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1 2 Previous Next 18 Replies Last post: May 23, 2008 3:25 AM by RickyF  

Fusion 4.1b/Leopard problem with keyboard posted: Jun 25, 2007 11:20 AM

Click to view serpicolugnut's profile Lurker
serpicolugnut
5 posts since
Jun 25, 2007
I've run in to a nasty, reproduceable issue with Fusion 4.1b, and Leopard (WWDC seed, yes - I'm a developer). Basically, the keyboard isn't recognized in the VM. Pressing keys on the keyboard results in the Mac warning sound being triggered. The only instance I have been able to get the keyboard recognized is in Windows XP with the Unity feature turned on. Every other mode, Windowed or Full screen, and the keyboard isn't recognized. I have also had the same issue with a newly created Ubuntu (and Xubuntu) VM.

I've reproduced this on two machines - a Macbook Pro (2.16ghz, 2GB RAM), and an iMac Core Duo 2 (2.16ghz, 2GB of RAM). Let me know if I can provide any additional information that would be helpful in nailing this bugger.

BTW - Love the Unity feature. It, along with the VMware legendary speed and stability have convinced me to switch from Parallels.

Re: Fusion 4.1b/Leopard problem with keyboard

1. Jun 25, 2007 11:26 AM in response to: serpicolugnut
Click to view etung's profile Guru
etung
11,086 posts since
Oct 15, 2006
Does this also happen in 10.4, or is it limited to 10.5? Have you tried these VMs with 10.4?

Re: Fusion 4.1b/Leopard problem with keyboard

2. Jun 25, 2007 11:46 AM in response to: etung
Click to view serpicolugnut's profile Lurker
serpicolugnut
5 posts since
Jun 25, 2007
This is just with 10.5 afaik. I haven't used 10.4 since I received Leopard at WWDC. These VMs were created newly with Fusion 4.1 and 10.5. I didn't have these issues with Fusion 4 and 10.4 (the last combo I tried before moving my Macs to the Leopard beta).

Re: Fusion 4.1b/Leopard problem with keyboard

3. Jun 25, 2007 11:50 AM in response to: serpicolugnut
Click to view bgertzfield's profile Master
bgertzfield
1,120 posts since
Sep 7, 2005
Hi serpico,

Sounds like some application has turned on Secure Event Input, which unfortunately disables keyboard input to VMware Fusion when not in Unity mode. Can you try running the following from Terminal:

ioreg -l -w 0 | grep SecureInput

You'll see a line like:

\ | "IOConsoleUsers" = ({"kCGSSessionSecureInputPID"=4695, (...)

If you can then run:

ps auxww | grep 4695

where 4695 is the number you see after "kCGSSessionSecureInputPID", it'll tell you what program has enabled Secure Event Input.

If you could let us know which process has done this (and not disabled Secure Event Input when it was done), we can contact the software provider to let them know they're breaking Fusion.

Thanks for your patience!

Re: Fusion 4.1b/Leopard problem with keyboard

4. Jun 25, 2007 11:58 AM in response to: bgertzfield
Click to view serpicolugnut's profile Lurker
serpicolugnut
5 posts since
Jun 25, 2007
After running the commands, this is what I get:

MacBookPro:~ theodorelee$ ioreg -l -w 0 | grep SecureInput
\ | "IOConsoleUsers" = ({"kCGSSessionSecureInputPID"=5652,"kCGSSessionLoginwindowSafeLogin"=No,"kCGSSessionAuditIDKey"=0,"kCGSessionLoginDoneKey"=Yes,"kCGSSessionSystemSafeBoot"=No,"kCGSSessionOnConsoleKey"=Yes,"kCGSSessionUserIDKey"=501,"kSCSecuritySessionID"=1288417744,"kCGSSessionUserNameKey"="theodorelee","kCGSSessionGroupIDKey"=20,"kCGSSessionConsoleSetKey"=0,"kCGSSessionIDKey"=256,"kCGSessionLongUserNameKey"="Ted Lee"})
MacBookPro:~ theodorelee$ ps auxww | grep 5652
theodorelee 5652 0.0 13.8 817896 289640 ?? Us 12:20PM 14:49.15 /Applications/Safari.app/Contents/MacOS/Safari -psn_0_1991142
theodorelee 5845 0.0 0.0 599708 448 s000 S+ 2:56PM 0:00.00 grep 5652
MacBookPro:~ theodorelee$

Looks like it's Safari...

Re: Fusion 4.1b/Leopard problem with keyboard

5. Jun 25, 2007 12:51 PM in response to: serpicolugnut
Click to view mrtaber's profile Lurker
mrtaber
2 posts since
Sep 25, 2005
This type of support is just one more reason I've already bought my Fusion license. Here's another culprit: the VersionTracker Pro application. Once I quit the program, the problem went away.

Oh, iMac 24" C2D, 2Gb RAM, 500Gb HDD, OS X 10.5.

Thanks,
Mark Taber :)

Re: Fusion 4.1b/Leopard problem with keyboard

6. Jun 25, 2007 12:54 PM in response to: mrtaber
Click to view serpicolugnut's profile Lurker
serpicolugnut
5 posts since
Jun 25, 2007
Mark - do you mean to say that once you quit Safari, the problem i described went away for you?

Re: Fusion 4.1b/Leopard problem with keyboard

7. Jun 25, 2007 1:08 PM in response to: serpicolugnut
Click to view mrtaber's profile Lurker
mrtaber
2 posts since
Sep 25, 2005
Serp,

I wasn't very clear, was I? Sorry about that. Actually, I was running the stand-alone Version Tracker Pro application, and it was *that* that was keeping me from being able to input with the keyboard in my Windows XP Pro virtual machine. After I quit the Version Tracker Pro application (*not* the web version), voila! I was able to type.

I followed the instructions above, and that pinpointed VTP as another culprit.

Mark

Re: Fusion 4.1b/Leopard problem with keyboard

8. Jun 25, 2007 1:19 PM in response to: mrtaber
Click to view serpicolugnut's profile Lurker
serpicolugnut
5 posts since
Jun 25, 2007
OK, I didn't have the same luck. After quitting Safari, and then restarting Fusion, I was unable to enter text still. I'll try a reboot later and see if that helps.

Re: Fusion 4.1b/Leopard problem with keyboard

9. Jun 25, 2007 1:54 PM in response to: mrtaber
Click to view bgertzfield's profile Master
bgertzfield
1,120 posts since
Sep 7, 2005
Thanks for letting us know about the incompatibility with Version Tracker Pro. Looks like we'll need to contact them to let them know how to use the Secure Event Input API.

Serp,

The ioreg command line only shows the *last* program to enable Secure Event Input. Some other program may have done it earlier; we've seen Check Point SecureClient do it, as well as Quicken, and now Version Tracker Pro.

Re: Fusion 4.1b/Leopard problem with keyboard

10. Jun 25, 2007 4:23 PM in response to: bgertzfield
Click to view Team L.A.R.S.'s profile Lurker
Team L.A.R.S.
2 posts since
Jun 25, 2007
Check Point VPN-1 SecureClient NG with Application Intelligence - R56 Build 002

Has done this, too. I was thinking it would have eithe been 10.4.10 update or Check Point... So, it is nice that I could find this article, and get an answer...

Now, how do I disable it? Do I just exit Secure Client and hope it turns it back?

Thanks,
Lars

Re: Fusion 4.1b/Leopard problem with keyboard

11. Jun 25, 2007 4:27 PM in response to: Team L.A.R.S.
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Team L.A.R.S.
2 posts since
Jun 25, 2007
Yes, I was able to stop Secure Client, and get my input back.

-Lars

Re: Fusion 4.1b/Leopard problem with keyboard

12. Jul 2, 2007 4:26 PM in response to: serpicolugnut
Click to view mgrimes's profile Lurker
mgrimes
2 posts since
Mar 23, 2007
TextMate also uses SecureInput.

Re: Fusion 4.1b/Leopard problem with keyboard

13. Jul 8, 2007 7:56 PM in response to: serpicolugnut
Click to view gmckenzi's profile Novice
gmckenzi
7 posts since
Dec 22, 2006
I just ran into this problem (using the WWDC beta, and yes, I too am an ADC developer). I'm using Fusion RC1.

Everything was fine in my Win XP 64bit VM until I upgraded my vmware tools (possibly just a coincidence). After the Windows guest restarted, it wouldn't accept any keystrokes on the login screen.

I did the ioreg stuff in the thread above and in my case it was iCal that was the offending app.

After closing iCal, I was able to send keyboard input to the guest.

I could restart iCal, and everything was fine, and iCal didn't show up in the ioreg listing.

I'm not sure why iCal all of a sudden caused the problem.

Gavin.

Re: Fusion 4.1b/Leopard problem with keyboard

14. Jul 14, 2007 10:09 AM in response to: serpicolugnut
Click to view mickclarke138's profile Lurker
mickclarke138
1 posts since
Jul 14, 2007
On the problem seen in Tiger 10.4.9+.

I use CheckPoint VPN-1 SecureClient and as stated abov causes the keyboard loss. However in Unity mode the keyboard is returned!!

The problem was a showstopper for me as I need the VPN-1 client to connect to the software respository at work while I work at home. This solution is an entirely viable workaround for me as I use it in Unity mode most of the time.
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