VMware Communities
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
Bradall
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

After 6 months it obvious that VMware have no intent to fix this issue at all. Moved to parallels and no more frustrations regarding VMs that are almost completely unusable and no more wasted time. I've moved on. I doubt that VMWare will fix this inside a year or if this is the end of the road for the product. With the lack of response it would appear that maybe it is the later and that there will be no more fusion.

GSerjo
Contributor
Contributor

I have the same issue, I've tried to change vmconfig, I've tried so many ways to find a workaround and unfortunately, the workaround is a move to parallels.  Thank you, VMWare for the perfect support Smiley Sad

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spacewrench
Contributor
Contributor

FWIW, I just installed a fresh (demo) copy of Parallels-13 and a fresh Debian Linux VM, and the keyboard is even worse than VMware/Fusion.  I suspect it's a problem with the interface to MacOS -- however a VM app gets user interface events, it must be missing some of them.  The fact that native Mac apps don't do this suggests that it's something in the "raw" event interface (most native apps would use a cooked interface, I think.)

It's surprising that it doesn't affect VMware developers enough to bother to fix it.  Or perhaps it's simply unfixable, until Apple provides a better version of High Sierra?  But in that case, it would help to at least know it's a MacOS problem instead of a VMware problem.

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GSerjo
Contributor
Contributor

I've moved to Parallels on 13.3.2 (43368), imported vmware image (windows 10) and really happy. All works fine, the keyboard issue is gone. Before import, I just uninstalled VMWare tools.

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needtothinkofan
Contributor
Contributor

2013 rMBP

High Sierra 10.13.6

Fusion 10.1.2

Guest Windows 7 SP1 up to date

Internal keyboard, monitor etc.

Eng. language

Setting typematicMinDelay = 20000 makes no difference!

Please VMware - this is destroying data (press 'a' when the Ctrl key gets stuck -> select all. next key deletes text, 's' key -> save the now empty document (!!!)!!!!)

Bradall
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Odd my move to parallels removed the keyboard issue for myself. In Fusion a linux VM was almost unusable when the Touch Bar was enabled. Key bounce happened every time that the bar either dimmed or turned off. Given the no acknowledgement of when the complete issue would be addressed i simply needed to move. Cost me some $$ but far less frustration of looking up to see the last 10 lines of code have duplicated letters everywhere.

xiangk
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Hi OrsoGrigio

Can you help to have a try with the following settings?

in vm settings->keyboard&mouse->Edit Profile->Mac Host Shortcuts-> uncheck "Enable Mac OS Host keyboard Shortcuts".

Thanks.

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Mikero
Community Manager
Community Manager

Hi folks,

I just wanted to give a quick update here.

This has been a tricky issue for us to reproduce internally.

However, thanks to the involvement of the community, we were able to narrow down a potential root cause of this issue and will include fixes in our next updates.

This will apply to the current shipping versions of Fusion, and will persist when we release new versions in the fall. (i.e. you won't need to buy an upgrade to get this fix...)

-
Michael Roy - Product Marketing Engineer: VCF
GSerjo
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Mikero,

Thanks for the feedback.

Why I've moved to parallels and don't plan to go back. There's only one reason, VMWare didn't care about customers.Smiley Sad Yes, each software have bugs, it's ok, the most important how a company handle it. I really hope in some day the company changes it's attitude to there customers.

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Postpar
Contributor
Contributor

Just as a quick check-in, I have the same problem, cheesegrater Mac Pro without USB Overdrive. I have gone through all the steps described here. It still happens, even with repeat-key off in both Windows and the Mac. The shift key is the worst at the moment.

I am looking forward to your fix and hope I can understand your message to mean that you will have a fix to 10 soon, and that fix will be applied to 11 which is coming in the Fall? Because (a) I moved from Parallels largely to avoid annual upgrade costs, and (b) I really need this fixed now-ish.

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FerdH
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Michael,

Thanks for the update. Can you please share the beta release where this patch has been applied? I can't wait any longer, this bug is killing our productivity and is destroying data.

Been 7 months since this bug was first mentioned.

Thanks,

Ferd

Rijneveld
Contributor
Contributor

Please share an ETA of this fix. We are about to run out of our Parallels trial periods (with the entire team). Without an ETA we have no choice to move the entire team to Parallels.

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FerdH
Contributor
Contributor

@all - VMWare has shared a beta with me, and I'm happy to report that since installing it weds 8/8 afternoon, I haven't had a stuck key yet. Seems they're onto the root cause and a fix is really underway.

edit- 10/8 - not a single stuck key to report. I'd call this a fix!

alex001a
Contributor
Contributor

That's a promising sign.

Did they provide an estimate of the release date?

I'm currently developing an application in a Windows guest which uses the control key to toggle selections, and with an unreliable sticky key issue, it's proving almost impossible to test accurately.

The stuck backspace key is pretty infuriating as well - watching several hours worth of work vanishing line by line is the last thing I need, especially after several hours trying to make the control key untoggle in a predictable way.

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Zongmin
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Hi all,

Fusion 10.1.3 was just released. If you have this issue with older version of Fusion, could you pls upgrade to latest Fusion 10.1.3 and let us know whether your issue is still reproducible with Fusion10.1.3?

Here is the link to download Fusion10.1.3 - https://my.vmware.com/en/web/vmware/info/slug/desktop_end_user_computing/vmware_fusion/10_0

Thanks,

VMware Fusion Team

farmerchris
Contributor
Contributor

Will there be a fix for VMware Fusion 8?

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OdracirOzolev
Contributor
Contributor

This issue started for me about 5 months ago. Been reading and decided to wait for the new Fusion update.

Upgraded to version 11 and the problem continues...

Same as the original poster...

Restarting or shutting down the VM does not help. The repeat keys and system locking for about 20 seconds continues on OSX.

Only rebooting the mac restores it.

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Bradall
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I moved off fusion but when 11 came out thought i'd give it a try. I con confirm that 10.1.3 fixed the stuck key issue for the vast majority of my times. However, on 11 the repeating keys is as it was before 10.1.3 and is exceptionally bad. Uninstalled fusion and glad it was only trial. Its over 12 months this has been a problem. I can only say if its an issue for you look for the laternatives outside of fusion for the fix.

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dan2254
Contributor
Contributor

10.1.3 still give me this issue. I have upgraded MacOS to Mojave which did not resolve either.

I am using a Macbook Pro (15" 2017) and I get this when using external display as well as without.

Very frustrating.

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Bradall
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

and sadly i popped by to see if VMWare had finally fixed the item that forced me to parallels and sadly I can say that 11.0.1 still suffers from the stuck keys issue on my MAC.

It makes linux VMs almost unusable from doing any cli with and after well over 12 months and a fix on 10.1.3 you would have thought that vmware would have addressed this in 11.0.1. Obviously incapable of doing so, so back to the competitors product as it functions flawlessly.

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