For Parallels users - how arcane is *t*h*i*s*?

Today I upgraded from Parallels 6 (P6) to P8. I also created a new virtual machine with Win7/64.

Everything seemed okay as I installed AutoCAD and Revit (kicking and screaming as I leave my beloved Mac-centric Vectorworks running native on my Mac).

All worked, that is, except the number keypad part of my keyboard.

I called AutoDesk's support. They tried, but couldn't figure it out.

I called some geeks I know. Nada.

Finally, I call Parallels. Their deal is they take your info then call you back when they are able, but also with at least the start of an answer already researched.

P8 is brand new. The mainstream version is P7. P8 was hastily made to work with Win8, but also back to XP, and maybe even before that.

For whatever reason, they programmed the Mac keyboard to act like a Win keyboard with the NumLock key set to OFF.

A Mac Keyboard has no NumLock key. But we do have a "Clear" key in the same position, immediately above the "7" key on the NumPad. Under P8, that *is* the NumLock key. Of course, it has no indicator light that shows its position.

Anyway, the Parallels tech guy calls. He does a screen sharing session (all the way from India, which amazes me that it is so real time instantaneous). He asks me to hit the Clear key.

Voila!

That does it.

How long would it take someone to figure *that* out?

I seem to recall that earlier versions of Win had a "NumLock" icon some place down in the tray. Win7 seems not to have it.

Oh well. There you have it.