VirtualBox and Screen Resolution

[rayberto]

I am having a problem adjusting my screen resolution.

I am running a Gateway Laptop, Vista Home Premium, VirtualBox 1.5.2, Ubuntu 7.1.

I am an experienced Windows admin, however I am brand new to Linux, so please dont assume I know anything Linux. If I can copy and paste your commands, that would be best. Everything is set at default settings.

I installed Ubuntu on my computer using Virtualbox. Just about everything is working correctly, except the video display. It only wants to run at 800x600. I was able to edit the xorg.conf file and add 1024x768 and 1280x800 resolutions. When I change the resolution the screen gets all garbled. I click on cancel and the screen comes back to 800x600.

I can provide more info if you need it.

Ray

[sstusick]

It might help to change the amount of Video Ram for the Virtual Machine, and give the VM a bit more RAM, also.

[rayberto]

I moved the video ram all the way to 128mb, I forgot to mention that I installed Guest Addons.

[sstusick]

The video RAM shouldn't need that much...32 MB would suffice, I'd think. The default is 8 MBs.

[TravisFix]

I have a Dell Lattitude D600 and have experianced the same problem. The above solutions didn't help me. I did found a solution here

http://www.linuxformat.co.uk/index.p...ewtopic&t=6438

I tried to clarify the steps below:

1. First, make sure your have installed “guest additions” (VirtualBox documentation describes how to do this). This may solve your problem. If not, go on.
2. To see what resolutions your screen is capable of, on your host machine go to “Preferences” and then “Screen Resolution”.
3. Create a snapshot of your virtual machine in case the below steps cause you problems. That way you can always revert back to a stable machine. (VirtualBox documentation describes how to do this)
4. In the terminal type:

sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf
(space after gedit and X11 must be capital X)

5. You now need to hunt through the text until you see the display resolutions listed. The ones you will be concerned about will be listed under bit depth 24 or bit depth 16 (as these depths are the ones that give you a large amount of colors.)
6. Next, either replace the existing resolution, or add another listed resolution in the exact same manner. Your resolution must be equal to or less than what the host machine is capable of (see step 2).
7. Restart the guest machine. Your resolution should be what you have specified or allow it to be changed.

[ben2talk]

I had a similar problem, but I guess I was lucky. I have a HP w1907 monitor which doesn't appear in the list of monitors. I decided on an intelligent solution, and after 30 minutes of trying out monitor settings at random I managed a 1440 by 900 desktop by setting HP D1187A 20-inch display and checking the 'Widescreen Monitor' box. Now my Opera Browser looks rather lovely, and my environment for surfing internet is altogether more human than Vista.

I didn't learn much by doing this, but it worked. If you can't dazzle them with brilliance....

[Uncelilo]

I was having problems just getting it to go to 1024x768 and when I changed the resolution modes using the method TravisFix outlined it would be all messed up. I tried adding more video memory to the machine but that didn't work either.

To fix it I had to change the bit depth listed from 24 to 16.

[billstei]

FWIW: This is just a log of my experiences getting Ubuntu (Hardy) running inside Virtualbox running inside a Ubuntu (Gutsy) host.

1) Make a copy of the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file. I called mine xorg.conf-original If a Bad Thing happens you can log into a failsafe terminal and (sudo) cp this back to xorg.conf and try again.

2) Booting into Hardy I used the VirtualBox menu Devices->Install Guest Additions... This mounts the CD (virtual image, not a real one) to the Hardy desktop. DO NOT open that and double click the Linux script. You need to be root to install it. Open a terminal and change directory to /media/cdrom

3) Now type:

sudo ./VBoxLinuxAdditions.run

This will build the kernel modules for the video driver (and whatever other Secret Squirrel stuff it does).

4) Reboot.

5) In the rebooted Hardy, go to Ubuntu menu System->Administration->Screens and Graphics. Under the Graphics Card tab (second one) it should now show vboxvideo (not vesa). Under the Screen tab I changed the Model of my monitor to Generic->Monitor 1600x1200. I had no intention of using that much res, but my monitor is capable of 1600x1200 and I could in theory. Back at the Screen tab I picked Resolution: 1400x1050 (which keeps it reasonably sized on my host 1600x1200 desktop). There is a Test button, but I found it to be meaningless and/or misleading. So I eventually learned to just click OK. Why? Because I knew it would be. Your Mileage May Vary. I was told that I must log out in order to see my nice 1400x1050 choice, which I did, and all was well.

Bill

[23meg]

I've tried this, but I don't get the "vboxvideo" driver displayed, despite having installed the guest additions.

[LeAstrale]

I have a Dell Lattitude D600 and have experianced the same problem. The above solutions didn't help me. I did found a solution here

http://www.linuxformat.co.uk/index.p...ewtopic&t=6438

I tried to clarify the steps below:

1. First, make sure your have installed “guest additions” (VirtualBox documentation describes how to do this). This may solve your problem. If not, go on.
2. To see what resolutions your screen is capable of, on your host machine go to “Preferences” and then “Screen Resolution”.
3. Create a snapshot of your virtual machine in case the below steps cause you problems. That way you can always revert back to a stable machine. (VirtualBox documentation describes how to do this)
4. In the terminal type:

sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf
(space after gedit and X11 must be capital X)

5. You now need to hunt through the text until you see the display resolutions listed. The ones you will be concerned about will be listed under bit depth 24 or bit depth 16 (as these depths are the ones that give you a large amount of colors.)
6. Next, either replace the existing resolution, or add another listed resolution in the exact same manner. Your resolution must be equal to or less than what the host machine is capable of (see step 2).
7. Restart the guest machine. Your resolution should be what you have specified or allow it to be changed.

that worked out nicely with only 8mb gfx ram in Vbox.. ty for the info