How to change Keyboard layout on startup / logon screen

I've installed Windows 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition on a server as
english version. In my personal account I set the language and
keyboard layout to german.

Because this server should become a Terminal Server for people
speaking and writing in different languages I want to make the
keyboard layout for the login screen changeable. Is it possible? How
do I achieve that?

Now there is a litte "EN" box in one corner of the login screen, but I
cannot select another value....

Who knows a solution?

This is a very annoying thing! It is not possible to login if the
Passwords contains chars like ?,?,?,...

Hi there,

Yes, you can change this with a registry modification.

The modification takes place in HKEY_USER\.DEFAULT\Keyboard Layout\Preload

You need to add the keyboards you want with the right value. You can find a
list of the value you can use. The name... 1, 2... and so on will be all
keybaords avaiable at the logon screen, and the 1 being the default one.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/138354

This KB relates to win2k but it's also true for XP and 2k3

[f924924]

You have to change or create the following registry keys

[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Keyboard Layout\Preload]
"1"="00000407"
"2"="00000409"

407 = german, 409 = us, ...

you can add more languages 3, 4, 5, ...

after you logoff or reboot

at the login screen press CTRL+ALT+DEL
when you click [Options]
you see the default language from key 1 (in this example DE) in the lower left corner
when you Press ALT+SHIFT you can switch all languages you have defined under
[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Keyboard Layout\Preload]

[klippies]

Originally Posted by f924924

You have to change or create the following registry keys

[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Keyboard Layout\Preload]
"1"="00000407"
"2"="00000409"

407 = german, 409 = us, ...

you can add more languages 3, 4, 5, ...

after you logoff or reboot

at the login screen press CTRL+ALT+DEL
when you click [Options]
you see the default language from key 1 (in this example DE) in the lower left corner
when you Press ALT+SHIFT you can switch all languages you have defined under
[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Keyboard Layout\Preload]

wow !!! I had to register just to say thank you and commend you on vast knowledge and awesome explanation how to apply in a situation. :)

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I had a PC I worked on that suddenly changed into Arabic and I could not log in on password or change user name in English. Also, the little blue block on the left was "AR" without option to change into anything else.

Also, F8 and all attempts to go into safe mode was blocked by the password screen for the Administrator acc that was protected by a password.

SOLUTION : I pressed ALT SHIFT and typed 409 and the little blue block changed to "EN"

I then removed keyboard input languages other than EN - US and all is well.

TY again :)