VirtualBox 6.1 DirectDraw not working properly

Discussions about using Windows guests in VirtualBox.
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nsvinc
Posts: 3
Joined: 15. Aug 2022, 15:07

VirtualBox 6.1 DirectDraw not working properly

Post by nsvinc »

Hello,

2D acceleration with DirectDraw does not work properly. The bug appears when using Altium Designer 15 in PCB design mode. Instead the PCB, I see some weird shape, which is not zoomable nor movable, as if the directX scene would not be rendered as it should.
This problem started after upgrading VirtualBox from 5.6 to 6.1. Under v5.6, performance was poor, but the PCB design was visible corrctly.
I've tried all three graphics controllers, and the issue is always there.
Also, Guest Additions were updated to the version included with v6.1

I attach a screenshot showing the issue.

Please help me solve this problem.
Thanks in advance

Environment:
Host: Xubuntu 16.04 LTS, x64
Guest: Win7 x64
Attachments
altium_directdraw_error.png
altium_directdraw_error.png (25.01 KiB) Viewed 1963 times
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: VirtualBox 6.1 DirectDraw not working properly

Post by scottgus1 »

nsvinc wrote:upgrading VirtualBox from 5.6 to 6.1
There was no 5.6 Virtualbox. Only 5.0, 5.1, and 5.2. Do you still have the old installer to roll back with? Or a host backup for this critical system?

Start the VM from full normal shutdown, not save-state. Run until you see the problem happen, then shut down the VM from within the VM's OS if possible. If not possible, close the Virtualbox window for the VM with the Power Off option set.

Right-click the VM in the main Virtualbox window's VM list, choose Show Log. Save the far left tab's log, zip it, and post the zip file, using the forum's Upload Attachment tab.
nsvinc
Posts: 3
Joined: 15. Aug 2022, 15:07

Re: VirtualBox 6.1 DirectDraw not working properly

Post by nsvinc »

Thanks for Your reply.
There was no 5.6 Virtualbox. Only 5.0, 5.1, and 5.2. Do you still have the old installer to roll back with? Or a host backup for this critical system?
You're right, my bad. The previous (and working) version was 5.2. Sadly, the old installer is gone, and there is no host backup either...

I found in the log file something disturbing, in line 1212 it says "2D video acceleration is disabled". Maybe that's the culprit?
The full log file is attached here.
Attachments
win7-2022-08-16-14-41-26.log.zip
(33.75 KiB) Downloaded 5 times
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: VirtualBox 6.1 DirectDraw not working properly

Post by scottgus1 »

nsvinc wrote:the old installer is gone
Old versions are still available on https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Download_Old_Builds or https://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/. Only thing you'll have to try to remember is 5.2.what? There's three sets of numbers in a Virtualbox version.
nsvinc wrote:there is no host backup either...
Uh-oh. Wrong turn. Any change to a critical system needs a tested restorable backup or three. It is a computer, and all that implies...
nsvinc wrote:something disturbing, in line 1212 it says "2D video acceleration is disabled"
This message happens at 2.8 seconds, but the host OS doesn't start booting until 4.8 seconds, and the Guest Additions start at 10 seconds. This message doesn't indicate a problem.

The Guest Additions are installed and seam to be starting correctly.

5.2 only had the old-school VboxVGA video card. Starting in 6.0 there were video system changes, including the VboxSVGA video card your VM is using now, along with 3D acceleration. These changes may have been enough to mess up the VM's graphics for this program.

You could try uninstalling and reinstalling the program (after taking a backup, ahem :D ) Then try turning off 3D acceleration, then switch back to the VboxVGA video card. Then downgrade to 5.2.x Virtualbox on the host and matching Guest Additions. No guarantees if any of this will restore proper operation of the program.
nsvinc
Posts: 3
Joined: 15. Aug 2022, 15:07

Re: VirtualBox 6.1 DirectDraw not working properly

Post by nsvinc »

I am still trying to get things working, so I moved on to installing some newer version of Altium Designer, for testing purposes only. This time, I am getting an error: DirectX 10 is not supported. But dxdiag says that the installed version is DirectX 11. How come that the software throws this error when running on DX11?
Thinking like a programmer, I can assume, that the new VboxSVGA controller is translating DX commands to the underlaying host's OpenGL driver, which is indeed old and probably buggy, and has to be, because it is an archaic Radeon 4350 which cannot handle those commands properly... Could I be right?
If yes, maybe some not-so-expensive hardware upgrades could solve the problem?
fth0
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Posts: 5661
Joined: 14. Feb 2019, 03:06
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VBox Version: PUEL
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Location: Germany

Re: VirtualBox 6.1 DirectDraw not working properly

Post by fth0 »

FWIW, VirtualBox 6.1 only supports D3D9.
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