Mouse and Keyboard Menu Activation

[Markm]

I am using Vbox 5.1.6 r110634 to run a guest WinXP sytem on my Win7Pro host
I do have the Oracle_VM_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack-5.1.6-110634.vbox-extpack installed also.

The first line of the Virtual Box log is: " VirtualBox VM 5.1.6 r110634 win.amd64 (Sep 12 2016 17:16:30) release log "

I found posts on mouse problems, but they seem quite different from this one, and no menu malfunction is noted, so I expect my problem is different.
While functionality appears normal much of the time, after some time (perhaps as short as 15 minutes or as long as 20 hours) of using the XP Guest I'll get two functionality problems:

1. Mouse Problems:
a. Windows Resizing windows (by click+drag with mouse or by Alt+Spacebar & menu choices) will not work; Alt+Spacebar will bring up the menu (Restore, Move,Size, Minimize, Maximize, Close), but only Restore, Minimize, Maximize and Close will work. As an example, I cannot left-click and resize this online submission window in Firefox 49.0.1 either.
Move and Size will not allow the keyboard or the mouse to function to drag and release any side or corner of the window, nor allow a window to be moved. The cross does not appear either (indicating the mouse is available to move the window.
b. In some applications the pointer activates many items without a click.
c. In some applications, right clicking the mouse will bring up a context-sensitive menu, but typing the relevant hotkey for the menu or trying to move the arrow to left-click will not work. In the case of the mouse, it activates whichever menu item the mouse pointer hovers (activating it without a click & with only a couple millisecond graphical raised-button indicator showing your pointer is over the item)
d. Left-click down to drag an item on the desktop to move the icon gives focus to the icon, but does not allow dragging of it.

2. Menus in some applications will malfunction as follows:
First, while there is unique menu failing behavior in those applications that are part of the MS Office 97 Professional suite (Word 97, Access 97, Excel 97), menu malfunctions seem related to the mouse problems across many applications.
Second, the menus will not work normally
Whereas normally (in Word, Excel, and Access) the Alt key will send focus to the menu bar, it does not do so anymore, and whereas Alt+X, where "X" is any relevant menu activation key, the key combination will neither activate a menu item nor cause it's submenu to drop down for viewing.
There is one exception:
This exception: If the mouse pointer is hovered in the menu item area giving the raised button focus to an item, all the menus in that menu bar will work normally using the Alt+X key combinations, both at the root menu level, and all sub menus.
3. This problem did not occur until I updated virtual box some time ago, but I cannot remember which was the latest version to not exhibit the problem. I did uninstall Vbox 5.x & back up far enough to a time when I had a working version of Vbox that I was pretty sure didn't have the problem, but no matter which Vbox old version I tried, this problem eventually became manifest.
4. I solve the problem temporarily by restarting Vbox, but as you might guess, this is time consuming and inconvenient to do that.
I have not been able to isolate any action that precedes (i.e. causes) the problem

I have been unable to find a mouse capture or keyboard capture key sequence to resolve this, though I suspected this could be one of the possible problems. My keyboard is a Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 v 1.0 and my mouse is a wireless logitech M325.

Perhaps I should add that the Win7Pro Host exhibits none of these behaviors.

[socratis]

Nice detailed description of the problem. A couple of things:

• The Extension Pack has nothing to do with the guest. It enables USB2, RDP and other goodies on the host.
• Maybe you were thinking about the Guest Additions (GAs)? Have you installed them in your guest? See User Manual, Chapter 4.2.1. Guest Additions for Windows on how to do it.

Try to install the GAs and see if it fixes the problem. If it doesn't:

1. Start the VM. Not from a saved or suspended state. Clean start.
2. Take the steps required to generate/observe the error.
3. Shut down the VM. Not suspended, not paused. Shut down.
4. Right-click on the VM in the VirtualBox Manager. Select "Show Log..."
5. Save it (just the first log), ZIP it and attach it in your response (see the "Upload attachment" at the bottom of the form).

On top of that, I'd like to see the "recipe" of the VM, the ".vbox" file:

1. Right-click on the VM in the VirtualBox Manager. Select "Show in Explorer".
2. ZIP the selected ".vbox" file and attach it in your response.

[Markm]

Thank you for your reply. I haven't ever gotten a reply to anything over the years, so when I saw nothing happen immediately after my post, I assumed I would get not reply.
I am reading and preparing to implement the suggestions, though, in the mean time, I've already updated or reinstalled vbox v.5.1.8. v111374 & installed or reinstalled the v.5.1.8. v111374 Guest Addition.
I'll f/u shortly.
Thank you, again.

[Markm]

So, "Extension Pack" was my error, but your guess about me meaning "GA" was correct.
I've installed/reinstalled VBox & the GA for newer version, and the problem persists. I'm now at ver.5.1.8 r111374 (Qt5.5.1)
I'm working on uploading the log & .vbox data you wanted. Since there were 2 .vbox files, I'm uploading both (used WinZip 9.0 sr 1)
Mark
2016 1119 162553

[socratis]

1. You're using VirtualBox 5.1.8 with ExtPack 5.1.8, but the guest additions are 5.0.8. You should update them.
2. Are you connecting with VRDP?
3. Your Video RAM is only 16MB. Take it up to at least 32 or 64MB.
4. You should enable 2D and 3D acceleration in your VM.
5. You are sharing your host's C:\ drive, read-write, auto-mounted. Not a great idea. Share something more ... isolated.
6. You have the following in your configuration, which I have no clue what it is:

   • <ExtraDataItem name="GUI/VirtualScreenToHostScreen0" value="0"/>

I should also have mentioned that before posting a log, you should shut down the guest.
Oh, wait, I did...


PS. Regarding you not been notified when a reply is made, go to the "User Control Panel", "Board preferences", "Edit posting defaults" and check the value of "Notify me upon replies by default".

[Markm]

Thanks for the different tips.

[socratis]

No problem, but, for #2 and #6 I was kind of waiting for an answer.

[Markm]

You're using VirtualBox 5.1.8 with ExtPack 5.1.8, but the guest additions are 5.0.8. You should update them.

Done

Are you connecting with VRDP?

I think not. I do use an external monitor.

Your Video RAM is only 16MB. Take it up to at least 32 or 64MB.

Done (to 32 MB)

You should enable 2D and 3D acceleration in your VM.

Done

You are sharing your host's C:\ drive, read-write, auto-mounted. Not a great idea. Share something more ... isolated.

Will consider this one, particularly since I don't know what/how that is.

You have the following in your configuration, which I have no clue what it is:
<ExtraDataItem name="GUI/VirtualScreenToHostScreen0" value="0"/>

I have software ("Manic Time") running in Host & Guest that keeps track of screens that display for over 6 seconds, though I don't think that's what this is, particularly since I haven't been running it for awhile as I am trying to trouble shoot this situation.

[socratis]

I have software running in Host & Gues that keeps track of screens that display for over 6 seconds, though I don't think that's what this is.

No, that's not it, no 3rd party software could do this accidentally, that was either set by you or by VirtualBox itself for unknown yet reasons. But let's see if the rest of the changes made a difference.

BTW, what's that software you're referring to, and what do you mean "keeps track of screens that display for over 6 seconds"?

[Markm]

BTW, what's that software you're referring to, and what do you mean "keeps track of screens that display for over 6 seconds"?

See edited post.
Manic Time ("www.manictime.com") seems to maintain a database listing the begin & end time of any software actively displayed on my monitor for 6 or more seconds. I'll see if I can upload an image of what it looks like when I review its output.

[socratis]

No, it's OK, I found it...
I wish I had it 15 years ago when I had to fill my worksheet in a spreadsheet

[Markm]

Actually, I rely on Excel 8.0 (1997) using some macros I've recorded & tweaked with VBA. Manic time has both too much and not enough detail, but it's my backup if I forget to track with the spreadsheet.
I've got some errands to do, after which I'll be running the VBox & see if the mouse/menu functionality loss reappears.
Thank you for all your suggestions.
I expect to post a status msg within not more than 3 days. The longer it takes, the more likely it's resolved.
My hope is in the GA update (which I had to do in a way that differed from all the documentation I reviewed, but which did work as evidenced by the screen tip when hovering the pointer over the tasktray VBox icon) or the video RAM boost, but that's the hypothesis of an ignoramous. I like computer fiddling, but my understanding is about as valuable as a mile wide and an inch deep. My latest "find" is AutoHotkey (which is predated by the current problem, by the way), which is basically a scripting(?) program for Windows apps.
Thanks again.

[Markm]

Thank you to Socratis. The mouse/menu problem hasn't recurred yet. I'd say it's still possible the problem is on its way, but I'm optimistic at this point.