Enhancing Keyboard Driver for VMware Player: A Cautionary Tale

As a software developer, I recently experienced a frustrating issue while working with VMware Player. After upgrading to version 17.5.0 and installing the enhanced keyboard driver, I encountered problems with my virtual machine's input responsiveness. Despite being able to SSH into the machine, it failed to register mouse clicks or keyboard actions.

Initially, everything seemed to stop responding, but further investigation revealed that the virtual machine was still running, albeit unresponsive to input. The problem persisted even after reinstalling and updating open-vm-tools, leading me to suspect a deeper issue.

After conducting some research, I discovered that several users had reported similar problems with the enhanced keyboard driver in VMware Player. In my case, the issue manifested when working with text editors, causing entire lines of code to disappear without warning. This was not only frustrating but also time-consuming, as it forced me to constantly restart my work.

The solution proved to be a simple yet effective one: uninstalling and reinstalling the enhanced keyboard driver. This resolved the issue, allowing my virtual machine to respond to input once more.

In conclusion, while the enhanced keyboard driver may offer benefits for some users, it's essential to exercise caution when installing it, especially after upgrading to newer versions of VMware Player. If you encounter similar issues with your virtual machine's input responsiveness, consider uninstalling the enhanced keyboard driver and reverting to a previous version. This may help resolve any problems related to keyboard input and ensure a smoother experience while working with your virtual machines.

Vmware player enhances keyboard driver