Linux – Vmware: Mouse pointer stops for a sec when changing focus to guest

linux-mintmousevmware-workstation

Host OS: Windows 7 x64 (up2date)

Guest OS: Linux Mint xfce LTS (maya) (x64)

Vmware Workstation 9.0.3

VMware Tools is installed and seems to work.

Problem description:

When my mouse pointer moves in or out of the guest screen (in full screen too with vmware panel at the top) the mouse pointer stops for a sec at the border. Afterwards I can move the pointer further and it's automatically grabbed/ungrabbed. This is happening every time I enter/leave guest screen.

In my Xubuntu guest VM I can move the mouse pointer in and outside the screen without a delay. How can I have the same behavior in my Linux Mint guest system?

P.S.: I'm using a Synaptic touchpad.

Best Answer

The reason is, that every time I change focus numlock is changed too.

Background

The touchpad software of Dell (I guess it's synaptic) has a so called TouchGuard feature(I think its enabled by default), which prevents using the touchpad mousepointer while typing on the keyboard. It seems, that vmware is calling the numlock key every time I switch. So every time TouchGuard thinks "oh he is typing, mouse has to stop".

My other old VM works, because numlock simply doesn't have to change.

Solutions

  • Either change the numlock so that guest and host have both numlock on or off.
  • Or disable TouchGuard in your touchpad software configuration.

Update: Capslock key may obviously also have the same issue.

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