Unable to send CTRL+ALT+DEL to Guest VM After a VMware Physical-to-Virtual (P2V) Migration

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

After a VMware Physical-to-Virtual (P2V) migration (especially when virtualizing a laptop/ThinkPad), the Windows guest VM experiences a keyboard unresponsiveness issue. Specifically, the user is unable to send the Ctrl+Alt+Del command to the VM, preventing the initial login and the installation of VMware Tools.

Cause

 The root cause is the presence of multiple, conflicting keyboard entries within the Windows registry of the guest OS. This conflict typically occurs after a P2V migration when proprietary hardware drivers (e.g., those for IBM/Lenovo ThinkPad keyboard, hotkeys, or biometric scanners) are carried over and conflict with the VMware virtual hardware keyboard driver.

Resolution

The solution involves safely identifying and removing the multiple, conflicting keyboard entries from the Windows registry of the guest VM. This typically means deleting entries related to the legacy physical hardware. 

Warning: Modifying the Windows registry incorrectly can lead to an unbootable operating system. 

Primary Recommendation: Due to the risk involved, the recommended resolution is to contact the Operating System vendor (e.g., Microsoft Support) for expert assistance in cleaning the registry. This ensures the conflicting entries are removed safely without impacting the core system files.