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OrsoGrigio
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

High Sierra and Fusion "stuck" keys

Hi to all,

inside the Windows VM, sometimes when I strike Ctrl+c, some seconds after I release the key combination it results in typing repeatedly "cccccccccccccc..." or after having struck Ctrl+v it results in "vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv..." and it doesn't stop until I press another key. It happens with the delete key or the tab key, too.

This happens very frequently (an average of once every 2 - 3 minutes, but it can happen twice in a minute or more) but randomly and in combination with a "special key" (i.e. Ctrl, Delete, End, Backslash, etc.) and is VERY, VERY annoying.

Almost every time that this happens, I noticed that when I press the ESC key, it opens up the Windows Start Menu.

To "re-enable" a (temporary) correct working state of the keyboard, I have to repeatedly press ESC, then repeatedly press CTRL, then repeatedly press the Windows key, then repeatedly press the ALT key. After that, I can continue working for a couple of minutes befor it happens again

It started happening as I upgraded to High Sierra (from El Capitan) and to Fusion 10.0.0 (and it's upgrade to 10.0.1) from fusion 8.x.

I later downgraded to Fusion 8.5.8 (ev. upgraded to 8.5.9) to resolve the CAPS LOCK issue, but this one remained, unfortunately.

In the meantime I have upgraded Windows 10 on both my VMs to version 1709 (OS build 16299.64) from Version 1703 (OS build 15063.674), but the issue remains.

This is making me NUTS, I cannot work anymore and I am a bit desperate.

This issue seems only to happen inside the VMs, not in the Mac host.

I already tried switching keyboard with a Mac one (usb), but the problem stays the same.

I already tried uninstalling and reinstalling last version of vmware Tools, with no success

I already tried searching on the internet for a solution, but until now, no tweak has worked for me.

Can someone help me, please?

Info:

Mac (27-inch, Late 2013), 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 32 GB 1600 MHz DDR3

Osx: 10.13.1 High Sierra

Fusion: 8.5.9 (7098239)

VM: Windows 10, Version 1709 (OS build 16299.64)

167 Replies
OrsoGrigio
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

For the moment I can't disable shared folders, as I work extensively with them. I will do a test with shared folders disabled as soon as I can.

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vargum
Contributor
Contributor

I went through the painful registration process just to say I have the exact same stuck keys problem, and have never been to Switzerland.

Setup:

  • MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2016 Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
  • Dual monitors (display lid is closed)
  • External Apple USB keyboard
  • Generic USB mouse
  • macOS 10.13.3 (host OS)
  • macOS 10.12.6 (guest OS), Windows 7 (guest OS)

This happens in both Windows (for the ctrl key) and in MacOS (usually the cmd key)

AzarSpartacus
Contributor
Contributor

Same issue: US - Alabama

Mostly the CTRL key, but other keys as well. Extremely annoying and causing major loss in productivity.  I was experiencing this issue before I installed High Sierra, and using Fusion 8; however, it seems to be more predominant after installing High Sierra; more specifically, after upgrading to Fusion 10.

Guest OS: Windows 10 Enterprise

Host: VMware Fusion Professional 10.0.1 (6754183)

Host OS: macOS High Sierra 10.13.1

Host Machine: MacBook Pro (retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014)

Host Processor 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7

Host Memory: 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3

Host Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M 2 GB Intel Iris Pro 1536 MB

Video: Dual Apple 27" Displays Daisy Chained using Thunderbolt

Keyboard: Dell Model SK-8115 (Wired USB connected to primary Apple display)

Could it be a USB bandwidth issue?

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LowcountryLDC
Contributor
Contributor

Same here.  USA: South Carolina

I don't recall it happening much before patching for 10.13.2 and VMWare 10.1.1, but it has done it often times since.  The repeated key seems to be random.

Hardware:

2015 Retina iMac 4ghz i7

32gb RAM

512gb SSD

AMD Radeon R9 M395X 4gb Graphics

Wired HP scroll mouse and Apple keyboard w/ numeric keypad (USB)

2nd display in use, but not for the VM

Guest OS: Windows 7 x64 (all patches) on built-in display

Host OS: 10.13.3

VMWare Fusion 10.1.1

Primary guest OS application: AutoCAD Civil 3D

Wietsman
Contributor
Contributor

Location: Netherlands

I am having the same problem ctrl,alt,tab keys get stuck only way to restore this is by hitting the same key again or esc.

Setup:

MacOS: High Sierra 10.13.3

dualscreen

VMWare Fusion: Professional Version 10.1.1 (7520154)

Running a linux desktop VM.

This problem is getting out of hand and it is a shame that VMWare is not responding to this. Guess its back to Virtualbox......

vargum
Contributor
Contributor

I just installed the Parallels trial version and can report the issue is fixed there.

AzarSpartacus
Contributor
Contributor

WORKAROUND: Please see my original post for my specifications. I tried several different keyboards and found that the Dell and Microsoft keyboards all have this issue. I am now using a Fellowes keyboard (Model KU-2971) and the issue is resolved. I don't like this keyboard though, but I prefer it to the "stuck" keys issue.

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BSadmin95
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I have found this reduces the frequency of repeated keys for some, but does not truly resolve the issue. I asked several users utilize Apple keyboards, or even the housed laptop keyboard, but they still experienced this annoying bug.

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jusmai77
Contributor
Contributor

I've found a workaround to get by until VMWare resolves the issue.  I'm using Windows VMs, so I enabled Remote Desktop in the VMs and use the Microsoft Remote Desktop Mac app client to connect to the VMs.  I just minimize the VMWare fusion program to the dock.  Haven't had any 'cccccccccc' stuck key problems when connected this way.

OrsoGrigio
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Thank you jusmai77,

but as some keys are not correctly passed on to the VM through Remote Desktop (Home and End keys, for example), it's still a pain in the ass.

However, I find that it's a SHAME that vmWare lets us down this way.

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gregoryVO
Contributor
Contributor

I have also been seeing this issue after upgrading to High Sierra.  It mostly affects modifier keys for me; I'll see shift, alt, control, or command get stuck on.  It seems to happen more frequently when pressing multiple modifier keys at once.

Info:

Macbook pro 2015

OS: macOS 10.13.3

VMWare Fusion: 8.5.10 (7527438)

VM: Ubuntu 14.04 x86_64

robertjackson22
Contributor
Contributor

I too have been experiencing this annoying issue since upgrading to High Sierra build 17A405 as of 5th October.

I hadn’t noticed this in the initial release of High Sierra, however I only ran it for a fortnight until the supplemental update (which seemed to trigger it) was released and installed.

I was running VMWare Fusion 8 (officially unsupported) therefore I upgraded to 10 in the hope that running a VM product supported on the OS would help.  It didn’t.

I’m running a late 2013 Macbook Pro Retina in either stand alone mode or with 2 daisychained thunderbolt displays.  Problem is present constantly in either mode.  When on the thunderbolt displays, i close the lid and run in “clamshell“ mode with a USB Mateus quietpro keyboard, but have tried many, all with the same fault.

Happens on all VMs from NT4 through to Win10, including fresh installs, regardless of key mapping options.

Seems to be on CTRL / C / V / DELETE & SHIFT keys more than any others.  Need to figure out which one has stuck, then press it again to release it.  Sometimes any key being pressed cancels the repeat.

Definitely not host computer hardware fault as it occurs with multiple keyboards and never happens on host OS.

Like many other people, this computer hasn’t been within 1000 miles of Switzerland.

Please help!! So annoying as it has corrupted a huge amount of work to date.

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vanRijn
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Hey guys, so sorry you're hitting this problem!

Can someone who is hitting this problem try checking/unchecking the VMware Fusion > Preferences > Keyboard & Mouse > Mac Host Shortcuts > Enable Mac OS Host Keyboard Shortcuts checkbox and see if that makes this any better or worse? This checkbox is checked by default, so my assumption is that most people on this thread will have this box checked already. Unchecking this may help alleviate this problem temporarily until we can get the problem fixed.

If people could try this and see if it helps, I'd appreciate it. So I guess my questions for those hitting this problem are:

1) Do you have the VMware Fusion > Preferences > Keyboard & Mouse > Mac Host Shortcuts > Enable Mac OS Host Keyboard Shortcuts checkbox checked when you are hitting this problem?

2) If so, does unchecking this checkbox help?

3) If not, does checking this checkbox help?

Hm, also, what Fusion view mode are people using when they see this? Single Window, Fullscreen, or Unity?

And, just to clarify... is this happening in combination with Cmd+Tabbing in and out of the VM, or ungrabbing or switching between applications in the macOS host at all? Or should I be able to reproduce this by just opening a Win10 VM in single window mode, say, open Notepad, and type, occasionally holding shift and control occasionally and pressing other normal keys, without losing focus from the Win10 VM?

Thanks!

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robertjackson22
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks for your reply vanRijn,

I run only in full screen mode, never unity.

The problem happens for me if I do exactly as you describe - full screen Windows (any version), open any application (as you say, Notepad will do) and start typing.  Within 2 minutes the problem has happened a number of times.  You don’t need to swipe in and out of the VM or release the mouse etc.. to experience the problem.

I have had “Host Keyboard Shortcuts” disabled for many years because the keyboard shortcut “CTRL + cursor left”  in Windows is a shortcut I use regularly to scroll backwards through a document word-by-word.  When this setting is on, the Mac shortcut takes over and swipes to the Mac desktop instead.  I prefer to have this setting off and swipe between full screen Windows and Mac using the “four finger drag” method, however I have today turned this back on to see if it improves things and will live with the loss of Windows shortcuts to try this out.

I’ll let you know if it has fixed it.

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OrsoGrigio
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi vanRijn,

my VMware Fusion > Preferences > Keyboard & Mouse > Mac Host Shortcuts > Enable Mac OS Host Keyboard Shortcuts checkbox is unchecked, I will try and check it to see if anything changes.

I'm using my 2 Windows 10 VMs in 2 separate displays, in fullscreen mode (see attachment).

I confirm that to replicate the issue you just have to open Notepad or Eclipse or what you prefer and start coding, or open Word and start typing, or Excel (on a Windows VM)... after a pretty heavy use of the Ctrl key (to cut, copy, paste, save, compare, find, replace, etc), you will find yourself with a stuck key. It can be the Ctrl key itself, but it can also be the "c" key, or the "z" (after some undo), or the "b" (after having modified some character to bold), etc.

I also have had an arrow key stuck when sliding through some pictures on a website.

I also confirm that this happens on the VM only, and when constantly working on it (not switching between host and guest).

I also confirm that this bug has already eaten up a pile of working days and a considerable amount of my nerves.

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AzarSpartacus
Contributor
Contributor

My box was checked initially. I have unchecked the box and am still experiencing the issue. You can view my environment details in my previous post.

vanRijn
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

One thing that caught me by surprise... please make sure you're checking the checkbox for the profile that you're using with the VM with which you're seeing this problem. The default profile is like "Mac Profile" or "Default Profile" or something, but the keyboard profile you're using with a Windows 10 VM (VMware Fusion > Virtual Machine > Settings > Keyboard & Mouse) will likely be the Windows 10 or Windows 8 keyboard profile, which have their own checkboxes for the Mac Host Shortcuts > Enable Mac OS Host Keyboard Shortcuts checkbox.

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gregoryVO
Contributor
Contributor

Hi vanRijn, I've confirmed that the issue happens regardless of whether I have the "Enable Mac OS Host Keyboard Shortcuts" checkbox checked or not.  It does appear to happen less frequently with it checked, but I think that's just because when I press key combinations using the Command key that I end up accidentally switching away from VMWare because I'm used to that key doing something different.

In fact, the Control key got stuck on while I was writing this reply while pasting in the words "Enable Mac OS Host Keyboard Shortcuts" above.

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pepperdude
Contributor
Contributor

I had reverted to using VirtualBox because of this issue but really missed Fusion so I tried it again this morning and the stuck key issue seems to have gotten resolved in the latest public beta of 10.13.4. The build number is 17E190a. I am using Fusion Pro 10.1.1.

Before this MacOS release, I would see problems with my USB keyboard and trackpad when immediately starting Fusion.

I have started Fusion and fired up a Windows 10 VM and I have not had any issues with repeating keys or using any USB devices.

vanRijn
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Oh man that is excellent news, pepperdude, thank you for reporting back! ❤️

I don't think most folks can or want to run beta versions of macOS, so in lieu of that I guess we can wait until it is released to see if it's fixed for the other folks on this thread.

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