Problem with mouse tracking when having dual (multiple) monitors.

[EdLamprecht]

I'll start off with the computer setup:

     Host OS is Windows 7 Ultimate, 64-bit 6.1.7601, Service Pack 1

     Guest OS is Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise Service Pack 1

     VMware Workstation Version 8.0.0 build-471780

When I have multiple monitors enabled (resolution is 1920x1080), I cannot properly use the second monitor.  In my setup the primary monitor is on the right, but the issue I have also occurs when the primary monitor is on the left.

In the screen below, I move my mouse to the center of the title bar and click and hold to drag the window.

In this screen, you can see the outline of the window that I am dragging to the left.  My mouse is now located at the left of the right monitor about to cross over to the left monitor's area.

You cannot see the mouse in the 3rd image below, but I am still moving it horizontally to the left.  The window outline, howvever, is moving to the right and down.

In this 4th image, it is diffucult to see but the window is now pretty much at the bottom of the right monitor but my mouse is all the way left.

The last image shows that when I bring my mouse back to the right (primary) display, the window comes back to correct placement.

Another observation is that if Ieave the browser window on the right and I simply move my mouse to the left display, the mouse will change to the hand pointer and the browser would show the link in the status bar when the mouse's position would incorrectly be determined to be on right screen on a browser link.

Everything works fine if I just keep it at single monitor.

Thanks in advance for any help on this issue.

Ed

[mdunn-vmware]

I have my primary monitor on the right and I haven't seen the problem  you describe, but I don't normally run Server 08, so it could possibly be  a problem that only occurs with that guest.  I'll make a VM and test it out.

In the meantime, it would be helpful if you could provide some more info - Is the VM in full screen mode when you see this problem? If so, can you try the same tests using unity mode? Does the problem happen with any other VMs?

[EdLamprecht]

Is the VM in full screen mode when you see this problem?

- Yes

If so, can you try the same tests using unity mode?

- Same scenario.  When I choose unity mode, the browser window in the VM will appear on the my host's primary display (on the left).  I click to drag that window and as long as my mouse stays on the host's primary display, all is fine.  But when my mouse moves to the secondary display, the unity window that I am dragging wants to always move right and down.  When I start moving my mouse left back to the primary display window, the unity widow will keep moving right and down until my mouse is back on the primary display and then the unity window snaps back where it should be.

Does the problem happen with any other VMs?

- So far I have seen this on 2 other PCs with the same hardware configuration except that they are running VMPlayer 4.0.0 build-471780.

[EdLamprecht]

I have narrowed it down to what I believe is an issue with the VM running 2008 64-bit.

I brought up another VM that is running Windows 2008 32-bit and do not experience the issues described above.

[Hico · Accepted solution]

ok I saw the same behavior with:

Host OS Ubuntu 64-bit 11.04

Guest OS Windows XP SP3 32bit

VMware Player 4.0.1 build-528992

workaround that fixed it was to uninstall VMware Tools in guest (8.8.1 build-528969), reboot,

then installing it again with host OS had both monitors connected

the upgrade from Player3 to Player4, guest HW update to 8.0 and Tools upgrade - all was done with just one monitor for the host OS ... maybe something went wrong then.

Message was edited by: Hico

[EdLamprecht]

Thanks very much Hico!  Your solution worked for my evironment as well for both VMWorkStation and VMPlayer.