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10,076 Views 12 Replies Last post: Feb 17, 2009 9:25 PM by Agasfer

DavidKahn

17 posts since
Aug 4, 2007

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Nov 4, 2008 11:54 AM

Keyboard in bad shape with Workstation 6.5 running under Ubuntu Intrepid 8.10

Host: Ubuntu AMD64, 8.10

Client: Windows XP Professional

Ctrl-Alt-Del now shrinks the guest O/S's window and gives up keyboard focus, because Ctrl-Alt is the command to give up focus. This is a minor inconvenience, though it does force me to use VMware Worstation rather than the VMware Player.

The arrow keys no longer work within Windows. The down-arrow key open's Window's "Start" menu.

Shift-Ctrl-C and Shift-Ctrl-V no longer work in Linux Terminal windows (this was true under Hardy, but was ignorable)

Probably more.

There's an article on keyboard mapping, but it ends with Workstation 5.5, and most of the links to additional information do not seem to work.

Teejeaux

34 posts since
Mar 8, 2006

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1. Nov 4, 2008 10:39 AM

in response to: DavidKahn

Re: Keyboard in bad shape with Workstation 6.5 running under Ubuntu Intrepid 8.10

I seem to be having the same problem with my keyboard. The arrow keys don't work, the delete/insert/home/end/pgup/pgdn keys don't work, and the same as the other guy, the down arrow opens the start menu. Does anyone else seem to be having this issue?

Host: Ubuntu 8.10

VM Workstation: 6.5

Guest: Windows XP

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BassKozz

53 posts since
Dec 17, 2007

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2. Nov 4, 2008 11:33 AM

in response to: DavidKahn

Re: Keyboard in bad shape with Workstation 6.5 running under Ubuntu Intrepid 8.10

Having the same problems...

I recenlty upgraded from Ubuntu Hardy (8.04) to Intrepid (8.10), and I

am noticing some wierd keyboard issues with my VMs after the upgrade.

The main problem I am having is that my arrow keys (up,down,left,right) aren't working...

When I press up: the VM thinks I am pressing "Print Screen"

When I press down: the VM thinks I am pressing the windows key (start menu pops up)

When I press right: nothing happens

When I press left: the VM thinks I am pressing "Alt"

When I press the actual windows key, nothing happens.

---

VMware Workstation v6.5.0 build-118166

Host OS: Ubuntu 8.10 (64bit)

Guest OS: WinXP Sp3 (32bit)

--- VMware Workstation v6.5.0 build-118166 Host OS: Ubuntu 8.10 64-bit

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Teejeaux

34 posts since
Mar 8, 2006

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3. Nov 4, 2008 11:46 AM

in response to: BassKozz

Re: Keyboard in bad shape with Workstation 6.5 running under Ubuntu Intrepid 8.10

Try this. Add the following code to your /etc/vmware/config file:

xkeymap.keycode.108 = 0x138 # Alt_R

xkeymap.keycode.106 = 0x135 # KP_Divide

xkeymap.keycode.104 = 0x11c # KP_Enter

xkeymap.keycode.111 = 0x148 # Up

xkeymap.keycode.116 = 0x150 # Down

xkeymap.keycode.113 = 0x14b # Left

xkeymap.keycode.114 = 0x14d # Right

xkeymap.keycode.105 = 0x11d # Control_R

xkeymap.keycode.118 = 0x152 # Insert

xkeymap.keycode.119 = 0x153 # Delete

xkeymap.keycode.110 = 0x147 # Home

xkeymap.keycode.115 = 0x14f # End

xkeymap.keycode.112 = 0x149 # Prior

xkeymap.keycode.117 = 0x151 # Next

xkeymap.keycode.78 = 0x46 # Scroll_Lock

xkeymap.keycode.127 = 0x100 # Pause

xkeymap.keycode.133 = 0x15b # Meta_L

xkeymap.keycode.134 = 0x15c # Meta_R

xkeymap.keycode.135 = 0x15d # Menu

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DavidKahn

17 posts since
Aug 4, 2007

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4. Nov 4, 2008 11:51 AM

in response to: DavidKahn

Re: Keyboard in bad shape with Workstation 6.5 running under Ubuntu Intrepid 8.10

I also noticed that there were some messages during the re-install of Workstation 6.5 after installing Ubuntu 8.10 Intrepid:

Before it uninstalled:

Preparing to replace vmware-workstation 6.5.0-118167 (using vmware-workstation_6.5.0-118167_amd64.deb) ...
[: 7: Illegal number: upgrade

During installation:

Installing VMware Player 2.5.0
Copying files...
Configuring...
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/tmp/vmis.T19578/install/vmware-installer/python/lib/logging/handlers.py", line 73, in emit
if self.shouldRollover(record):
File "/tmp/vmis.T19578/install/vmware-installer/python/lib/logging/handlers.py", line 146, in shouldRollover
msg = "%s\n" % self.format(record)
File "/tmp/vmis.T19578/install/vmware-installer/python/lib/logging/__init__.py", line 630, in format
return fmt.format(record)
File "/tmp/vmis.T19578/install/vmware-installer/python/lib/logging/__init__.py", line 421, in format
s = self._fmt % record.__dict__
UnicodeDecodeError: 'ascii' codec can't decode byte 0xe2 in position 62: ordinal not in range(128)

My recollection is that the uninstall error message existed with Workstation 6.5 under Ubuntu Gutsy, but that the install error is new to Ubuntu Intrepid.

Since the VMware Player doesn't have a command to send Ctrl-Alt-Del to the guest O/S, there's no way to log into Windows. Having no arrow keys makes VMware Workstation unusable under Ubuntu Intrepid.

I'd call this a critical bug, justifying a new release.

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Teejeaux

34 posts since
Mar 8, 2006

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5. Nov 4, 2008 11:52 AM

in response to: BassKozz

Re: Keyboard in bad shape with Workstation 6.5 running under Ubuntu Intrepid 8.10

Try this. Add the following code to your /etc/vmware/config file:

xkeymap.keycode.108 = 0x138 # Alt_R

xkeymap.keycode.106 = 0x135 # KP_Divide

xkeymap.keycode.104 = 0x11c # KP_Enter

xkeymap.keycode.111 = 0x148 # Up

xkeymap.keycode.116 = 0x150 # Down

xkeymap.keycode.113 = 0x14b # Left

xkeymap.keycode.114 = 0x14d # Right

xkeymap.keycode.105 = 0x11d # Control_R

xkeymap.keycode.118 = 0x152 # Insert

xkeymap.keycode.119 = 0x153 # Delete

xkeymap.keycode.110 = 0x147 # Home

xkeymap.keycode.115 = 0x14f # End

xkeymap.keycode.112 = 0x149 # Prior

xkeymap.keycode.117 = 0x151 # Next

xkeymap.keycode.78 = 0x46 # Scroll_Lock

xkeymap.keycode.127 = 0x100 # Pause

xkeymap.keycode.133 = 0x15b # Meta_L

xkeymap.keycode.134 = 0x15c # Meta_R

xkeymap.keycode.135 = 0x15d # Menu

On Tue, Nov 4, 2008 at 11:33 AM, BassKozz

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BassKozz

53 posts since
Dec 17, 2007

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6. Nov 4, 2008 12:04 PM

in response to: DavidKahn

Re: Keyboard in bad shape with Workstation 6.5 running under Ubuntu Intrepid 8.10

Solution Found, type the following into terminal:

echo 'xkeymap.nokeycodeMap = true' > ~/.vmware/config

Thanks to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/289098

Specifically: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/289098/comments/8

You will see the following "Hint" everytime you boot your VM:

, but no biggie

--- VMware Workstation v6.5.0 build-118166 Host OS: Ubuntu 8.10 64-bit

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DavidKahn

17 posts since
Aug 4, 2007

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7. Nov 4, 2008 1:48 PM

in response to: BassKozz

Re: Keyboard in bad shape with Workstation 6.5 running under Ubuntu Intrepid 8.10

BassKoz,

Thanks for the information. You are correct that adding: xkeymap.nokeycodeMap = true'

to VMware's config file splces the problem. However, I added it to /etc/vmware/config to make it system-wide, rather than to ~/.vmware/config which is personal to my login.

I never got the"Hint" popup you displayed, which may mean that I had gotten it before and checked"Never show..." previously, or perhaps because I added the configuration line to the system-wide config file.

This feels a lot cleaner than manually setting the keyboard map, as you first suggested.

In my searching, I came across the following, useful page: www.vmware.com/support/ws55/doc/ws_devices_keymap_linux_longer.html

Now if I can just get VMware to not interfer with using Shift-Ctrl-C and Shift-Ctrl-V to copy and paste into Linux terminal windows, I'll be a totally happy camper.

David

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johnswb

293 posts since
Feb 14, 2006

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8. Dec 1, 2008 6:35 PM

in response to: BassKozz

Re: Keyboard in bad shape with Workstation 6.5 running under Ubuntu Intrepid 8.10

echo 'xkeymap.nokeycodeMap = true' > ~/.vmware/confi

This worked for me as well until I use the "Unity" option. If I arrow up and down in the program menu it works fine in "Unity", but once I open an application the up and down arrow keys do not work.

Will Johnson VCP on VI3 / VI4 vSphere

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aaron552

13 posts since
May 28, 2007

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9. Jan 9, 2009 7:23 PM

in response to: johnswb

Re: Keyboard in bad shape with Workstation 6.5 running under Ubuntu Intrepid 8.10

johnswb wrote:
|echo 'xkeymap.nokeycodeMap = true' > ~/.vmware/confi|

This worked for me as well until I use the "Unity" option. If I arrow up and down in the program menu it works fine in "Unity", but once I open an application the up and down arrow keys do not work.

Exact same problem for me. Works in console view, reverts to broken in Unity.

This is definitely a critical bug. Needs fixing ASAP.

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dath

1 posts since
Jul 16, 2006

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10. Feb 9, 2009 10:37 AM

in response to: johnswb

Re: Keyboard in bad shape with Workstation 6.5 running under Ubuntu Intrepid 8.10

Another "me too". Also running 8.10 and now using the individual mappings workaround and it allows me to start Unity, but the mappings don't seem to work in Unity mode.

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OrlandoR

1 posts since
Feb 11, 2009

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11. Feb 11, 2009 6:53 AM

in response to: dath

Re: Keyboard in bad shape with Workstation 6.5 running under Ubuntu Intrepid 8.10

Same here,

Adding the no keycode hack gives me a second problem.

Some special characters don't work (alt gr).

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Agasfer

1 posts since
Feb 17, 2009

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12. Feb 17, 2009 9:25 PM

in response to: DavidKahn

Re: Keyboard in bad shape with Workstation 6.5 running under Ubuntu Intrepid 8.10

David,

so, were you able to use VmWare after this installation snafu? I am experiencing the same issue...

TIA

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This Question is Answered (go to answer)

Nov 4, 2008 11:54 AM

Keyboard in bad shape with Workstation 6.5 running under Ubuntu Intrepid 8.10

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