3106 Beta 3: No Keyboard or Mouse at XP Login

Hey folks,

I am running a clean copy of BootCamp with Windows XP on my MBP.

I have never run Parallels (any version). I just installed Parallels build 3106 beta 3 and set up my BootCamp vm without a hitch.

When I first start the VM it warns me not to perform any actions in the guest OS because Parallels Tools is being installed. The VM boots all the way to the XP login screen and the warning about Parallels Tools goes away. I click inside the VM window to capture the mouse and keyboard. At this point I am sitting at the XP login screen and neither my keyboard nor my mouse work inside the vm window.

I can still Alt-Tab to switch out of the VM window or hit Ctrl-Alt to release the mouse, but I can't move my mouse to the password field of the XP login screen to type in my password, nor can I use the keyboard to tab to the password field or type anything else.

Further background:
I am using a USB wireless mouse and keyboard combo. I have also tried to unplug this to just use the MBP keyboard and trackpad but this didn't work, both when I tried unplugging the USB mouse/keyboard before setting up the bootcamp VM and unplugging it after.


Other Things I've tried to fix this problem:
- Enabling USB Auto-Connect = no change
- Disabling USB altogether = no change
- Booting into BootCamp natively and trying to install Parallels Tools = install wouldn't complete (Error Code 1)
- Alt-Tabbing back to the VM to try to capture the mouse/keyboard without clicking with the mouse
- I installed TweakUI and enabled autologon = got all the way to desktop where it tried to install some drivers for the CD-ROM (still no mouse or keyboard)

Anyone got a fix? I would hate to think that I just purchased Parallels for the feature that allows me to use my BootCamp partition both as a VM and a native boot, and now I wont be able to do so.

 

Tons of people are having this problem, including me and this person. I have yet to see any real answer besides "delete and reinstall everything you've ever used" and "it's a beta, you shouldn't expect the keyboard to work."

I'm just being sarcastic, not flaming... I just want to know how to fix it!!!

 

I do know from several posts that you have to make sure your bootcamp xp partition autologs in. You can set this up by booting into xp native in bootcamp and configuring correctly. Once that happens you should be able to get through the boot process in parallels.

 

Already set up the auto-login

I downloaded TweakUI to set up auto-login and it got past the auto-login part to the XP desktop. At this point it was trying to install drivers to the CD-Rom although this doesn't happen in the native boot.

I can't hit continue on the driver install since my mouse/keyboard still don't work at this point.

Hope there's a fix soon.

Happy New Year Everyone!!

 

How can you do this without a keyboard or mouse? I don't think you understand the problem.

 

Native Bootcamp XP vs. Parallels Bootcamp XP

For me the dead keyboard/mouse issue is only for Parallels Bootcamp XP. I can boot into Native Bootcamp XP just fine and have my keyboard and mouse work.

I am writing this from Native Bootcamp XP right now actually. However even when I set up auto login from Native Bootcamp XP, I don't get keyboard or mouse in Parallels Bootcamp XP. I do get past the login screen to the desktop, but my keyboard or mouse still don't work.

Still hoping for a fix. Wrote a support request email, but I remain a skeptic about any response.

 

Anyone find out a fix for this issue yet?

 

The problem happened to me because Tools for Bootcamp was not uninstalled from Bootcamp natively. I would remove Tools from your VM and native Bootcamp and see what happens next.

 

I never had Tools installed. 3106 beta 3 is the first build I ever put on after having a clean install of Bootcamp XP. Also, it may be of note that I can hit F8 when the XP Parallels vm first starts up and I have control over the keyboard before XP boots up to select safe mode or whatever other option I wish. As soon as I get into XP however, no keyboard or mouse activity whatsoever.

Finally, I can't install parallel tools even once I'm inside XP Parallels (through use of TweakUI autologin) because my Parallels XP wishes to install drivers for the MBP DVD/CD drive.

When I boot natively into Bootcamp, this doesn't happen.

 

how to get usb-mouse/keys working in parallels again

hi,

i had the same problem as you have. i installed the parallels beta 3036 and then started my bootcamp-winxp-sp2-installation inside parallels for the first time - without getting the keyboard and trackpad/usb-mouse to work.

i fixed the problem this way:

1. connect an usb-mouse to your comp.
2. start parallels-bootcamp-vm
3. as soon as it is possible klick devices>usb>usb-mouse to activate your usb-mouse in parallels.
4. now your usb-mouse should work and you can install all the missing drivers and the parallelstools with your mouse

i tried many different ways, but the problem was always that windows tried to find drivers for different things prior to activating the mouse, but without having the mouse activated, you could not click the dialogboxes away in order to go further in the installationsprocess....

if you follow the steps above and activate the mouse at the perfect time, your mouse should be the first device that is activated by windows....


i have the same problem with my bootcamp-install, but this solution does not seems to work there because the usb-bridge-driver appears to be not installed.
a solution would be appreciated!! thank you in advance!

 

Mister_L:

Unfortunately your tip didn't work. I clicked on the mouse as soon as I started the VM even before getting to the Windows XP splash screen. Let me know if there's a specific time I'm supposed to try.

Otherwise, I'd appreciate any other help. Haven't gotten a response to my support request. I know it's a beta, but still... one figures that fixing or addressing bugs would be a high priority item in the development cycle of an application.

 

hm...when i started the vm my mbp did not react for a few seconds, and then, as soon as i got acces to the parallels menu, i activated the mouse via "devices">"usb">mouse (it was not activated before). then windows started and installed the mousedriver at first.
i tried it several times...maybe you need to find the "right" moment

 

I had this same issue. I worked around it by using the tab and the keys that are underlined, as the Y is in yes, or the O in no. On a couple of pages I was perplexed, but eventually I got through it all. So I didn't need the mouse, and it seemed that most of the keyboard was working.

 

but the problem in this thread is that neither mouse nor keyboard works...

 

Un-install Parallels Tools

I installed beta 3 first week of January. I was disappointed with some of the bugginess found in the new beta. However, I knew it was a beta so I don't want to complain too much. I thought I'd post what I found if it helps.

I was able to use my keyboard to navigate MS Windows install, but the mouse just moved sluggishly if at all. In fact all I could get it to do was move diagonally towards the right-bottom of the screen.

I un-installed Parallels Tools after installing the beta 3. I restarted the MS Windows VM and was immediately able to use my mouse.

I'm not sure if this will solve the problem for everyone, but it worked for me. I didn't have to un-install the OS or resort to back up files etc. I haven't tried re-installing Parallels Tools just yet. I need the OS to function so I don't want to screw it up for now.

Its worth noting I'm still having issues with Coherence mode though.

 

anmuellerx,

If you can CTRL-ALT out to OS X, while the VM is running, what happens if you click on the USB icon in the right lower corner of the Parallels window (not in the VM) and select Optical Mouse? Will that give you mouse control in the VM now?

 

The real issue is that the "machine" that you're now using via Parallels is not the same machine you set up in bootcamp. The Windows profile used will not have any of your customized hardware installed - yet; and Windows' generic mouse drivers don't seem to work with your hardware.

The easiest solution is to boot up the Mac without any of your fancy USB devices plugged in, launch your bootcamp/parallels vm, and log in with your MBP's built in keyboard and trackpad. After you log in, then plug in your USB devices, and install drivers as necessary.

Remember that USB 2.0 support is still beta, it's possible that your USB hardware devices won't be recognized properly.

 

To aarroneous & Atomic_Fusion:

Ok so I just unplugged everything I could from my MBP and shut it down. Then I restarted it with everything still unplugged.

Then I started my Bootcamp Parallels XP VM and got to the same point. Once it gets into XP if I click on the VM window to "capture" the mouse inside the VM, I can't move the mouse or do any keyboard input. It still tries to set up drivers for my DVD (and I'm sure also other drives).

Under USB icon, my internal track pad and keyboard do NOT have a checkmark next to them at this point. If I click to enable the checkmark I lose the ability to move the mouse or keyboard in OSX altogether (and can't release anymore either). Clicking it also doesn't help my parallels woes.

So the problem is not with the USB 2.0 support, nor is it with clicking on or off USB devices.

Thanks for the ongoing tries though. One of these days we'll figure it out (or they'll release Beta 4, ahem...)

 

anmuelerx,

I am experiencing the same symptoms as you. I wish that people would post their system info, so I can tell if others with a Macbook Pro 17" are having success with Beta 3, with Coherence, with Parallels Tools Mouse Syncronization.

If I uninstall Tools, or at least uninstall the Parallels Video driver and Mouse driver, then everything works fine, except I don'e have the features that come with the mouse and video drivers. But at least I can resize my desktop without the mouse freezing up and drifting to the lower right. And at least I can release the capture of the pointer in Windows and get back out to OS X. So it still is somewhat satisfactory for me. I mean, for wanting to utilize Windows programs while also being able to use OS X is really I need -- I can live without these special features (coherence and seamless motion from OS X to Windows).

But if anybody has a Macbook Pro 17" and is having perfect success, I should would like to know what you're doing different from me.

 

I had the same problem but the other way round; when i booted the VM inside OS X the keyboard and mouse worked fine, but when I booted natively in boot camp neither my wireless keyboard and mouse or a wired keyboard and mouse I have would work. When I plugged in the wired keyboard or mouse I got the familiar XP "badomp" sound of plugging a USB device in, but it would then do nothing.

I fixed it by booting the VM in Parallels Desktop and uninstalling Parallels Tools. I then booted natively and it then recognised my mice and keyboards (wired and BT). After I installed them I reinstalled Parallels Tools and it now works both natively and in Parallels desktop.

I had done a fresh install and did not have any previous version of Parallels, or Parallels Tools, installed prior to 3106 so I don't know how I ended up with the problem in the first place.