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Arrow keys not working in Player v2.5 64bits, host=Ubuntu 8.10 64bits, Guest = XP pro 32bits posted: Oct 31, 2008 10:01 AM

Click to view AlexPX's profile Novice 10 posts since
Apr 27, 2006

My XP (32 bits) VM that works perfectly in VMware Workstation 6.5 (XP host) but now it has the following issues now that I moved it to a fresh new install of:

  • Host = Ubuntu 8.10 64 bits,

  • VMware Player 2.5.0 build-118166 AMD64, (downloaded the Bundle file)

  • Vmware Tools 2.0.0 build 116503

Issues:

None of the standard arrow keys work, neither does Home, PageUp, PageDn, End or Delete, inside the VM. However, the equivalent keys work in the numeric pad with Num Lock on.

The Arrow Down key even displays the Windows Start Menu, so it's behaving like the Windows key (that is between left-ctrl and left-alt).

The Windows key, however, does nothing. All other keys seem fine, like F1..F12, backspace, tab, shift, etc.

The keys that don't work inside the VM work normally in the host OS, both OS and VM are set for English and British layout.

As a programmer, it indicates to me that there is a problem mapping the double key-stroke of those specific functions from the host to the guest, maybe because it's a 64 to 32 bits conversion bug? or a Ubuntu to Windows conversion bug?
If someone from VMware is reading this, please pass this information to the testing or development team .

Any suggestions?

Is there a more recent VMware tools available? If yes, where can I get it from?

Thanks for any help,

Alex.


Click to view RevEggplant's profile Lurker 1 posts since
Oct 31, 2008
I'm running a simlar set up, exact same versions of Player, Guest and Tools and have the same complaints after upgrade to Ubuntu 8.10 64bit and Player 2.5 118166: Arrow keys, page up/down, delete and end keys are all FUBAR. Down arrow acts like the Windows meta key. Willing to try anything at this point, as I run some software for work in a virtual machine that I'm dead in the water without.
Click to view coding's profile Novice 4 posts since
May 2, 2008
The subject also describes my setup exactly. The day I installed Intrepid Ibex was the day my VMware window started going crazy. RDP to the XP works fine though.
I just installed this keymap to the /etc/vmware/config file and it works after restarting the virtual machine, so killing the player window process and starting it again doesnt fix it, you have to do a full reboot.
I still have a problem with NX (No Machine NXing from Ubuntu to Ubuntu) but that's not a VMWare issue.

Thanks for the fix!

Just noticed that my "print screen" button still maps to delete, but that's not a big deal.
Click to view Barney's profile Lurker 1 posts since
Jun 16, 2005

Just for reference, exactly the same problem in Workstation 6.5 on Ubuntu 8.10 32 bit, Guest=XP Pro 32 bit.

Same solution worked too, so all good now.

Cheers,

Click to view jcf's profile Lurker 1 posts since
Nov 15, 2008

For reference, I got the same exact problem when upgrading from Ubuntu Hardy to Intrepid

Main OS : Ubuntu 8.10 32bits, kernel 2.6.27-8-generic, gcc 4.3.2

VMWare version : vmware-server_1.0.8-126538_i386.rpm

RPM converted to DEB with alien (ignoring the preinst/... scripts due to installation errors on Ubuntu)

I also installed the vmware-server-console from the same version packages.

To be able to compile vmware modules correctly under 2.6.27-8, I installed the vmware-update-2.6.27-5.5.7-2 (www.insecure.ws) after the vmware-server debian package installation.

Running Windows XP SP2 as the guest OS had the same "swapped ctrl/arrows/... keys" symptoms.

Installing the above fix in /etc/vmware/config (xkeymap.keycode...=...) solves the issue, apart from the PrintScreen key which is still mapped as Delete... thanks for the fix anyway !! it really is a relief,it was hard to work with such weird mappings ;)

(I even had the guest OS keyboard mapping customized to be able to use the Windows International Keyboard ALT "cumulative" feature along with a dvorak keyboard... and the symptoms were the same, and the fix works the same way as with a standard keyboard mapping)

jcf


Click to view posaunenbaer's profile Novice 5 posts since
Nov 13, 2008

I had the same problem with VMware Server Console on Ubuntu 8.10.

For me worked this:

add line

xkeymap.nokeycodeMap = true

to /etc/vmware-server-console/config

In another forum was a hint to add the above line to ~/.vmare/config

(Could be that it works, too. But I did not test)

Click to view snauer's profile Novice 1 posts since
Nov 25, 2008


Well, I found the suggestions here very useful. The last suggestion of adding the

xkeymap.nokeycodeMap = true

to my /etc/vmware/config file works for the latest Workstation and Player (and easier than all of the keymaps farther up).

later,

scott


Click to view djflux's profile Enthusiast 103 posts since
Jan 12, 2006
For those of you using VMware Server 2.x on Fedora 10 and having problems with the arrow keys and other keys, this solution works on F10 as well.
Click to view StellaArtois's profile Lurker 1 posts since
Dec 16, 2008

Does anyone know how to fix this when the host = XP pro and the guest is Ubuntu 8.10?

Thanks...

Click to view kgpdeveloper's profile Lurker 1 posts since
Jan 10, 2009

Not sure how to fix it keys problem if host is XP pro. My host is Ubuntu 8.10. Thanks to AlexPX, the problem with arrow keys not working is fixed now.

Thanks a lot.

Click to view JohanRex's profile Lurker 1 posts since
Jan 13, 2009
xkeymap.nokeycodeMap = true

This is not a full solution.


I have Swedish keyboard layout in the ubuntu 8.10 host. In the winxp guest it seems I have english layout even though it is set to Swedish.

AlexPX solution fixes this.

Click to view enmi's profile Lurker 1 posts since
Jan 21, 2009

for fixing the "Print Screen" key, which is mapped to the "Del" key, add this to your vmware config file (tested for /etc/vmware/config):

xkeymap.keycode.107 = 0x137 # Print Scrn

see:
http://www.vmware.com/support/ws5/doc/ws_devices_keymap_linux_longer.html
http://www.vmware.com/support/ws5/doc/ws_devices_keymap_vscan.html

Click to view nmapster's profile Lurker 1 posts since
Jan 31, 2009
I had the exact same problem when using Fedora Core 10 as the host OS and Windows XP Pro as the guest. The fix suggested in this thread (adding "xkeymap.nokeycodeMap = true" to /etc/vmware/config) did the trick and my arrow keys are working again. Still, I hope VMWare fixes the underlying issue so that we don't have to look up and resolve these little bugs ourselves. Still, VMWare workstation is a truly great product--keep up the good work!

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