The VMware Knowledge Base provides support solutions, error messages and troubleshooting guides
Search the VMware Knowledge Base (KB)
View by Article ID
"Always on Top" Dialog Obscures Virtual Machine Window
Details
The mouse does not work inside the virtual machine console
window when an always-on-top window generated by my Windows NT host
operating system obscures the virtual machine window.
Solution
There is a problem in VMware products that makes the mouse
cursor very difficult to control when an always-on-top window pops
up over a running virtual machine window. An example is the Windows
NT Task Manager program window.
When an always-on-top window appears over and within the virtual
machine window as an island, the mouse cursor stays within the
always-on-top window. Every time you try to move the mouse into the
console window, the mouse cursor jumps to the center of the dialog
box. As a result, you cannot access the Windows NT host or the
virtual machine.
To work around the problem, click in the always-on-top window to
make it the active window. At this point you should be able to
access the Windows NT host. Minimize the always-on-top window or
drag it so it does not obscure the virtual machine window. The
mouse should work inside the virtual machine when its window is no
longer obscured by the always-on-top window.
Note: This problem does not occur on host systems running
Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003.
Keywords
.
Request a Product Feature
To request a new product feature or to provide feedback on a VMware product, please visit the Request a Product Feature page.
