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wijgerden
Contributor
Contributor

Mouse problem on second display using WS 10 (regression?)

Configuration: using VMware Workstation 10.0.2 (WS10) on Windows 8.1 host with two displays (internal and external via HDMI, both with same Full HD 1920x1080 resolution); with a Xubuntu 14.04 LTS guest.

Problem: when I have WS10 positioned on the Win 8.1 host external display (note: using Extended Desktop internal + external), the mouse doesn't work properly in the Xubuntu 14.04 guest (it seems off and flickers), hindering any further action in the guest using the mouse. However, when I drag WS10 to the other display (the internal display), then the mouse works properly in the guest OS; drag again to external display area and it doesn't behave any more.

Details host: VMware Workstation 10.0.2 build-1744117 on Windows 8.1 Pro, 64-bit (Build 9600) 6.3.9600; graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4000, driver v10.18.10.3621; cpu: i7-3537U, mem: 8 GB; internal display: digital, CMN15bb, 1920x1080 (60 Hz); external display: digital, AOC2269, 1920x1080 (60 Hz); there is also a NVIDIA GeForce GT 735M on the laptop, with GeForce 337.88 driver (though I think this graphics card is not at play in the issue described).

Details guest: Xubuntu 14.04 LTS installed using: File - New VM; custom, HW: WS10; iso:"...\xubuntu-14.04-desktop-i386.iso"; name: tst / user: tst (plus some password); VM name: tst; processors: 1/1/1 (defaults); mem: 1024 (default); NAT; I/O: LSI Logic; disk: SCSI, new virtual disk: 20 gb - split - tst.vmdk; installed using "Easy Install is installing Ubuntu" and following Xubuntu defaults; problem with mouse flicker/mispositioned occurs directly after first install (that is: already on the first login screen; and also logged in without applying the latest software updates after first login); and this problem remains after fully updating the guest OS (forced via terminal using "sudo apt-get update" and "sudo apt-get upgrade").



First seen using the "WS10, Edit, Preferences, Input, Cursor, Optimize mouse for games: Automatic" setting, changing this to "Never" didn't change the behaviour seen. However, changing this to "Always" did: the mouse pointer then quickly goes to the top left corner (when input is grabbed) and stays there when the VM guest is used on the second/external display... while working as expected on the first/internal display. Dragging the WS10 window (with the VM guest running on a tab) from one to the other clearly shows the different behaviour on the two displays. For those reproducing: use [Ctrl]+[Alt] to release the mouse from the grabbed state... as you might feel stuck in the VM otherwise.

In my opinion, this might be a regression; as I recall that my setup using the second/external display for the VM guests was working fine till about a week or so; now the regression could come from WS 10.0.2 or from updates to the graphics drivers and/or Windows 8.1 host... the above details are showing the latest greatest installed trying to resolve the issue by first updating all of the host (system) software; and in that process the host machine has had a few reboots, which didn't alter the problem/experience described.

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lakshya32
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi

Welcome to communities.

Need to check your vmwrae tools are installed and USB settings are configured properly .

For more information you may follow this link,

https://www.vmware.com/support/ws45/doc/devices_usb_ws.html#1006715

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wijgerden
Contributor
Contributor

The USB settings would be kind of strange... why would it (in the same session) work on one display (internal) and not on the other (external)?  Note that I have the same VM guest up and running (on a tab, inside the VMware WS10 application), just dragging the VMware WS10 window from one display to another. The problem described is in that situation occurs on the second/external display and not on the first/internal display.

Re-installing the VMware tools did not change the behaviour in my situation, the problem persists in exactly the same way.

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wijgerden
Contributor
Contributor

And... in case someone wonders: it doesn't make a difference when I maximize the VMware WS10 host/application window on one display or another; the problem persists... whether or not I do this before opening/starting/running the VM guest OS. Tried all the combinations, and also had physical machine reboots in between. I've also disconnected the external display, rebooted, started VM and guest, closed down both in proper order, rebooted, re-tried, same problem unfortunately.

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wijgerden
Contributor
Contributor

Furthermore, the USB settings article you referred to says: "USB human interface devices, such as the keyboard and mouse, are not handled though the virtual machine's USB controller. Instead, they appear in the virtual machine as a standard PS/2 keyboard and mouse, even though they are plugged into USB ports on the host." ... but perhaps this is different in WS10 nowadays (the article is WS 4.5), so I'll try and see in the test VM what Xubuntu thinks about the mouse.

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AvalonWar
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Guys,

the problem is caused by a settings on Host (if it's Win 8.1). It is caused by DPI Scaling.

One of the possibile workaround can be:

On the Host, find the vmware.exe executable, right click, properties, compatibility, under Settings check "Disable display scaling on High DPI settings".

Close and re-open vmware workstaion.

Regards.

wijgerden
Contributor
Contributor

The workaround suggested by AvalonWar works, it makes the guest VM also work properly on the second/external display. Dragging the host WS10 application between the two displays makes no difference for the guest now (it was, as described in the original report on the second/external display) with this "Disable display scaling on High DPI settings" setting checked on the "vmware.exe" executable. I can maximize the guest VM on either display and the mouse keeps working properly.

Now, I've only marked this workaround suggestion/solution as Helpful Answer at this time, as it seems to me that VMware itself should provide a KB article on this topic or (preferred) provide a fix for VMware Workstation 10 (WS10); as it appears to be a regression in v10.0.2 (WS10).

Thanks AvalonWar!

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wijgerden
Contributor
Contributor

The other workaround that I've found to be useful is to use Unity: start the guest VM, then select "Unity" from the "View" menu in the WS10 application. Doing so allowed me to run the guest windows (in Unity) on either of the two host displays without mouse issues. In my particular case, this actually is helpful... however, it is not an acceptable solution for all cases. AvalonWar's suggestion is better; and I've just tested that both work properly together as well.

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venkat1234
Contributor
Contributor

AvalonWar post workaround works great!.  I had same issues mentioned only on external monitor after upgrading from 10.0.1 to 10.0.2.   Applications on both the monitor (external & built in) works fine with no issues on Ubuntu 12.04, 14.04 and centos 6.5. 

wujgerden's post also nicely  summaries the issues. 


Thanks  AvalonWar & wujgerden's


Workstation 10.0.2 upgrade from 10.0.1 is frustrating and wastage of time (multiple issues during installation ex. registry creation on Windows 8.1 Update 1.  Skip the upgrade.  I did upgrade because of frequent Workstation crashes daily)

PhilNewlon
Contributor
Contributor

Same situation for me (Win 8.1, upgraded WS from 9.x to 10.0.3).  The post above "On the Host, find the vmware.exe executable, right click, properties, compatibility, under Settings check "Disable display scaling on High DPI settings" " fixed my issue.  Very frustrating.

I am also having trouble with copy/paste between host and VM - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

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FirstByte
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Thanks AvalonWar - worked for me

Windows 8.1 host, running Windows 7 Ent guest OS in VMware Workstation 10.0.4 . Mouse was clicking all over the place when guest OS was moved onto secondary monitor, but fine on primary monitor. All sorted now thanks to your suggestion.

Well done

Thanks

Darren

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thomaspoth
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks alot, you made my day 😉

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dison4linux
Contributor
Contributor

So glad I found this.

It was such a strange issue and kinda difficult to Google.

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DenMurphy
Contributor
Contributor

This fix worked for me too, thanks AvalonWar!

I'm running 2 separate instances of VM Workstation 11 side by side, on 4k Host Monitors with 1920 x 1080 Resolution on the Guests. I only had the issue on my 2nd monitor also. Now both are running a lot smoother and the mouse pointer is not offset anymore on the 2nd monitor.

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ECMBen
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks - that worked for me too.

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schmosef
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks AvalonWar, this has been driving me crazy!

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DrKluge
Contributor
Contributor

Workaround Solutions: Uninstall the Windows Updates listed below… they are causing the issue. Alternatively, change display settings as described below.

I would describe the issue like this…

Synopsis:

Mouse click position jumps around making it difficult to navigate buttons, menus and most everything else.


Configuration:

Applies to VMware Workstation 10 and 11 on Windows 8.1 host.  Fails on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 VM and probably others like XP and Ubuntu.


Root cause:

Several Windows 8.1 Updates create inability for VMware Workstation to query the scaling for secondary display, so it defaults to the scaling for primary display.  Reported mouse position is offset by the difference between the primary and secondary display’s scaling (around 80 to 100 pixels in X and Y direction).


Troubleshooting: To navigate, click once, wait 1 second and click again without moving the mouse. The second click will work fine for selecting menus, etc. but you can’t do drag operations or double click anything. Do this over any screen element that doesn’t require a double click.  To see incorrect mouse position, single left click on desktop (not on an icon).  Now HOLD the left mouse button down without moving it. Must be in exact position of first click.  It will draw a “selected” rectangle on the desktop (it thinks you dragged the mouse). The opposite corner from the mouse represents how far off the x and y position are.


Workaround 1:

Don’t install the offending Windows 8.1 updates listed below.  Or uninstall them if your IT department allows it.  Don’t rely on Windows System Restore if issues… it will fail to restore.  Do a Ghost 15.0, Acronis or other full disk image backup.  Incremental might work too.


Workaround 2:

Change both displays to 100%.  To change, click Control Panel->Display->Change Display Settings->”Make text and other items larger or smaller”.  Then turn on “Let me choose one scaling level for all my display”.  Then keep or choose “Smaller – 100%” radio button.  If you can live with that tiny font on your 15” laptop screen, you don’t need to refrain from installing the above Windows updates.


Offending updates:

Update for Windows 8.1 for x64-based Systems: KB2967917, KB2975719, KB3000850, KB3042216

Security Update for Windows 8.1 for x64-based Systems: KB2973201, KB2993651, KB3000061, KB3002885, KB3013455, KB3034344, KB3045171, KB3057839, KB3070102, KB3078601, KB3087039


Note: there are earlier updates that also caused issue, but I  didn’t have those numbers handy.  Those older updates should be superseded if you have installed the latest Windows Updates offered as of 9/29/2015.  Any one of these updates creates the issue; it’s not a combination of these that is causing the issue.  I have been tracking these individually for over a year.  It’s probably one DLL file that is the issue… and that DLL file gets updated by many updates.

!@

Hope this helps!  I’ll submit this as a bug to VMware when I get a chance… but I don’t think they are doing anything wrong.  Perhaps they can contact Microsoft.

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Dukekautington3
Contributor
Contributor

The DPI scaling setting fixed it for me.  Thanks so much AvalonWar!  I was about to go insane.

My set up is Windows 10 host with Workstation 10.07

guest was Windows 7

Regards

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rhaskins
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks AvalonWarAvalonWar! I never saw the problem with WS10 on Win8.1, but it recently started manifesting on Windows 10 (ugh!), and this fixed it!

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jrodriguezxp
Contributor
Contributor

I had the same problem with Windows 10 - WS 11. The workaround offered by AvalonWar works in this scenario too. Thanks!

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