Alpha keys not working after Windows Update

[whocando]

After my laptop did a windows update today, I lost my alpha keys so I can't login at startup because my password contains alpha characters.
As far as I can tell, all the other characters work.
Since I made several attempts, windows asks me to type in A1B2C3 to prove I'm not a robot. I can do this because the alpha keys work here.
I have a bios password and that allows me to type in letters.
I forcing windows to troubleshoot and from advanced options I chose revert to last restore point but it says I don't have any, even though I did a manual restore point several weeks ago.
Any suggestions please?

 

[Colif]

Is this windows 10? Did the update restart PC a few times? Or have you had one recently that did? reason I ask is if you got a new version of win 10 last month, all your system restore points would have been removed.

So you know how to get to advanced startup (that is where system restore is), you could run Reset this PC and see if it shows a previous version to roll back to here, depends on if version update was in last 10 days or not.

You could open command prompt and see if alpha keys work here. I expect they do, there should be default drivers working here

what make/model laptop is it?

 

[whocando]

Yes it's Windows 10. Yes it updated several times. Cmd prompt works Ok. Acer Aspire F15 F5-572-580Q
I wanted to try a USB keyboard but I don't have one here so I asked for other solutions before getting one.
Reset will remove all my apps which I would prefer not to do, but after the USB keyboard fails, I guess I will 🙁
Anything else you can think of before trying before the last resort?

 

[bignastyid]

If the mouse works use the onscreen keyboard.

 

[whocando]

Can you do that at login? How please.

 

[Colif]

See here: https/www.tekrevue.com/tip/windows-log-in-without-keyboard/

then check web site for laptop and see if new ATK drivers as they should match keyboard.

 

[whocando]

Thanks for the help, but it didn't work. I did happen to find a USB keyboard, and I also tried the onscreen keyboard. Both did not work.
I can't remember if any non-alphanumeric characters are allowed in the login password, but the keyboards confirmed that the password box will only allow numeric characters.
I guess the Reset is my only option now 🙁
I'll try that tomorrow unless there are any other suggestions.
Thanks all.

 

[Colif]

Why not reset your password so it doesn't have numbers in it?

https/support.microsoft.com/en-au/help/4026971/microsoft-account-how-to-reset-your-password

 

[whocando]

Nice
I'm now logged in and all alphanumeric keys work.
So it's only the Windows 10 login that refused alpha characters.
The funny thing is, when I clicked "I forgot my password" it took me to a page that asked me to type in my password to continue before sending me a code to change my password.
However, thanks for all the suggestions from all.
If I am in the mood sometime in the near future, I'll try resetting the password to alphanumeric again and see if it accepts it.

 

[Colif]

I would go check web site for laptop and make sure you have latest drivers. Just in case

 

[whocando]

Excellent idea. Thanks a lot

 

[whocando]

It's partly my fault and mostly Windows fault.
The latest update of Windows is forcing us to use a Pin instead of a Password and therefore defaults to the Pin access. Therefore numeric only.
After I realised, I chose the right option to enter in my Password.
Since I never had a Pin, Windows looks like it is going to force me to add one by asking after login, even though I have gone to Logon configuration and deleted the Pin option.
Windows did this once before on a big update. I'll not get caught again

 

[Colif]

That is odd, it has never asked me to use a PIN before??

which version of win 10 you on?
right click start
choose run...
type winver and press enter
MY current version is 1803 build 17134.48

I have heard others are on a higher build number, not sure why i don't have it yet.

You might want to set up a new local user, make it admin and copy the contents of C\users\username of old user onto new so it has same access, its always possible your user profile is corrupted and this might avoid that PIN thing. Takes about 5 minutes to set up and you don't need to reinstall anything.

 

[whocando]

My Windows 10 Home is the same version and build as yours.
Now that Windows defaults to Pin, I deleted the Pin to force the password to be the default.
Maybe that's the problem. I haven't had time yet to move forward and discover what else will be forced upon me.
With a quick look while writing this reply, I notice that Windows Defender may be the culprit so I will dismiss it's request as well.
Thanks

 

[Colif]

This isn't a bug. Microsoft is trying to force users to use a PIN by purposefully designing the set-up process to make it difficult to skip PIN creation.

To skip the PIN creation in the latest Windows 10 install:

1. Click "Set a PIN"

2. Press back/Escape

3. The system will ask you if you wanted to cancel the PIN creation process. Say yes and click "Do This Later".

https/answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-windows_install/bug-that-forces-you-to-set-a-pin-when-installing/c3e6f7f4-13ee-4a42-b75f-7a1a51bdcf7e

I guess it could be because I haven't fresh installed windows 10 in almost 2 years now, the installer has changed.

 

[whocando]

Nope, that doesn't work.

After logging into Windows I get a blue screen asking me to create a pin. On the left I get the "I'll do it later". I clicked "I'll do it later" and on the next startup, it asks me again.

 

[whocando]

Ok...I shutdown & restarted several times, each time it asks me to set a Pin even though I said Later, so I set a Pin.
Now instead of a Password request on startup I get a Pin request. There is the option below to click to swap, however there doesn't seem to be an option to change the default now from Pin.
How annoying can Windows be 🙁
Next I will try setting the Pin with alphanumeric and other characters. I bet I can't set my Pin to be the same as my Password.
I'll let you know in a minute.

 

[whocando]

I'm back.
I thought Windows programmers were suppose to be smart.
The defaults for setting a Pin are numeric, but there is a tick box that allows alpha & other characters.
I have now set my Pin to be the same alphanumeric as my password.
What's the point of a Pin if it can be the password and why is Windows forcing us to change??

 

[sherriweippert]

I,too, had the same problems. After I got to the point to enter in A1B2C3, I tabbed down to the options - I didn’t select the calculator symbol - but the other one (not certain what it was) and it took me to screen the allowed me to enter my alpha numeric password. When I shut the laptop down and restarted it, the screen that came up was like the old one (asking for the password) - not the one that asked for a PIN number. Good luck!