Guest WinXP screen resolution

[lunateg]

Hello to everyone.

I have a 1920x1080 native screen resolution for my display. But I extremely need a 2560x1024 for my guest WinXP. That screen resolution isn't available in guest OS screen settings. How can I get it? What should I do?

[mpack]

The only way I know is to drag the window border, which you can do to any display size you like. It will be awkward though, given that the window will not fit on your host display.

Make sure the Guest Additions are installed.

[jorgensen]

With guest running try to execute this from the host
vboxmanage controlvm "guestname" setvideomodehint 2560 1024 32

[lunateg]

"setvideomodehint" works just with the resolution scale of the guest's screen settings. For examle, it can set resolution from 800x600 to 1280x960.

I found some solution. View -> Switch to Scale Mode. After that I can choose in guest's screen setting any resolution, up to 6400x1200.
But! It works only with VBox 4.2.4!

How I can get 2560x1024 in the latest versions?

[socratis]

Host: OSX 10.6.8, native resolution 1920x1200.
Guest: WinXP SP3, original resolution 1280x1024.
'VBoxManage controlvm "guestname" setvideomodehint 2560 1024 32' works perfectly (@jorgensen, nice call!). I was not in Scale Mode, and the scrollbars appeared.

[Russw]

I tried using the controlvm command to set my resolution to 1920x1200 but it won't let me set to anything larger than my host.
Host is OSX with 1680x1050. Guest is XP and I need 1920x1200. If I use controlvm to set screen size to anything smaller than my host, I can see the guest screen size change, but if I try 1920x1200, my guest screen just flashes but doesn't change size. I have guest additions installed (4.3.12). Tried auto-resize and adjust window size, but doesn't help.

[BillG]

VirtualBox is running under the host OS. The vm window has to be displayed by the host OS. How could the guest screen display be at a higher resolution than the screen on which it is being displayed?

[socratis]

How could the guest screen display be at a higher resolution than the screen on which it is being displayed?

That's where the scrollbars in the guest VM window come in play, if you're not in Scale Mode. If you are in Scale mode, the whole client appears smaller (like zooming out).

[Russw]

Yes, scroll bars appear. But my problem still is the guest will not allow me to set a resolution higher than the host, and I don't know why. I can turn on scale mode and drag the window larger, but my chances of hitting exactly 1920x1200 are next to nothing, so I just want to go into Display Properties and set the resolution to 1920x1200, but that size is not listed (only lists up to 1680x981 if I maximize the window).

Is there any way to manually add a resolution to the display properties (in the List All Modes list under the adapter settings)?

[socratis]

Did you follow jorgensen's advice on how to do it? Hint: you do not do it from within the guest.

[jorgensen]

Yes, scroll bars appear. But my problem still is the guest will not allow me to set a resolution higher than the host, and I don't know why.

Maybe it is a flaw in VboxManage for an OSX host.

[Russw]

Did you follow jorgensen's advice on how to do it? Hint: you do not do it from within the guest.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, I did try that (yes, from the host) and the command causes the guest to resize itself for any resolution UP TO the size of the host. If I try to size it larger than the host, the guest just flashes but does not resize.

Interestingly, if I uninstall guest additions, then I CAN size it up to 1920x1200. If I reinstall guest additions, it limits me to the size of the host.

[loukingjr]

As I mentioned in my earlier post, I did try that (yes, from the host) and the command causes the guest to resize itself for any resolution UP TO the size of the host. If I try to size it larger than the host, the guest just flashes but does not resize.

Interestingly, if I uninstall guest additions, then I CAN size it up to 1920x1200. If I reinstall guest additions, it limits me to the size of the host.

that makes zero sense, first of all, resizing a guest screen requires the guest additions in order to work, and second of all, the setvideomodehint command also requires the guest additions to be installed.

you might as well be saying, "I can't drive my car unless I remove the engine."

[mpack]

first of all, resizing a guest screen requires the guest additions in order to work, and second of all, the setvideomodehint command also requires the guest additions to be installed.

I'm afraid neither of those statements is true. With no GAs installed, the VM simulates a generic VESA graphics adapter, which can certainly be resized, and video mode hints can be set - in fact I believe these only apply to the VESA mode, though I could be wrong. What the GAs mostly provide is better performance and access to higher level features such as 2D/3D acceleration.

[loukingjr]

from the manual... page 135

setvideomodehint requests that the guest system change to a particular video mode. This requires that the Guest Additions be installed, and will not work for all guest systems.

edit: when do you not have to have the guest additions installed to be able to resize a guests screen? especially since that is what everyone is told when their screen won't resize? or to run in full screen?

re-edit: I think I understand you to be saying you can choose from the standard VGA resolutions without GAs installed but who still owns a PC or monitor that has a VGA resolution screen.