Mouse doesn't work with Windows Multipoint Server 2011 Guest

[takabanana]

I just installed VirtualBox 4.1.2 on a Windows 7 Host (pre-built platform package binary from virtualbox.org), and installed Windows Multipoint Server 2011 as a Guest.
Everything seems OK except the mouse does not get recognized (we don't even get the mouse *pointer* within the guest).
I vaguely remember seeing the mouse pointer *before* installing Guest Additions (not 100% sure, but pretty sure) - but now I do not even get it to recognize the "mouse" - when I click into the Guest, I lose my mouse from the host!
Is this a known issue, or am I forgetting to do something? FYI I also do have the Extension Pack installed.
I know that Windows Multipoint Server 2011 is based off of Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 - so the steps/issues (I assume) would be the same...?

Also, a few other things I noticed:
1. Under Device Manager (Guest), the mouse is shown as "Microsoft PS/2 Mouse" - even though I cannot get the mouse pointer to appear.
2. Under Safe Mode (Guest), the mouse exists/works!

Thanks for any help!

[Perryg]

Install the guest additions (in the guest)

[takabanana]

Hi Perry - yes Guest Additions is already installed. (Actually, I reinstalled it 3 times thinking that could be the problem - the last time in Safe Mode to get the DirectX Experimental drivers installed - but still no mouse!)

I can actually pull the mouse in and out between the Guest and Host - except, when it's "in" the Guest, I have no mouse. When I move my (host) mouse outside of the Guest, my mouse appears (on the host) - without having to press the Right Control key to get the mouse out of the Guest - so it seems Guest Additions is working (in addition to the video drivers being installed - since WMS2011 would complain without proper video drivers).

Any other settings I need to look at, or could this be a bug (in Guest Additions)? I can't find anything else in the Settings to tinker with to try to get this to work.

Thanks!

[Perryg]

Try it with 3D/2D turned off in the guest settings.

[takabanana]

2D/3D was already turned off in Guest Settings - I turned them on to see if they'd make a difference, but no.

Another interesting thing I noticed.

The mouse, for a split few seconds, works in the Guest - during the bootup phase.
On bootup, after the "Microsoft Corporation" progress bar, the black screen resizes.
During that black screen (before the GREY screen that mentions "Local Session Manager" and other things that come before the Login screen) - the mouse exists on screen and it can be moved around.

So - anything else I can try or look into? I've tinkered quite a bit with different settings but I am unable to get the mouse to re-appear in the guest...

On a separate non-related note - I noticed that the Server Port for Remote Display does not "stick". If you set it, and come back to it, it will be blank - the Settings will say "Invalid settings detected" until you enter something in the Server Port field. That seems like a bug.

[Perryg]

I will try to install this tomorrow and see what issues there might be.

[takabanana]

Ah ok - that'd be great - let me know what you find out.
Thanks for all the help - hopefully we can figure this out - let me know what I can do/try as well.
I appreciate it!

[Perryg]

It doesn't look good. I don't think that this is intended nor able to run in a virtual environment. Too many obstacles to overcome. USB, Multi-monitors, multi-keyboards, Etc..
I will mess with it some more tomorrow of course but it looks like this was intended to be run *only* on metal.

[takabanana]

It seems like the older 2010 version was not (related to USB and PS2 support), but 2011 is supposed to work in a Virtualized environment:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/For ... b5e7607fb/

See the second-to-last post from the moderator who is from Microsoft's Multipoint team:
"Windows MultiPoint Server 2011 is designed to run within a virtual machine, and will also support mapping a PS2 set of inputs to a station."

Anyways - let me know your results... I'm hoping we can somehow get it to work...

[BillG]

As far as I can see the only sensible way to run Multipoint Server in a vm would be to use the RDP option. It would be very messy (and pretty pointless) to have multiple screens, keyboards and pointing devices on the host mapped through to a vm. Having thin clients connect directly to the vm through RDP makes sense to me.

[BillG]

As far as I can see the only sensible way to run Multipoint Server in a vm would be to use the RDP option. It would be very messy (and pretty pointless) to have multiple screens, keyboards and pointing devices on the host mapped through to a vm. Having thin clients connect directly to the vm through RDP makes sense to me.

I have just had a read of the deployment guide, and only the RDP option is supported in a virtual machine (and even then only in Premium, not Standard).

[Perryg]

I have finally gotten this to work but as BillG says you must use RDP.
Still I have to wonder how this would work in a real world environment, but to play with the OS and kick its wheels I guess this works, but not local.
One other warning I will give you. You said you started in safe mode and installed the 3D drivers. You should click no at the prompt so it installs the WDDM drivers instead.
If you have already installed the 3D (not WDDM) you should uninstall the guest additions, reboot back into safe mode and say no to the prompt.
I also suggest if you didn't already to select Windows 7 for the guest setup since this is based off Windows 7 architecture.

[jorgensen]

The mouse does work in Administration Mode, but not in Normal Mode.

[takabanana]

The mouse does work in Administration Mode, but not in Normal Mode.

Do you mean through RDP or through the host (direct)?
If through the host/direct - how did you get the mouse to work?
What version(s) are you running?

[jorgensen]

In the MultiPoint Manager choose 'Switch to maintenance mode' - use Tab to get there.