Hello. I tested a new test version of Whonix in KVM. I have a problem with the mouse in sysmaint mode - cursor behaves inadequately, jerks, and I can’t move cursor outside VM window or minimize/maximize window. Because of this, I may miss necessary buttons. It is very difficult to work. But if I launch a user session or live user session, this problem immediately disappears. But if I return to sysmaint again, cursor goes out of control again and I can’t move it outside VM window.
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Problem is confirmed in Kicksecure on KVM!
But this problem is not present in VirtualBox for Whonix or for Kicksecure.
Also, this problem is not noticed in Kicksecure ISO.
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This problem is confirmed on my friend’s computer. Are we missing something? We’ve never encountered this before
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It sounds like somehow the USB tablet in virt-manager isn’t being recognized when booted in sysmaint mode. Why that would be the case, I have no idea, I have Kicksecure working in virt-manager over here quite well, mouse pointer integration works in sysmaint mode. The jerkiness of the cursor is a virt-manager bug.
Will investigate.
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Alright, found the root issue.
The thing you’re used to where the VM window doesn’t “capture” the mouse is generally called “mouse integration” or something similar. There turns out to be two ways for mouse integration to work under KVM - either enable a virtual USB tablet input device, or use SPICE and launch spice-vdagent as a normal user inside the VM. Kicksecure KVM virtual machines don’t enable a virtual USB tablet by default, so mouse integration only works because spice-vdagent is running as a normal user. The sysmaint user is currently not configured to launch spice-vdagent on boot though, so you end up with no mouse integration.
As a quick workaround, open a terminal and run spice-vdagent in it when you boot into a sysmaint session. Mouse integration should immediately start working.
I’ll work on getting a fix in Kicksecure itself (which will also propagate to Whonix).
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Thank you
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Should be fixed in the testers repository. (And will flow to other repositories as per usual.)
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