Windows 7 Enterprise x64 VM stuck at Press CTRL + ALT DELETE to log on

[egunther]

After much effort, I am able to to use the VMware Fusion PC Migration Agent to clone a Windows 7 Enterprise 64-bit system.

On the first boot up, the VM is stuck at the "Press CTRL + ALT + DELETE to log on" screen.

Pressing CTRL + ALT + DELETE via the Macbook Air (fn+control+option+delete) is not recognized nor is the menu option Virtual Machine Send Ctrl-Alt-Del using the mouse.

I've enabled software Secure Attention Sequence in the local group policy setting using gpedit.msc.

I've also tried setting this registry key:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System] "SoftwareSASGeneration"=dword:00000001

Neither fixed it.

Is the domain setting for the software Secure Attention Sequence the last hurdle?

Ed

[WoodyZ]

IMO P2V should only be used when absolutely necessary and clean building always produces a better product in the long run.  Additionally I would never use the VMware Fusion PC Migration Agent and instead opt to use the full package VMware vCenter Converter and save directly to disk/external disk, not transmit over the Network.  Once the Virtual Machine is created then transfer from disk to disk.

On the occasions I've had to P2V Windows Systems I've always done a set of prefatory steps of which two, but not limited to, in particular before starting the P2V process I temporarily remove most Startup Objects and set the System to boot directly to the Desktop.  The once the Virtual Machine has booted, rectified its new Virtual Hardware and VMware Tools installed I set back the Startup Objects and reset Login requirements.

[YingFeng_Ou]

Hi Ed,

     Could you upload the log created by click menu Help->Collect Support Information. We can not reproduce your issue locally.

     Thanks!

[malebron]

I am experiencing the exactly the same problem. And I'm not alone.  Please see this thread:

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

[taduke]

I'm running into the same issue here after migrating a PC to a Windows 7 Enterprise VM.  Fusion version 7 on OS X 10.10 Yosemite.  It seems like the login page won't grab focus to accept keyboard input.  It works to access the boot menu and even in the repair console, but not for log on.  The menu option to send ctrl+alt+del doesn't work, nor does using the onscreen keyboard through Windows accessibility options.  I've tried a few different tricks I've found online, including creating a new vm using the same virtual disk, but I've been unsuccessful so far.  Any additional insight would be greatly appreciated.

[iburs17]

Hi All,

Just to share that I experience the same issue after having used VMware Converter (not the PC Migration Agent) to create a Windows 7 Enterprise VM and having started it up in my Mac book pro running on Yosemite OS X. Everything seems alright, I can successfully control the mouse etc, but when I send Ctl+Alt+Del from the Fusion menu or try all kinds of different key combinations and mappings, including fn+ctrl+option+del, I just can't get past the "Ctrl + Alt + Del to log on".

This is extremely frustrating and if I can't get it to work, my Fusion will be useless and I won't buy any license after the trial period expire.

I still have the physical Windows machine so I plan to experiment with doing whatever Windows setting changes I can think of, then create a new virtual machine, and also try with Parallels.

Still hoping that somebody will find out what is the root cause, or at least one of the most common root causes, to this problem.

/Inge

[wila]

Don't think I saw it suggested here, so just in case as an extra possible troubleshooting step.

Has anybody tried to attach an external USB keyboard and then press Ctrl-Alt-Del from that keyboard instead?

--
Wil

[iburs17]

I've just tried a Bluetooth-connected external keyboard that I otherwise use with a Windows Desktop PC running Vindows 7, but no difference...

[wila]

Hi,

Others have seen this problem when doing a P2V migration from Lenovo machines and had to uninstall the Lenovo drivers.

See also: Re: HELP my keyboard doesn't work in my virtual machine!

--

Wil

[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.