Win10 Quick Assist - Intermittent Bug - Disconnect leaves remote keyboard locked

Question

Hi All,

Apologies upfront, this is the first post in a while (perhaps ever here) and I'm unsure if I'm in the right place.

I've recently been using Quick Assist built-in to Windows 10. I have now had an intermittent issue reported by more than 1 customer I have previously connected and disconnected from successfully. When the intermittent bug/issue strikes what happens is you connect the session and work normally/successfully. On disconnect from the admin PC, the remote PC now can't use the keyboard. Only the mouse is usable. Using the mouse everything is saved and closed so you can restart the OS and that is how you get the customer keyboard reset back to normal.

Has anyone heard of this bug?
What are the next steps to notify Microsoft of this?

For me, I would say the bug has occurred about 1 in every 5-10 connections. But where it has struck, in both cases, I have successfully connected and disconnected from those PCs before leaving keyboard and mouse usable by remote end user.

Thanks,
Chucky!

Answer 1

Hi,
1.When keyboard is locked for the remote computer after disconnecting from admin computer, did you check the task manager if any service is stuck?

2.Kindly confirm if the keyboard if like plug-in or keyboard in laptop. If it is the former one, will plug out and plug in help to recall the keyboard?

3.It is always suggested to update the driver for the problematic computer or using bulit-in troubleshooter to verify if any issues.

4.Please also test by creating a new account and verify if the issue will intermittently occur for new user.

---

Hope this helps and please help to accept as Answer if the response is useful.

Thanks,
Jenny

Answer 2

Thanks @Jenny Yan-MSFT .

1. No. I've already disconnected from the remote PC so I can't see it (Task Manager). The PC still works as the mouse is used to navigate around, save and close then restart via Power button.
2. I have confirmed with one customer there is a laptop built-in k/b and an external k/b connected. Both were locked out. I had not asked to disconnect external and reconnect it. I will keep it in mind in future cases, also that there could be an external k/b (had previously assumed there was only 1 built-in k/b). Nice tip.
3. Which driver should be updated? I'm guessing you mean all drivers in general. For general sharing, the PC is Win10 1909 (did not add this detail in original post).
4. Create a new local Windows profile on the remote PC you mean? If yes, I doubt I will be able to perform this test with a production customer and PC (too interruptive). Again, I can keep it in mind as a future test if we can reproduce any particular scenario. Right now, there is not enough of a trend to say it is this or that.

I looked up the second customer PC and that was also Win10 1909. So this is first little trend forming.

Thanks.

Answer 3

Hi,
1.After disconnecting from remote computer, user of remote computer could check the task manager for processes usage.

2.As for updating driver, it means that go to device manager and navigate to keyboard.

3. It is better to check if customer has patched his computer to latest.

---

Hope this helps and please help to accept as Answer if the response is useful.

Thanks,
Jenny

Answer 4

Thanks @Jenny Yan-MSFT I'll keep all the notes in mind. The scenario has to reoccur before I can try these things again.

Replying to points:

1. Noted. After disconnection, the remote mouse can be used to navigate to Task Manager and look around. Windows user can only edit their own tasks though.
2. Noted. Interesting re Keyboard driver. Never had to touch this in a 25year IT career. That driver is from the OS initially it appears. There is no keyboard issue on an ongoing basis. So far only once when disconnecting from Quick Assist. Quick Assist was once successfully disconnected another time and the remote keyboard continued to operate.
3. The customer has the latest Windows OS updates, confirmed. The customer likely does not not have the latest PC manufacturer driver/firmware updates. I'm automating this at the moment via MECM and Third-Party Software Updates feature. Still I've never seen a keyboard driver specifically over (15+) years of supporting this particular manufacturer. It's valid that other PC ecosystem drivers could assist (BIOS, chipset, etc.).

Re 2 and 3 above: I realised something. We confirmed there was an external keyboard connected, however I have not looked into this device. What it is called, is an updated driver available etc. Normally you don't need k/b drivers for standard customer keyboard (nothing fancy going on like gaming). However this is likely more prevalent during WFH scenarios in 2020 and these devices might not be office standard devices but those of the customer personally (non standard).

I will respond to this thread when I have an update. If it can stay open indefinitely until that time that would be great. (I can't forecast when I have my next piece of information, but I am using Quick Assist weekly). Ultimately hoping to crack this and should anyone else reading have the same challenge they can see the outcome with solution (pending) too. I struggled to find any recent posts at all on Quick Assist.

Answer 5

Hi,
Thanks for the update and details.

We suggested to troubleshoot from keyboard first since reboot could recover and suspected if it was keyboard function or performance related issue.

For the Quick assist, you could provide feedback via windows 10 built-in feedback hub and refer to some questions in Answers forum:
https://answers.microsoft.com/

---

Hope this helps and please help to accept as Answer if the response is useful.

Thanks,
Jenny