Unable to use Host+F_Keys to VT switch on a GNU/Linux Guest and Host => duplicate of #2905, fixed in SVN

[Samus_Aran]

When I install Guest Additions and then use Host+F1, instead of taking me to TTY1, it loads up the VirtualBox help CHM file. When I use Host+F2 through Host+F12, it does nothing.

Absolutely critical, I am unable to use my virtual machine at all, as I can't go to console to fix the issue at all, and Xorg is locked into an unpriviledged kiosk mode.

No way to switch to console, no way to remove Guest Additions, no way to use my virtual machine.

Worked in 2.0.6 as expected, broke in 2.1.0.

Related to this bug report:

​http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/2909

[hanasaki]

+1

[Samus_Aran]

The bug runs even deeper than first thought:

• Host+Backspace is non-functional.
• Host+Delete is non-functional.
• The menu entry for Ctrl+Alt+Backspace is non-functional.
• The menu entry for Ctrl+Alt+Delete is non-functional.

These shortcuts work some of the time, and fail other times. I am not entirely sure if this is caused by the Guest Additions, or the Xorg configuration settings.

[Samus_Aran]

Did some further testing. My usual host key is Print_Screen, so I decided to try some other host keys to see if that would allow the shortcuts to work. It does not.

However:

• With Menu, Print_Screen or Number_Lock as the host key, Host+F1 brings up the Help, and Host+F2 sometimes exits mouse locking mode as if only Host was pressed, Host+Backspace and Host+Delete do nothing.
• With Right_Shift, Left_Ctrl or Right_Ctrl as the host key, Host+F1 to Host+F12, Host+Delete and Host+Backspace do nothing at all.

[Samus_Aran]

I forgot to mention before that the VirtualBox specific keyboard shortcuts work fine, it is only the ones which need to send keys to the virtual machine which fail.

For example the following work as expected:

• Host+S
• Host+Q
• Host+P
• Host+F

[Samus_Aran]

I use ICEWM on the host, and decided to check if there was some bug affecting ICEWM + VirtualBox. I closed ICEWM and uses VirtualBox alone on the host's Xorg server. The host key combinations still did not function, the only difference was that holding down the host key caused it to enter and exit mouse locking mode repeatedly (keyboard repeat rate). Host+F1 still brought up the Help, and others remained non-functional.

[Michael Thayer]

Duplicate of #2905.