VMware Fusion Migration Windows 7 Control - Alt - Delete Doesn't work

[jonjonjon349]

After doing a VMware Fusion Migration of Windows 7 Enterprise the control - alt - delete command won't work. I have tried everything I can think of (below commands) but for some reason nothing is working. I cannot get passed the Microsoft request "Press CTRL + ALT + DELETE to log on". Any help would be greatly appreciated. Below are the specification of everything I am using.

Select Virtual Machine > Send Ctrl-Alt-Del.

On a Mac laptop keyboard, press Fn+Ctrl+Option+Delete.

VMware Fusion 6.0.4

Windows 7 Enterprise 64 bit

Mac OS X Mavericks 10.9.4

Apple MacBook Pro Retina 2012

[ColoradoMarmot]

From the virtual machine menu, choose 'send ctrl-alt-delete'

For what it's worth, migrating virtual machines always results in bloated, buggy, unstable VM's.  Since you have to have a retail Windows 7 license anyway, it's always best to build a new VM from scratch.  You'll be much happier with the results in the long term.

[malebron]

I have exactly the same problem - and the exactly the same set of software versions.

This is a new migration of a Windows 7 Enterprise laptop image to a Fusion 6.0.4 VM. OSX 10.9.4 (Why migrate? I need an EXACT copy of the laptop with all installed software, security, files etc. that my employer has installed).  I repeat the migration every 3 months. This is the first time it has failed.

Selecting "SEND CTRL-ALT-DEL" does nothing. I tried rebooting both systems, repeating the migration. No change. I also tried safe mode. I can't get past this initial "ENTER CTRL-ALT-DEL to login" screen.

Lines of inquiry:

1) IMMEDIATELY prior to this migration, Fusion was upgraded to 6.0.4 - could something have changed here?

2) Windows 7 has constant updates - could a recent Windows 7 update be responsible (especially security related)?

3) Could my employer have changed a security setting in Win7 that could prevent the migration.

Is it possible to roll back the Fusion 6.0.4 upgrade in order to eliminate that as a cause?

Thanks.

[taduke]

I posted a description of a similar problem in a similar thread, but FWIW, it seems to me like the problem has to do with the VM grabbing input focus on that screen.  Input works for boot options and repair console, but not for the ctrl+alt+del.  Even the onscreen keyboard through Windows Accessibility options fails to have any effect, although it, at least, captures the cursor.

[johnsmith1]

Hi,

I'm occurring completely same problem. Do we pay for broken product and no one care about it? Very nice VMware! Good job!

[wila]

Hi,

As all of you are migrating from physical to virtual, do check for special keyboard/mouse/trackpad drivers and uninstall those before the migration as they can interfere with the virtual hardware device drivers.

See also here: Unable to receive login prompt on Windows 7 (Alt + Ctrl + Delete Issue?)

hope this helps,

--

Wil

[ColoradoMarmot]

Yep, yet another reason to to migrate machines (and folks should be aware that those licenses probably aren't legit to virtualize either).

I wonder if using the VMWare converter would have better luck than the over the wire version?

[taduke]

I can confirm that Wila's approach has resolved the issue in our case.  We found it shortly after my initial post, but I hadn't gotten around to posting the fix, so thank you, Wila, for doing that.  We were able to remote into the VM to remove the keyboard driver, but, presumably, if you remove it before migration, you should be fine.