Keyboard and mouse input lost when hitting any key

[simsep]

I am running Windows XP Guest on OS X High Sierra. Hardware is MacBook Air.

Everything works fine until I hit any key on the keyboard on WIn XP guest. When any key is pressed, I mouse buttons and keyboard are lost. Mouse cursor still moves and when hovering the mouse on top of any icon, etc, Windows tooltips are shown. Clicks on the mouse or keyboard just don't do anything. Only way to recover is to reboot the guest completely.

I have also Win 10 Guest installed, it works fine, including the keyboard.

I have had this issue for years with multiple Virtualbox versions, but have survived without keyboard since apps I use can be used with mouse only. Any ideas what to check? I could not find exactly the same issue from this forum.

[socratis]

From the Terminal enter the command:

• VBoxBugReport "<YourVMname>"

That will create a "YYYY-DD-MM-hh-mm-ss-bugreport.tgz" file in the directory that you run the command from, most probably your home folder. Post that file.

[simsep]

File attached.

[socratis]

Thank you for the report. From your VBox.log:

00:00:02.710933 GUI: 2D video acceleration is disabled

And so is the 3D acceleration. Shutdown the VM and enable them in the VM settings » Display. Then re-install the GAs in the guest.

After you boot in safe mode (F8 immediately after the BIOS screen), insert the Guest Additions CD (from the Devices menu) and run "VBoxWindowsAdditions.exe". Enable the 3D option. Reboot the Guest, eject the GAs CD from the guest (that's kind of vital).

00:00:01.925817 VRamSize <integer> = 0x0000000001000000 (16 777 216, 16 MB)

While you're at that Display settings, increase the VRAM all the way to the max 128 MB. You're going to need it, especially since you seem to favor FullScreen mode.

BTW, FullScreen is a "luxury" option. Don't go FullScreen until you have a working VM. Then you could do yourself the "favor" of going FullScreen, because you may have other issues there as well. Start with a windowed VM and work your way to higher levels.

00:00:07.601881 VMMDev: Guest Additions information report: Version 4.1.16 r78094 '4.1.16'

Those are way too old a version for the GAs. You need to update them to your current version. Which should be done as part of re-installing them after you make the changes in the Display settings.

Other notes:

• You don't have sound enabled. If you don't need it, that's fine, I just thought of mentioning it.
• You don't have the Extension Pack installed. If you don't need its advanced functionality, that's fine too.

[simsep]

Thanks. I failed to start in safe mode, nothing happens when pressing F8. I also noticed keyboard stops working immediately when trying to boot into safe mode, so maybe it also prevents starting in safe mode.

I did succeed to enable 2D and 3D acceleration though, and also installed GA:s in normal mode. I have disabled sound just to see if it has any effect on this, but I really don't need sound on VM. I have even survived without keyboard about 5 years

Anyway, seems any of these tricks did not help Any other ideas I should try?

[socratis]

Can you tell me what's the USB filter that you have enabled in the VM Settings » Ports » USB?

<DeviceFilter name="Љ PPM" active="true" vendorId="0401" productId="0401" revision="0000" manufacturer="Љ" product="PPM" remote="0"/>

The only reference I could find in the USB.ids database talks about a vendor of 0x401 being "National Registry, Inc." with no products listed. Do you need that? What happens if you remove it or deactivate it?

BTW, and to get into safe mode, keep on smashing the F8 key once the VM boots. I'm talking piano smashing

[simsep]

Thanks, I was able to enter safe mode. Seems I was late with F8...

I had 2 USB filters configured, one is a simulator connection for RC planes and other one is a diagnostic tool for cars. I removed both and even tried disabling USB completely, no luck

I am starting to think creating completely new VM and installing XP from scratch. I know this my installation been working in the past, but not sure what broke it.

[simsep]

Yeah, I just created new VM using XP Mode image available free from Microsoft. Seems to be working nicely so far, including keyboard

[socratis]

using XP Mode image available free from Microsoft

Really? Where? Link please...

Seems to be working nicely so far, including keyboard

The problem that you had seemed like a really weird one and something that I couldn't explain with logic. It seems now that something had gone wrong in the guest, only I don't know exactly what that something may be.