(UNSOLVED) Shift/Capslock/Ctrl/Alt keys don’t work after using VMWare Server

Warning: This is a “noise” post (as opposed to “signal”). I have no solution for this yet.

Problem: When using VMWare Server 1.06 on Ubuntu Hardy 8.04, going into full screen mode, and using the Ctrl-Alt “release cursor” keyboard sequence, all modifier keys stop functioning. Can’t use Ctrl-Alt-F1 to get out of X, or Alt-F2, or Shift at the terminal, etc. etc. This seems to only affect users running Xorg 7.3.

Many more details here:
Ubuntu #195982: Shift key (and caps lock) stop working when using VMWare

Terrible workaround #1:

Running setxkbmap at the console will restore the keys. Unfortunately, getting to the console might be more than difficult without any modifier keys. Therefore, create a launcher on your GNOME panel (or desktop or whatever) that runs setxkbmap. You will have to click this launcher every time you switch to and from VMWare console.

Alternately, use rdesktop (mstsc) or vnc where possible, which avoids the issue altogether.

Observations:

• Unlike others who have commented, I am not using evdev for my keyboard, rather the kbd driver.
• Going to System->Preferences->Keyboard->Layouts has a “Selected layouts” list. USA is there and it is not selected as the default. Selecting it does NOT fix the problem, contrary to some reports.
• It happens whether you run VMWare Tools or not.
• As a terribly wonderful side effect, GTK apps (read: gnome-terminal) may segfault on any keypress, when the modifier keys aren’t set (you can the list is empty by looking at xmodmap). This is apparently fixed in a GTK development tree somewhere, but hasn’t reached Ubuntu yet.
• Removing old GTK libraries in /usr/lib/vmware/lib was also a dead end.
• Editing /etc/vmware/config (or ~/.vmware/config) to add xkeymap.keycode does not help (even after modifying the keycodes to reflect output from xev).

Other people with the same problem:
Web 0.2 – VMware modifier keys bug status
nthrbldyblg – VMWare and the fubar keyboard effect
VMWare Communities – VMware Causing Keyboard Issues in Ubuntu