No Keystrokes

[JoeMcK]

Hello,

I am successfully connecting to my VirtualBox Windows 7 VM, everything seems perfect except for one dealkiller. Character keystrokes are not getting through. Special keys, like the Windows key work, but text in an editor box does not get through.

I'm using an iPad 1,
iOS 4.3.5 (problem also existed on 4.3.4)
Remoter 3.0.1
Connection type is RDP, but I used 'advanced settings' to change the port to 5000.
The connection is to the Virtual Box server itself, versus an RDP connection directly to the VM.
(The server has a static IP, the VM does not.)

I can see identical results on multiple VMs, but I only have one VirtualBox server which runs on Natty Kubuntu. When I try to connect to the VM's OS I get an error. "ERROR: recv: Bad file descriptor" and the connection fails. Personally, I'd rather fix the keyboard problem than the file descriptor problem.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Joe

[raf]

Hi JoeMcK,

I personally tested RDP on a real windows XP system, a windows XP running in a Parallels VM, and a windows 7 install running under Parallels. They all work fine.
I do have a Virtual Box install I use for testing VNC usually, I'll try RDP see what happens.

Thanks for the report!,

Raf.

PS: about the bad file descriptor: do you get this when you try to connect using RDP to a Kubuntu install? Please try VNC instead.

[raf]

Joe,

I just tried RDP to a Windows XP machine running in a VirtualBox VM, and the keyboard works fine. Could it be a windows configuration setting?

Raf.

[JoeMcK]

Raf,
WOW! thanks for the quick replies!

When I connect to the Kubuntu OS itself I DO use VNC. This was how I got my introduction to RemoterVNC. The kubuntu install is physically headless; I'm connecting to tightVNC on :1 (5901) while there is no :0.

When I read your reply about the VirtualBox RDP connection, I'm not entirely sure I communicated the reproduction steps completely. So to make sure we're on the same page:
I am using VBox's Virtual Remote Desktop Extension (VRDE) So, I boot the VM using "VBoxHeadless … --vrdeport 5000" You then configure an RDP Client, like RemoterVNC, to connect to the SERVER's IP address at port 5000 (or whatever you put on the command line) and you get a connection to the VM. The VRDE extension is actually VERY useful. Because it is a feature of the virtual hardware, it works even when the guest OS does not support remote connections. It's also, pretty much the best way to work with a guest OS on a headless server. Also, if something crashes, VRDE allows for RDP connection to the Windows boot menu, (where you can select "Normal Boot" or "Safe Mode") that is, you can connect via RDP even before the guest OS boots! I have been wishing for VBox to support VNC, but for whatever reason this feature is RDP only; and it's why I'm so glad RemoterVNC now has the RDP expansion.

I can connect (w/keyboard function) to the VM's through VRDE, from the iPad using MochaRDP Lite, iRdesktop, and PocketCloud; I can also use Microsoft's own Remote Desktop Connection client from my Mac. As I said, the odd thing is, only the letters on the keyboard fail. I can use Remoter's specials above the keyboard to quit programs by sending Alt-F4.

So the no keyboard problem happens connecting to the VM using VRDE at the Server's IP address, the File descriptor Problem happens connecting to the VM at the Guest OS's IP address. I'll look for additional settings to tweak for the File Descriptor, but I'm pretty sure the partial keyboard function thing is on Remoter's side.

Thanks again!

Joe

[raf]

Hi JoeMck,

Now I understand what you mean! I didn't realize VirtualBox offered this feature, that's pretty cool.
I also understand why it doesn't work with Remoter.

In Remoter most characters are sent via a special unicode message. This allows Remoter to work with all languages in RDP mode without having to use any special mappings or anything. This unicode message is handled by Windows RDP, but since it's a higher-level message, it's probably not what VMWare expects.
For Remoter 3.2, I'll add a switch in the session editor / remoter config so that, instead of unicode, the actual scancode is sent. This is more low level, and I bet what VMWare wants.

Thanks for the report!,

Raf.

[JoeMcK]

OK, sorta good news, bad news.
good news you understand the problem, bad news I have to wait a while.

I'll wait for 3.2 and keep working the File Descriptor problem to the VM itself.

I did notice when I connect straight into the VM with Microsoft Remote Desktop client, I get a certificate error. "host name does not match" Think that's related to the Bad File Descriptor Remoter is seeing or something else?

[raf]

I'll have to test this with VirtualBox for the next release, when do you get the descriptor error exactly? I'm a bit confused.

Raf.

[JoeMcK]

I'm sorry for having two issues in the same thread.
You seem to have a handle on the VirtualBox VRDE Connection (Connect to Server's IP address & command line specified port 5000)

Moving on to Connecting DIRECTLY to Windows 7, (using the VM's IP Address & default port 3389)

When I attempt to connect with Remoter. I get "Disconnected. ERROR: recv: Bad file descriptor" and the connection fails. Remoter does offer to reconnect, but the error just repeats so a connection cannot be made.

Troubleshooting to date:
Using Microsoft's "Remote Desktop Connection for Mac" I get a warning "The server name on the certificate is incorrect. Do you want to connect to this computer anyway?" I click Connect and I'm in. (This may be a different symptom of the problem or a red herring.)
iRdesktop, PocketCloud, and Mocha RDP all connect without error or warning, and function as well as those clients function.
My Google results seem to indicate that the host certificate is a feature of computers that are part of an Active Directory Domain, but mine is not so, head scratching ensues on my part.

I'm less inclined to think this is a configuration problem on the Windows side since the 3 other iOS RDP clients connect without error/warning, and Microsoft's OS X client has a simple warning that is probably due to attempting more robust validation.
While it seems like an issue on Remoter's side, I am hopeful that a reconfiguration on the Windows side could be a workaround to allow Remoter to connect. If you have suggestions on settings to change that may make remoter happy, I'm all ears.

Thanks again for everything,

Joe

FYI in Windows Remote Settings I am running with "Allow connections from computers running any version of Remote Desktop" checked.

[raf]

Oops, I missed your reply. I'll take a look at that bad descriptor error for 3.2 as well. It'd be nice if I could recreate it. Could you post any other info about your setup that you think could help me recreate the problem? I got Windows 7 installed in VMWare and I can RDP over no problems.

Thanks,
Raf.

[raf]

Just FYI: This is now complete and will be in Remoter 3.2 (http://trac.rafsoftware.com/index.fcgi/ticket/316)
I tested it with VirtualBox and it works perfectly. I only need to investigate the bad file descriptor error now.

Thanks,
Raf.