unable to use keyboard at install on brand new mac

[skiphish]

I have searched hard through previous posts and have not found an explanation for this. I am trying to install windows xp upgrade CD and still have the windows 98 Cd. I have tried both to disconnect the virtual drive, eject CD and put in new CD, AND make ISO images and do it that way. The problem is, every method I've tried requires some sort of input from the keyboard to continue the install....usually just hitting enter, or to down arrow to select the windows 98 CD and press enter. It does not do anything on the first push of the keyboard, and every subsequent push causes the system to beep. Now I've also read this may have something to do with other programs interfering with something called "secureinput," but what makes my situation different, is I have a brand new apple, without any other programs installed on it yet. Granted, I'm new to apple, but I am pretty computer literate.

please help

[WoodyZ]

I have to ask, sorry... Are you first mouse clicking into the Virtual Machine window in order for it to receive keyboard input?

Have you tried the command to test for SecureInput in and was there any output?

[skiphish]

No, not mouse clicking (that seems to suspend it).

Yes, I also ran that command about secure input and nothing came up.

[WoodyZ · Accepted solution]

No, not mouse clicking (that seems to suspend it).

Okay that doesn't make any sense... Are you saying that if you click into the Virtual Machines window in order to direct input to that windows it then suspends the Virtual Machine?

Anyway I'm going to ask this again because a definitive answer is necessary to attempt to accurately diagnose this issue...

Like any application you must first set focus to it before it accepts input from the mouse or keyboard and in the case of a Virtual Machine you have a few choices, one is to click inside the Virtual Machines windows as noted by the Status Bar in the picture below or the VMware Fusion menu bar > Virtual Machine > Grab Input command or pressing Command+G if Fusion has focus.

So after you select the target Virtual Machine in the Virtual Machine Library window and press the Run button and the Virtual Machine starts are you first clicking into the Virtual Machines windows to set focus inside the Virtual Machine (or using one of the other methods to set focus inside the Virtual Machines window) in order for it to accept keyboard input and if so what explicitly and specially happens one way or the other?

Also read and fill in the blanks... Like Mac Make/Model/OS Ver, Fusion ver. Etc...

[skiphish]

alright, I feel like an idiot. that fixed it. I know you probably hate answering simple questions like that, but I've just switched to mac (like day 2) and still trying to get the hang of it. I appreciate the help.

[WoodyZ]

alright, I feel like an idiot. that fixed it. I know you probably hate answering simple questions like that, but I've just switched to mac (like day 2) and still trying to get the hang of it. I appreciate the help.

This has nothing to do with switching to a Mac as the same applies to VMware products in Windows or Linux too much less any application on any platform. As an example you can't start typing in a Word Processor if focus isn't on the application and on the document too.

Yes your right I do sometimes hate answering such simple questions especially when it's obvious the user hasn't bothered to read the documentation!

VMware Fusion menu bar > Help > VMware Fusion Help > Using the VMware Fusion Interface > Forcing Virtual Machines to Grab Keyboard and Mouse Input

Much less that it plainly states it on the Status Bar and using messages like this are common on all platforms and applications that have Status Bars.

So unless this is the first time you've used a computer you can't always use "but I've just switched to mac" as an excuse.

Bottom Line... Read the Documentation for the products that you are trying to use before you use them!