That is to say does it start and is then terminated, or is it being prevented from fully starting.

Magdalene.
 
Last edited:
I'm researching on screen keyboard invisible. :rofl12:

Is Cryptographic service running? I read one post where that needs to be automatic and running for osk to work. I'm not sure how true it is but I checked and mine is set to auto and running.
 
I'm researching on screen keyboard invisible. :rofl12:

Is Cryptographic service running? I read one post where that needs to be automatic and running for osk to work. I'm not sure how true it is but I checked and mine is set to auto and running.

Hi Plodr,

Yes Cryptographic service is on Auto and started.

Magdalene
 
Hi Satrow,

Just on the off chance I stopped/disabled the service and although OSK still wont play I got a different error message 'referral returned from server'

Magdalene.
 
Is there something new reported in the Event Viewer System/Application logs from that time that we might glean further details from?
 
Hi Satrow,

No, nothing under Critical, Error or Warning.
Then cleared all logs to start afresh and tried to start OSK again several times, both with Cryptographic service on and with it disabled (this because was getting different error message with it disabled and thought might throw further light)
However nothing appeared in logs except the 'Log clear' entry.

Magdalene
 
Does the Reliability Monitor have any entries for today? Control Panel\System and Security\Action Center\Reliability Monitor

Paste the above link into Explorer's location bar and press Enter.
 
Does the Reliability Monitor have any entries for today? Control Panel\System and Security\Action Center\Reliability Monitor

Paste the above link into Explorer's location bar and press Enter.


No entries for today.
Looking back, only the occasional explorer stopped working going back to 30/05/2018.

Magdalene
 
Okay, when you get the OSK 'referral returned from server' error leave it onscreen and hover over the Icon for it in the Taskbar, if there's no icon, look in TaskMan for the source, there should be something running for it if it isn't from OSK itself. If you can find any details please let us know exactly what they are :)
 
Okay, when you get the OSK 'referral returned from server' error leave it onscreen and hover over the Icon for it in the Taskbar, if there's no icon, look in TaskMan for the source, there should be something running for it if it isn't from OSK itself. If you can find any details please let us know exactly what they are :)

Hi Satrow,
With Cryptographic Service disabled (in order to get the 'referral error' as oposed to 'Could not start On-screen keyboard' error with service running)
I left the error on screen. No Icon in Taskbar (Checked for hidden icons as well) so opened 'Task Manager and under Applications Tab it showed
C:\Windows\System32\osk.exe.
Right clicked this to go to Process, and this goes to Process tab, and highlights explorer.exe, using circa 43k mem and 0 CPU.

Magdalene
 
Have you checked which process calls the 'Could not start On-screen keyboard' error when the Cryptographic Service is running?

Can you run MSInfo32 and click through each of the subcategories to ensure they populate (some might not load, depending on your PC configuration) and then Save As MSInfo32.NFO. Zip that (right-click > Send to > Compressed folder) and attach the zip to a Reply.

[The earlier Dependency Walker errors are a red herring, it looks like the 'missing' files are Windows RT alternatives, my PC threw the same errors and OSK works fine.]
 

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