If your keyboard works correctly with a local X server, and you just want the same behavior with a remote X server (which is also an XFree86 server running on a PC), just power off the virtual machine and close the console, then add the line

xkeymap.usekeycodeMapIfXFree86 = true

to the virtual machine configuration file or to ~/.vmware/config. Make this change on the host machine, where you run the virtual machine, not on the machine with the remote X server.

If you are using an XFree86-based server that GSX Server does not recognize as an XFree86 server, use this instead:

xkeymap.usekeycodeMap = true

If you are using an XFree86 server running locally, and the keyboard does not work correctly, please report the problem by submitting a support request at www.vmware.com/requestsupport.