Problem with Mac keyboard layout and Windows Virtual Machine

[Ezio]

Hi,

I just bought a MacBook Pro and I'm very happy with it
However, I need to run Visual Studio so I downloaded virtualbox and set up a clean Windows 7 installation.
Everything runs really smooth, but the problem is the keyboard. Mac keyboards and Windows keyboards are slightly different from each other. Like when you want to type a backslash on a Mac, you have to do SHIFT + ALT + /
But on my Windows 7 installation, I can't use this shortcut to create a backslash.
Is it possible to use the Mac keyboard in combination with a Windows Virtual Machine? Do I need to special software to do so?
Many thanks in advance!

[loukingjr]

Hi,
Like when you want to type a backslash on a Mac, you have to do SHIFT + ALT + /

I'm not sure where you got the idea you have to do SHIFT + ALT + / to get a backslash on a Mac but both the backslash and forward slash are printed right on the keys. \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/ < see? Mac keyboards have no ALT key. They have control, option, command.

[Ezio]

Seems like you have a different keyboard then me. Here is a picture of my keyboard (make sure to delete the spaces, I can't paste a full link )
i59. tinypic. com/2urq9vc.jpg

[loukingjr]

it's not my keyboard. It's the MacBook Pro keyboard from Apple's site.

[loukingjr]

I don't know what that is in your picture. First of all it looks more like a MacBook Air because they are silver. MacBook Pros are white. Beats me.

[loukingjr]

It's possible Apple sells a different version of it's computers overseas with different keyboards and in different colors I suppose. I wasn't aware of that however. There are a number of keys in your pic that I don't have on my iMac keyboards, full or wireless, my MacBook AIR, etc.

[loukingjr]

Just talked to Apple. It's seems MacBook Pros are all silver now and your keyboard is different than what's sold in the U.S. As far as your issue, there are free keyboard mapping softwares for Macs that might help. BetterTouchTool being one.

[Ezio]

Thx for the info.
Isn't that tool for remapping bindings on your Mac? I would need a tool to remap bindings on Windows. So I can tell my virtual machine that I have to create a backslash via SHIFT + ALT + /

[loukingjr]

Sorry about all the confusion. Yes it's for remapping the Mac. I was thinking you could remap one of the keys on your Mac to send your guest \ instead of shift+alt+/

[ChipMcK]

I just bought a MacBook Pro and I'm very happy with it
However, I need to run Visual Studio so I downloaded virtualbox and set up a clean Windows 7 installation.
Everything runs really smooth, but the problem is the keyboard. Mac keyboards and Windows keyboards are slightly different from each other. Like when you want to type a backslash on a Mac, you have to do SHIFT + ALT + /
But on my Windows 7 installation, I can't use this shortcut to create a backslash.
Is it possible to use the Mac keyboard in combination with a Windows Virtual Machine? Do I need to special software to do so?
Many thanks in advance!

You should be albe to tell your Windows Guest which keyboard you have via Control Panel.

Best

[loukingjr]

You should be albe to tell your Windows Guest which keyboard you have via Control Panel.

Best

Unfortunately there is no switch to a MacBook Pro Keyboard layout option.

[Ezio]

Indeed, there is no option for Mac keyboards

[ChipMcK]

Keyboard for your country

[loukingjr]

Keyboard for your country

My country is the U.S. and there is still no mapping from Apple to Windows keyboards.

[ChipMcK]

my understanding was

1. you have non usa Apple keyboard
2. Windows believes it is usa keyboard

Now you state that

1. you have usa keyboard
2. Windows believes it is non usa keyboard