Seamless mode not working properly

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Linux hosts.
TVG
Posts: 34
Joined: 8. Aug 2022, 16:16

Seamless mode not working properly

Post by TVG »

Hello,

The seamless mode doesn't work properly. I can see my Ubuntu background where there is no window.
VirtualBox seamless mode, buggy second monitor
VirtualBox seamless mode, buggy second monitor
seamless_mode.png (101.26 KiB) Viewed 12134 times
The host is Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS with Linux kernel 5.15.0-43-generic. The guest is Windows 10.
I'm using two monitors. When I start the VM, I can see the Ubuntu background on both screens with the Windows 10 toolbar at the bottom. As soon as I open an application in the first monitor, Windows 10 background shows up properly and stay correct even if I close the app. The behavior in the second monitor is different: When opening an application, the Ubuntu background stays around the window, and if I close the app the Ubuntu background continues to appear there.
VirtualBox seamless mode, both monitors
VirtualBox seamless mode, both monitors
seamless_mode_both_monitors.png (110.89 KiB) Viewed 12134 times
Many thanks for your help!
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Seamless mode not working properly

Post by scottgus1 »

In Seamless, the host background is supposed to appear along with the VM's taskbar. This is correct Seamless behavior:
TVG wrote:When opening an application, the Ubuntu background stays around the window, and if I close the app the Ubuntu background continues to appear there.


This is incorrect:
TVG wrote:As soon as I open an application in the first monitor, Windows 10 background shows up
In Seamless, the VM background is not supposed to appear. This behavior is what Fullscreen would do.

Virtualbox may not be fully compatible with Linux's Wayland desktop system. And Gnome desktop has given some problems. (though I wouldn't know how to fix the issues, as I'm no Linux guru.)

Check to see if you're using Wayland or Gnome, and try X or some other desktop environment. Or wait for a Linux forum guru to help.
TVG
Posts: 34
Joined: 8. Aug 2022, 16:16

Re: Seamless mode not working properly

Post by TVG »

Thanks for the explanation. I thought Seamless was just used to show the host top bar (for Ubuntu host) or bottom taskbar (for Windows host). More than that, I now understand it allows to see the host applications side by side with the guest applications, which I think is pretty cool!

Then, the problem is on the first monitor that continue to show the guest background while it should not. I'm not using Wayland actually because it gives me trouble with another application. I'm using X11.

You are thinking the bug is not a VirtualBox bug but is generated by the Linux host. Is that correct?
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Seamless mode not working properly

Post by scottgus1 »

TVG wrote:You are thinking the bug is not a VirtualBox bug but is generated by the Linux host. Is that correct?
Honestly, I don't know. We need a Linux guru to weigh in on that question. Someone will hopefully be along shortly.
TVG
Posts: 34
Joined: 8. Aug 2022, 16:16

Re: Seamless mode not working properly

Post by TVG »

Any Linux guru in the room? :)
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Seamless mode not working properly

Post by mpack »

If you want to discuss your Linux host then "Windows Guests" is the wrong forum. Topic moved.
TVG
Posts: 34
Joined: 8. Aug 2022, 16:16

Re: Seamless mode not working properly

Post by TVG »

Many thanks!
csmccarron
Posts: 50
Joined: 21. Aug 2013, 16:18
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows 10 64 & 32, XP Mode
Location: VA

Re: Seamless mode not working properly

Post by csmccarron »

This is not just a Linux issue, this also effects Windows guest as well. No one seems to be doing anything to fix it and it has been broken for a very long time.
bangclue
Posts: 1
Joined: 12. Dec 2021, 18:44

Re: Seamless mode not working properly

Post by bangclue »

csmccarron wrote:No one seems to be doing anything to fix it and it has been broken for a very long time.
A *very* long time, with no movement on it that I can see. Frustrating as I have a need for it and it's been unavailable for many years. Is there anything we can do to raise this issue's visibility?
csmccarron
Posts: 50
Joined: 21. Aug 2013, 16:18
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows 10 64 & 32, XP Mode
Location: VA

Re: Seamless mode not working properly

Post by csmccarron »

bangclue wrote:
csmccarron wrote:No one seems to be doing anything to fix it and it has been broken for a very long time.
A *very* long time, with no movement on it that I can see. Frustrating as I have a need for it and it's been unavailable for many years. Is there anything we can do to raise this issue's visibility?
This has how I have used Virtualbox for years! Sad that it broke with a Windows 10 update and it have never been addressed.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Seamless mode not working properly

Post by scottgus1 »

Are all of you who have this issue using Wayland on the host? If so, please try X on the host, then reboot, then try Virtualbox seamless.
nyquest
Posts: 1
Joined: 14. Nov 2022, 12:43

Re: Seamless mode not working properly

Post by nyquest »

scottgus1 wrote:Are all of you who have this issue using Wayland on the host? If so, please try X on the host, then reboot, then try Virtualbox seamless.
Hi.
My host system is: Ubuntu 20.04.5 LTS, x11, ubuntu:GNOME, virtual box 7.0.2 r154219

I have two windows guest systems, one windows 7 and one windows 10. Maybe this information helps:
  • windows 7 seamless works OK
  • windows 10 seamless does not work correctly. Windows 10 displays the background one the top-left quarter of the desktop. Windows applications also just show up in this region (see screenshot and logs in attachement)
  • I disabled 3d acceleration (3d acceleration leads to a memory leak on the host system process VirtualBoxVM)
Attachments
win10HostScreenshotVBox.log.zip
win10 guest screenshot (scaled down) and VBox.log
(43.35 KiB) Downloaded 13 times
matthewls
Posts: 12
Joined: 20. Oct 2015, 07:23

Re: Seamless mode not working properly

Post by matthewls »

I use X11 and have exactly the same issues:
windows 7 seamless works OK
windows 10 seamless does not work correctly. Windows 10 displays the background one the top-left quarter of the desktop. Windows applications also just show up in this region (see screenshot and logs in attachement)
I tested with and w/o 3d acceleration, and it doesn't make a difference, and Windows 11 and 10 behave identically in this regard.
Windows 7 works well.
csmccarron
Posts: 50
Joined: 21. Aug 2013, 16:18
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows 10 64 & 32, XP Mode
Location: VA

Re: Seamless mode not working properly

Post by csmccarron »

Virtualbox 7.0.6 and Seamless Mode is still broken when using Windows 10 Host & Guest.
abecidofugy
Posts: 37
Joined: 9. Feb 2015, 01:27

Re: Seamless mode not working properly

Post by abecidofugy »

csmccarron wrote:Virtualbox 7.0.6 and Seamless Mode is still broken when using Windows 10 Host & Guest.
Virtualbox 7.0.8 and Seamless Mode is still broken when using Windows 11 Host too with a Ubuntu guest (no problem with Kubuntu).
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