Workstation 9: Mouse does not leave VM window (Windows XP guest, Tools installed)

[hefebia]

Problem description:

When the mouse is grabbed by the VM, the mouse does not leave the VM when moved to the borders.

Host OS: Ubuntu 10.04 64bit, all updates installed. Happens with and without visual effects enabled.

Problem also present with Workstation 9.0 (e.x.p) WTP and 9.0.0 build-812388

VMWare tools have been installed to the newest version.

The problem is reproducible when creating the VM from scratch with a Windows XP SP2 Install CD with and without easy install.

I also have tried installing tools before any Windows updates and after installing SP3.

The following steps ENABLE the automatic ungrabbing but have other issues (might help in determining the cause):

Variant 1:

1. remove USB hub from VM (this alone does not work)

2. uninstall the VMWare Pointing Device driver

3. reboot

-> After reboot the Mouse pointer is able to automatically ungrab, however mouse is sluggish

-> Windows redetects the VMMouse and installs driver again

4. reboot

-> back to old behavior (unable to automatically ungrab)

Variant 2:

1. Edit VMX file:

vmmouse.present = "FALSE"

mouse.vusb.enable = "FALSE"

2. boot to XP

-> able to escape borders (automatic ungrab)

-> mouse is sluggish, does not ungrab when trying to click on host window in front of VM

Any help would be appreciated! Automatic ungrab is one of the most important features for seamlessly working with a VM...

[unituniverse]

Main Menu:

Edit->Preferences->Input->Optimize mouse for games: Make sure you choiced the 'Autumatic' or 'Never'.

If you set that option to 'Always' the mouse would never ungrabed until you pressed the VM reserved hot key or shut down the guest. Gook luck!

[hefebia]

Thanks for the answer. I already tried that but no luck.

Currently I have set it to "never".

[unituniverse]

Try this: 'VM'->'Settings ...'-> 'USB Controller'-> Deselect 'Show all use devices'

Then restart the guest.

[admin]

Hi, Could you please attach your vmware.log file?

[hefebia]

Hi!

Here is my current log file from a clean XP install with SP3 and Tools.

[admin]

I have a couple of things for you to try

1. Add this line to your config file, and let me know if you can automatic ungrab.

   mks.allowButtonDownMotionUngrab = TRUE

2. When you are in your stuck state, move your mouse to the right edge of the VM. Is part of the cursor image obscured by the window border? Or is the entire cursor image visible?

3. Does this happen with any other guest (not WinXP)?

4. Do you have another mouse you can plug-in to test with your other mouse unplugged?

Set your Gaming Mouse to "Never" for now. Also, make sure these are NOT in your vmx file (you mentioned that you changed this in Variant 2). You want to leave these in their default values.

vmmouse.present = "FALSE"     --> default is TRUE

mouse.vusb.enable = "FALSE"  --> default is TRUE

[hefebia]

Hi!

No. 1 did the trick! Does this mean there is something wrong with my setup/mouse?

2. The mouse is entirely visible when at the right border in stuck state.

3. I have not tried that yet. I have no othe copies of Windows around but I could try with a Linux VM.

4. I will try that

2) Yes, these were back to the default values. I just added them temporarily for testing.

[admin · Accepted solution]

Great! This means that there is either a physically stuck button on your mouse, or there is some software installed on your host that is forcing/faking a button down (not necessarily your left or right click buttons).

If there is a stuck button on the physical mouse, switching it with another mouse should fix the problem.

If the stuck button is due to software, then you'll either have to find it and uninstall it, or just work with this config option on. Unfortunately, with this config option, when you click and drag in the VM and hit the edge, you won't get constrained to the window, and instead you'll ungrab. This may end up being an annoying quirk you'll have to get used to.

Don't worry about trying to install another VM, it won't make a difference.

And feel free to switch your 'Gaming Mouse" setting back to 'Auto'.

[LazLong]

I had this problem with Workstation 10.0.2 on Win 8.1 Update 1 with a Win XP MCE SP3 guest that I had P2V'd. Under Workstation's Preferences I changed the Input setting for "Optimize mouse for games" to "Never" and immediately the mouse 'ungrabbed' when I moved the cursor away.