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Mouse Does Not Function Properly in Linux Guests That Use X.Org 7.1 or Higher

Details

In Linux guests that use X.Org X Window system versions 7.1 or higher (such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 and Ubuntu Linux 6.10), the Workstation 5.5.x and 6.0.x, and ESX Server 3.0.x VMware Tools installer does not install drivers for X Window. Consequently, the mouse does not perform correctly. The VMware Tools installer does not yet recognize X.Org versions 7.1 and higher. Supported Linux distributions that use X.Org versions 7.1 and higher typically include working VMware video and mouse drivers. VMware Tools should automatically choose the included video driver, but you need to set the mouse driver manually, as described below.

Solution

To set the mouse driver manually i n Linux guests that use X.Org X Window system versions 7.1 or higher:
  1. Install the vmmouse driver. Depending on the Linux distribution, the method for installing it varies. If the vmmouse driver package is not included in your distribution of Linux, check your distribution's Web site for a version of the vmmouse driver package you can download (the vmmouse driver package has vmmouse in its name).
  2. Edit the ServerLayout section of the file /etc/X11/xorg.conf so that it includes the following entry:
    InputDevice "Mouse[0]" "CorePointer"
  3. In the same file, also edit the InputDevice section for the primary mouse as follows:
    Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier "Mouse[0]"
    Driver "vmmouse"
    Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
    Option "Name" "VMware Pointing Device"
    EndSection

The mouse should now function properly.

Keywords

relnotes; esx302; ws600

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  • KB Article: 5739104
  • Updated: Aug 14, 2009
  • Products:
    VMware ESX
    VMware Workstation
  • Product Versions:
    VMware ESX 3.0.x
    VMware Workstation 6.x (Linux)
    VMware Workstation 6.x (Windows)