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I have just done a clean install of Windows 10 on a new PC. Ctrl+Backspace isn't deleting the word to the left of the caret in any program (Notepad, Chrome [address bar and text boxes such as this one], Windows search, etc). On the other hand, Ctrl+Delete does work and deletes the word to the right of the caret. Alt+Delete (restore last deleted word) works in some places (Notepad), but not in others (Chrome, Windows search).
I don't know if it's relevant, buy I also installed a second keyboard scheme in Portuguese. I don't remember if I used the command before installing the second scheme, but the command doesn't work in either language.
I've thought of installing AutoHotKey to solve this, but given how standard a feature this command is, it really shouldn't be necessary.
EDIT: @Leathe suggested in the comments testing the On-Screen Keyboard to see if that works. It does. This implies that the problem is in the keyboard. However, it clearly isn't a trivial hardware issue (broken key, for instance) since each of the keys works properly: Backspace deletes the letter to the left of the caret and it deletes files in Explorer; Ctrl modifies the behavior of other keys (Ctrl+Delete, Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V all work as expected). It's just the sumation of both that is not behaving properly.
EDIT2: Using Key Scan Codes I checked how the PC is receiving the key strokes when entering these key combinations and have come up with very strange behavior.
Here's the program's output for Ctrl+C:
OnKeyDown, Key code=17, Control keys= Ctrl{Left}, Key name CTRL
OnKeyDown, Key code=67, Control keys= Ctrl{Left}, Key name c
OnKeyPress
OnKeyup, Key code=67, Control keys= Ctrl{Left}, Key name c
OnKeyup, Key code=17, Control keys=, Key name CTRL
This is the same for every other combination (replacing the second and fourth lines to the respective key, obviously), with the exception of Ctrl+Backspace, which outputs
OnKeyDown, Key code=17, Control keys= Ctrl{Left}, Key name CTRL
OnKeyup, Key code=17, Control keys=, Key name CTRL
OnKeyDown, Key code=17, Control keys= Ctrl{Left}, Key name CTRL
OnKeyup, Key code=17, Control keys=, Key name CTRL
where the second and fourth lines occur when I press Backspace. For some reason, this specific combination replaces Backspace with a "raised the Ctrl key" action.
In fact, if I hold down any combination, the program displays
OnKeyDown, Key code=17, Control keys= Ctrl{Left}, Key name CTRL
OnKeyDown, Key code=67, Control keys= Ctrl{Left}, Key name c
OnKeyPress
OnKeyDown, Key code=67, Control keys= Ctrl{Left}, Key name c
OnKeyPress
OnKeyup, Key code=67, Control keys= Ctrl{Left}, Key name c
OnKeyup, Key code=17, Control keys=, Key name CTRL
where the OnKeyDown/OnKeyPress
lines for C are repeated for as long as both keys are kept down. However, if I hold down Ctrl+Backspace, all I get is a single instance of
OnKeyDown, Key code=17, Control keys= Ctrl{Left}, Key name CTRL
OnKeyup, Key code=17, Control keys=, Key name CTRL
Meaning that, as far as the PC is concerned, I'm actually not pressing anything.
I'm really not sure how to solve this. I don't even think AutoHotKey would work in this situation since it seems that the Ctrl+Backspace combination simply doesn't appear to the computer.
Does Alt+Backspace work after you've deleted a word? (It should bring it back). – Leathe – 2015-11-24T10:06:15.107
I never knew about this, both of you have changed my life! – Burgi – 2015-11-24T10:26:19.413
@Leathe, yes, Alt+Backspace works with Ctrl+Delete and if I simply "manually" delete the word with multiple Delete's. It depends on where, though. It works on Notepad, but not on Chrome or Windows search. – Wasabi – 2015-11-24T10:56:27.820
1Alright, then we know the issue is specific to Ctrl+Backspace. Does the key combination work using the On-Screen Keyboard? (btw Alt+Backspace is basically "jump back in history") – Leathe – 2015-11-24T11:52:36.890
@Leathe, good catch. Using the On-Screen Keyboard works, which means its something to do with my keyboard. What's odd is that it's not a simple hardware issue since both keys (Ctrl and Delete) work. It's just the sumation of both which isn't behaving properly... – Wasabi – 2015-11-25T09:26:29.673