Mouse Locked Inside Windows XP Pro

N

NightWriter

Junior Member
Hi all, new user, thanks for being here!
I'm new to both iMac 24" and Parallels which was installed by an Apple store with Windows XP Pro.
I use a Microsoft ergonomic wireless keyboard and optical mouse with USB dongle in one of the iMac's USB ports.
For 2.5 weeks after delivery of iMac, no problems.
But on the weekend, the mouse locked inside the XP Pro window. I couldn't get back to the Mac OS without shutting down Windows, couldn't minimise the XP window back to the Mac dock, couldn't access the Parellels Desktop menu/preferences etc.

Googled online for solutions, and found one which works temporarily: Alt+Tab hot key.
This gives me a black arrow pointer while the white mouse pointer in XP Pro freezes. [I do not have mouse pointer trails enabled.]
A message appears in the bottom left hand of the screen: 'Click inside single window to capture mouse.' After I do so, ie return to XP Pro, the message reads: 'Press Ctrl+Alt to release keyboard and mouse', but this just activates the Start menu.

Using Alt+Tab gets me out into the Mac OS space and/or enables me to minimise XP Pro to the Mac dock. However, the Parallels Desktop menu then disappears.

I phoned the Apple store for help, and it was suggested I access the Parallels Desktop menu, access keyboard shorcuts and return them to 'default'. [Presumably I should access mouse preferences also.] As I can't access it, I can't do so.

Is there some other way to access the Parallels Desktop menu through the Mac GUI? (I tried via Finder/Applications/Parallels desktop, but clicking on it did not bring up the Parallels Desktop menu either.

I've searched the forums and knowledge base, but this issue seemingly hasn't been raised since 2006.

I'd be very thankful for any help.
 
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Thanks so much for the suggestion. However, it didn't work :-( either when stopping the VM and making the change then restarting it, or rebooting. (I also tried unchecking 'exclude dock' but this was just a worse mess with no mouse cursor at all. I'm still not sure how I got out of that one...)

I think I might be stuck with this one and will just have to put up with clicking Alt+Tab whenever I want to leave the Windows environment.
 
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Try reinstalling the Parallels tools in the VM.

1) Start the virtual machine.
2) Press <apple>-<tab> to get your mouse out of the VM
3) Click on "Install Parallels tools" in the parallels->actions menu
4) Run the installer in windows and reboot your VM

This might fix it...
 
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Thanks John - oops, silly me, of course it was a link. Sorry about that. However, having closed Windows down and then tried to upload the file from its applications location, I get an 'upload errors...Microsoft Windows XP.pvs...invalid file', even though it's there. That might tell you something, though?
 
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Trying again by copy/pasting the screenshot: won't paste as a screenshot as such, but won't upload the screenshot either. Can't insert image either - 'insert image' on post asks for a URL. (filename goes missing from 'browse' line each time I click 'upload'):

Close this window Manage Attachments
Upload Errors
Microsoft Windows XP.pvs:
Invalid File
Upload File from your Computer


Upload File from a URL


Uploading File(s) - Please Wait
Attachment Key
Filetype Max Filesize Max Width Max Height
bmp 19.5 KB 620 280
bz - - -
bz2 - - -
diff - - -
doc 19.5 KB - -
fdd 1.91 MB - -
gif 488.3 KB 620 280
gz - - -
jpe 19.5 KB 620 280
jpeg 19.5 KB 620 280
jpg 488.3 KB - -
patch - - -
pdf 19.5 KB - -
png 1.91 MB 620 280
psd 19.5 KB - -
tgz - - -
txt 19.5 KB - -
zip 97.7 KB - -
 
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Okay, I tried moving the screenshot to Windows - the thumbnail is visible in My Documents - but still can't get it to upload, either as attachment or copy/pasted. I've spent a couple of hours on this...
 
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