Guest Additions 6.0 and later *broken* on Vista? (#18308)

[MuldeR]

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ModEdit; related ticket: #18308: Aero/transparency on Windows Vista no longer working with VirtualBox 6.0.0 r127566

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Hello.

VirtualBox Guest Additions version 6.0 as well as version 6.0.2 seem broken on Windows Vista guest, running on VirtualBox version 6.0 or 6.0.2:

6KxaKcX.jpg (123.32 KiB) Viewed 10870 times

(Host OS is Windows 10, guest OS has SP-2 installed and is fully patched)

Back to Guest Additions version 5.2.22 and problem is gone, even when running under VirtualBox 6.0.2:

hZoknvb.jpg (124.03 KiB) Viewed 10870 times

Note: In both cases option to install "Direct3D Support" has been enabled, and the question to "install basic Direct3D support instead" was answered with NO – as is required to get Aero working.

(Aero works absolutely flawlessly with Guest Additions version 5.2.22)

Unless Vista support was officially dropped in VirtualBox 6.x, this looks like a severe regression

Regards.

[mpack]

Support for Vista guests has not been dropped, which is all I'm going to say without a log.

[MuldeR]

I'm not exactly sure how the VirtualBox log from the host operating system is supposed to help debugging an apparent problem of the guest operating system (Windows Vista) being unable to load the graphics drivers provided by the VirtualBox' Guest Additions (version 6.0 and later), whereas that exactly same guest operating system works perfectly fine with the Guest Additions version 5.2.22. But anyway, here we go! Please see attachment!

The attached log shows a session of my "Windows Vista" VM during which the VirtualBox' Guest Additions v6.0.2 were installed on the guest OS. Also, during that same session, the guest OS has been rebooted, as request by the Guest Additions installer. Last but not least, during that same session, Windows Vista failed to load the VirtualBox graphics drivers (version 6.0.2), that had just been installed. See screenshot in my previous post for details!

(If you actually were expecting a log from within the guest operating system, then please give me some more details what log exactly you need)

Regards.

[socratis]

@MuldeR
Not sure if you're "Rutger" from ticket #18308: Aero/transparency on Windows Vista no longer working with VirtualBox 6.0.0 r127566, but I was thinking of connecting the discussion and the ticket.

I tried on a brand new Vista VM, and the only thing that was not behaving was the Experience thing. Other than that, Aero was doing just fine...

[Rutger]

Just to clarify: MuldeR is not Rutger (the latter being me), which means there are now two confirmed cases of (former) 5.2.22 users experiencing this problem after upgrading to 6.0 (I have not downgraded back to 5.2.22, myself).
I'm very happy to help out with analyzing what's behind this in any way I can.

[Rutger]

I've dug a little further, and it may be that the problem only occurs in the 64 bit version of the 6.0.x guest additions driver. My guest is a 64 bit version of Vista.
When I run (32 bit) dxdiag on my guest, it finishes without error and the Display tab shows that DirectDraw and Direct3D acceleration are enabled:

32 bit dxdiag Display tab

dxdiag-disp.jpg (82.09 KiB) Viewed 10990 times

When I then hit the "Run 64-bit dxdiag" button, it shows the Bad Image error mentioned before:

64 bit dxdiag error

dxdiag64bit-err.jpg (87.47 KiB) Viewed 10990 times

Afterwards, the Display tab indicates that no acceleration is available and that VBoxDispD3D.dll is not digitally signed:

64 bit dxdiag Display tab

dxdiag64bit-disp.jpg (82.09 KiB) Viewed 10990 times

[socratis]

Great, I love that spirit!
I can see nothing wrong in the Vista guest except, as I said, with the Experience Index. It crashes, it gives a BSOD , and it doesn't like it in general: Control Panel » System » Rating » Refresh.

Other than that, the Aero effects are working just fine. And by Aero effects I mean for example the WinKey+Tab cycle-through.

Edit: We posted together. The 64-bit you say, OK trying it!

[Rutger]

@socratis, not to be pushy, but I was wondering if you had already been able to give it a try with a 64-bit Vista guest?

[MuldeR]

I can see nothing wrong in the Vista guest except, as I said, with the Experience Index. It crashes, it gives a BSOD , and it doesn't like it in general: Control Panel » System » Rating » Refresh.

Other than that, the Aero effects are working just fine. And by Aero effects I mean for example the WinKey+Tab cycle-through.

TTBOMK, it is not possible to enable Aero, unless "Experience Index" has been successfully updated - and determined that your "graphics" score is high enough for Aero

@MuldeR
Not sure if you're "Rutger"....

Nope

[Rutger]

Just noting that:

• the problem still occurs with VirtualBox 6.0.4 and corresponding Guest Additions;
• for me, Aero also doesn't work in a 32 bit Vista guest, although the System Assessment Tool doesn't crash in that version;
• a downgrade to Guest Additions 5.2.26 (running on VirtualBox 6.0.4) does allow Aero to be enabled.

[MuldeR]

Just noting that:

• the problem still occurs with VirtualBox 6.0.4 and corresponding Guest Additions;
• a downgrade to Guest Additions 5.2.26 (running on VirtualBox 6.0.4) does allow Aero to be enabled.

I can confirm the above

vbox_v6-0-4_still_broken.png (15.41 KiB) Viewed 10871 times

[Rutger]

Problem still exists in VirtualBox 6.0.6 with version 6.0.6 of the Guest Additions. In line with previous behaviour, downgrading the Guest Additions to 5.2.28 makes Aero work again.

[MuldeR]

I can confirm, Guest Addition version 6.0.6 still broken

Screenshot VirtualBox Guest Additions v6.0.6

vbox_v6-0-6_still_broken.png (111.47 KiB) Viewed 10439 times

[MuldeR]

Tor whom it may interest: Gust additions v6.0.10 still broken on Windows Vista!

[BillG]

That is odd. I just updated mine with no problems at all! VirtualBox 6.0.10.

It is 32-bit, which may be significant. Windows Experience runs and returns a score of 1.0 (because of the graphics performance).

VistaGA.PNG