Unable to type in Windows terminal

[CorruptComputer]

Windows Terminal version (or Windows build number)

1.7.1033.0

Other Software

PowerShell 7.1.3
Windows PowerShell 10.0.19042.928
Command Prompt 10.0.19042.928

Steps to reproduce

• Open Windows terminal.
• Try to type.

Expected Behavior

I should be able to type in the terminal.

Actual Behavior

I am unable to type in the Terminal, tried with all three of the types listed above.
Attached is a video of the issue, I am able to type in Powershell 7.1.3 but not when it is opened through Terminal.

2021-04-19.08-23-43.mp4

[CorruptComputer]

In the video, you can see the dots on the small white WhatPulse icon being the second from the left in the notification area of the taskbar. Each dot on the right side of that icon is a keypress, I am typing in the video even though it doesn't show anything in the Terminal.

I also used Terminal just last week and it was fine, looking at it on the Windows Store it looks like it auto-updated over the weekend to the version listed above. I think the issue was probably introduced in that version.

I checked #4448 as well, I do have the "Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service" running.

[zadjii-msft]

(the following is copy-pasta, so yes I see that you've got the "Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel" started)

Can you confirm that the "Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel" service is running? You can check that with the command

sc query TabletInputService

Which should get you something like:

If you're seeing that the service is running, could you check if ctfmon.exe is also running? Apparently ctfmon.exe is the real important process, which the service is just used to resurrect.

> tasklist /v /fi "imagename eq ctfmon.exe" /fo list

Image Name:   ctfmon.exe
PID:          10828
Session Name: Console
Session#:     1
Mem Usage:    26,536 K
Status:       Running
User Name:    REDMOND\migrie
CPU Time:     0:01:05
Window Title: N/A

It needs to be running with a stable PID. So run that command a few times and make sure that the PID isn't changing.

Also, can you check InputServiceEnabled in the registry? You can do that with:

reg query hklm\software\microsoft\input /v InputServiceEnabled

Which should give you something like:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\input
InputServiceEnabled REG_DWORD 0x1

(See #8045, #4448)

[CorruptComputer]

Here are the outputs from those commands:

PS C:\Users\ngupton> sc query TabletInputService
SERVICE_NAME: TabletInputService
        TYPE               : 30  WIN32
        STATE              : 4  RUNNING
                                (NOT_STOPPABLE, NOT_PAUSABLE, IGNORES_SHUTDOWN)
        WIN32_EXIT_CODE    : 0  (0x0)
        SERVICE_EXIT_CODE  : 0  (0x0)
        CHECKPOINT         : 0x0
        WAIT_HINT          : 0x0

PS C:\Users\ngupton> tasklist /v /fi "imagename eq ctfmon.exe" /fo list
INFO: No tasks are running which match the specified criteria.

PS C:\Users\ngupton> reg query hklm\software\microsoft\input /v InputServiceEnabled
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\input
    InputServiceEnabled    REG_DWORD    0x1

It looks like ctfmon.exe is not running for some reason, strange. I tried to start it, but it looks like it might be closing or crashing right after launch.

PS C:\Users\ngupton> ctfmon.exe
PS C:\Users\ngupton> tasklist /v /fi "imagename eq ctfmon.exe" /fo list
INFO: No tasks are running which match the specified criteria.

[zadjii-msft]

@ebadger can you help OP here figure out why ctfmon.exe is crashing on launch?

[ebadger]

Here are the outputs from those commands:

PS C:\Users\ngupton> sc query TabletInputService
SERVICE_NAME: TabletInputService
        TYPE               : 30  WIN32
        STATE              : 4  RUNNING
                                (NOT_STOPPABLE, NOT_PAUSABLE, IGNORES_SHUTDOWN)
        WIN32_EXIT_CODE    : 0  (0x0)
        SERVICE_EXIT_CODE  : 0  (0x0)
        CHECKPOINT         : 0x0
        WAIT_HINT          : 0x0

PS C:\Users\ngupton> tasklist /v /fi "imagename eq ctfmon.exe" /fo list
INFO: No tasks are running which match the specified criteria.

PS C:\Users\ngupton> reg query hklm\software\microsoft\input /v InputServiceEnabled
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\input
    InputServiceEnabled    REG_DWORD    0x1

It looks like ctfmon.exe is not running for some reason, strange. I tried to start it, but it looks like it might be closing or crashing right after launch.

PS C:\Users\ngupton> ctfmon.exe
PS C:\Users\ngupton> tasklist /v /fi "imagename eq ctfmon.exe" /fo list
INFO: No tasks are running which match the specified criteria.

Could you try following these instructions:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/wer/collecting-user-mode-dumps

and enable collecting user mode dumps to your local disk?

Do you see any ctfmon dumps? If so, I'd like to see one of them.

Thanks,

Eric

[CorruptComputer]

Hey @ebadger I enabled the dumps in my registry, but running ctfmon.exe doesn't seem to produce any.
The %LOCALAPPDATA%\CrashDumps folder is empty after running these commands:

PS C:\Users\ngupton> ctfmon.exe
PS C:\Users\ngupton> tasklist /v /fi "imagename eq ctfmon.exe" /fo list
INFO: No tasks are running which match the specified criteria.

[ebadger]

Hey @ebadger I enabled the dumps in my registry, but running ctfmon.exe doesn't seem to produce any.
The %LOCALAPPDATA%\CrashDumps folder is empty after running these commands:

PS C:\Users\ngupton> ctfmon.exe
PS C:\Users\ngupton> tasklist /v /fi "imagename eq ctfmon.exe" /fo list
INFO: No tasks are running which match the specified criteria.

Would you run this command and reply with output:
tasklist /m msctfmonitor.dll

[CorruptComputer]

Sure, no problem. Here it is:

PS C:\Users\ngupton> tasklist /m msctfmonitor.dll

Image Name                     PID Modules
========================= ======== ============================================
taskhostw.exe                12000 MsCtfMonitor.dll

[ebadger]

Sure, no problem. Here it is:

PS C:\Users\ngupton> tasklist /m msctfmonitor.dll

Image Name                     PID Modules
========================= ======== ============================================
taskhostw.exe                12000 MsCtfMonitor.dll

please try terminating PID 12000, signing out, and signing back in

[CorruptComputer]

That seems to have fixed it, I'm able to type now, what a strange issue...

Thanks for your help!

[zadjii-msft]

holy crap, @ebadger you're a wizard. Thanks!

[rafaelgslima]

I removed MsCtfMonitor.dll and my keyboard worked in windows terminal but stopped work in system operational (for exemple in explorer folder or system find). Its so bad. I can't use keyboard in windows terminal.