VMware Server 2.0 For Linux Doesn’t Have a “Send Ctrl-Alt-Del” Button

By Daniel Miessler on November 8th, 2008: Tagged as Technology

Forget the license issue they had, someone needs to be killed over this one. You install the product, build a guest os (Server 2008 for me), reboot, and you’re staring at a Login Prompt.

“Hmm, they must have moved the ’send ctrl-alt-del’ command.”

No, they didn’t move it. They didn’t put it in. It’s in 1.x, but not in 2.x.

Are you serious? Really? No ability to log into the box? Oh, and the keyboard mapping is broken too, so the alternate keys for sending the command don’t work either.

Seriously unbelievable. This isn’t beta software. If you can’t even log in then it’s pre-alpha.

Viewing 14 Comments

Doc Rice 2 months ago 1 point
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Why even use VMware Server instead of ESXi? I tried VMware Server 2.0 when it was in alpha and it was horrible compared to 1.x. Of course, it was an alpha, and I could see how they're trying to make the management interface more like their Infrastructure offerings (VC, VIC), but I still thought it was bad.

ESXi, on the other hand, works quite well for free.

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brooksgarrett 2 months ago 1 point
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Dude.. Seriously, I'm disappointed.

CTRL+ALT+Insert

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1 /people/brooksgarrett/ /people/brooksgarrett/following/ http://brooksgarrett.com

Daniel Miessler 2 months ago 1 point
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Brooks,

The keyboard wasn't working, so that didn't help me... ;) That was in the post, man. I'm seriously disappointed.

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1 /people/danielrm26/ /people/danielrm26/following/ http://dmiessler.com/ danielrm26

The Nag 1 month ago 1 point
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Just had the same with accessing a Windows VM from an Ubuntu host. Ctrl-Alt-Insert and Ctrl-Alt-Del didn't work... the one that did was Ctrl-Alt-. (from the numeric keypad that is also the del key).

No idea why, but it let me in and saved me the pain of another reboot/rebuild...

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brooksgarrett 1 month ago 1 point
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Boo. I saw VMware Server for Linux, but read "ESXi".

VMware IC was doing the same thing and the keyboard works there. I've abandoned Server some time ago for the awesomeness that is ESXi.

Insert facepalm here for my previous comment.

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Robor007 1 month ago 1 point
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Thanks for the ctrl-alt-del (del on the keypad)

I was pulling my hair out wondering why it wouldn't bring up the login screen!

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Ben L 1 month ago 1 point
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Actually in the webbased console its under the "Trouble Shooting" submenu just like it is in the windows version. I use 2.x on my laptop to run XP for work.

"VMware Remote Console" -> "Trouble Shooting" -> "Send CTRL-ALT-DEL"

Agreed its in a dumbass place, but its there =)

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Roger 1 month ago 1 point
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CTRL-ALT-PRINT (Print Screen) works on my Ubuntu 8.10 box or use another windows box in your network (if there is one;-) and connect to the remote console with the IE. I think it's a problem with the Linux Firefox Plugin.

by have fun

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David Timms 1 month ago 1 point
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Is this an instance of keyboard mapping problem:
http://communities.vmware.com/message/1091425
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/intrepid/+bug...
http://www.nalinmakar.com/2008/11/12/vmware-pla...>

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re3e 1 month ago 1 point
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@ The Nag
tkx a million , freaking could'nt believe i was not able to 3fs my virtual windows vm ,

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Visual Echo 3 weeks ago 1 point
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Wow. Just got stung by this one. Wow. That's a buttload of work I just did for nothing. It looked so good, too.

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http://www.mdve.net

Adam Keily 3 weeks ago 1 point
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Try Ctrl+Alt+PrintScreen.

I found that installing The remote console app on my Fedora 10 box had the Delete Key mapped to the printscreen key.

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Haegdorens Davy 3 weeks ago 1 point
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I still don`t get this one.

With vmware server running via the webinterface, there is no “VMware Remote Console” -> “Trouble Shooting” -> “Send CTRL-ALT-DEL

also when you press ctrl-alt you go out of your player window.

Can anyone explain this please?

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Leslie 1 day ago 1 point
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I didn't see the "VMWare Remote Console" thing either (VMWare Server 2.0, web based).
And Ctrl-Alt-Insert took me out of my player window just like Ctrl-Alt-Del did.

But, magically and mysteriously, when I pressed Ctrl-Alt-(Del on the numeric keypad), it worked like a champ.

I was freaking out, you guys saved me!!

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Sander’s Weblog » Ctrl-Alt-What?
18/12/08 at 10:51 PM

[...] turns out you are to press the Del key on the numeric keypad, not on your main keyboard, to ...

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