windows VMs: can't type backslash character

I think it's always been a problem that the keymap is Finnish or something, on the Windows VMs. So I can never type a complete cd command: always have to go one directory at a time. And I'm generally lost on these VMs anyway so that's a lot of work. I think I used to be able to change the keymap, but today I can't click or type anything on any part of the taskbar.