Are VboxSVGA and VMSVGA ready to replace VboxVGA?

[wroot]

I have updated Vbox to 6.0.12 and saw the warning about VboxVGA being deprecated in the future. So i went and tried VboxSVGA and VMSVGA in my Windows 10 VM with 3D acceleration enabled. I don't get 3D effects in my VM with these newer settings. So i wonder if they are ready to replace new one or is it still a work in progress and this warning is designed to get more users to test them and report issues before old one is deprecated?

I have also tried to switch some of my Linux VMs to either of the new settings (not using 3D in them though) and getting freezes and black screens on some of them. Although new VMs are already created with VMSVGA and seem to work ok.

Also, which one of these two is more preferred going forward? Or maybe one is better for Linux machines and another for Windows?

[scottgus1]

is it still a work in progress and this warning is designed to get more users to test them and report issues before old one is deprecated?

Yes, still in development.

one is better for Linux machines and another for Windows?

Yes, the manual says Virtualbox wants VboxSVGA for Windows 7 & later and VMSVGA for Linux.

I don't know what Vista & earlier will use: will they roll up to VboxSVGA too and VboxVGA will go away entirely, or will VboxVGA remain but be un-3D-able for older Windows guests?

[wroot]

Yes, warning is not shown for VMs with VboxVGA and no 3D. I have tried both new settings on one old WinXP VM and with both mouse cursor was slow, but with VboxVGA it works ok.

[VM-F4n[2]]

I'm updated VirtualBox today (6.0.12) and my Win7-VM shows this message too.
I'm now on VBoxSVGA (with 3D) with this vm.
It's working.

I'm interested in the differents of all of this.

[Raspero]

I found that using VMSVGA in Arch Linux with the LXQt desktop, after upgrading to Guest Additions 6.0.12, I do not get full-screen. I had to go back to VBoxVGA

Richard

[bmfesta2009]

I agree that they aren't ready. I have tried VBoxSVGA and I notice that Chrome Browser and Microsoft Office apps don't render at all, pure white boxes in their place. Happy to help diagnose this since it's going away in 6.1.

[socratis]

since it's going away in 6.1

So, what exactly are you going to lose, if and when 6.1 comes out? You have plenty of options! 1) stick with 6.0.x, 2) disable 3D acceleration, 3) wait and the bugs will eventually be fixed.

You (all of you) need to calm down. It's not the end of the world. The developers wanted to put some pressure on you to make sure that issues are reported. And it seems to work...

[VM-F4n[2]]

I'm updated VirtualBox today (6.0.12) and my Win7-VM shows this message too.
I'm now on VBoxSVGA (with 3D) with this vm.
It's working.

I'm interested in the differents of all of this.

Who knows it?

[multiOS]

VGA and SVGA are standard computer terms. Try googling the differences between the two terms, the standards for such devices; and the expected capabilities to meet each standard and it should be clear what improvements the developers are aiming to bring to the party. AFAIK only the developers can really know how far along the path they are with their development, but it would be inappropriate to label something as 'SVGA' if it didn't conform to the general description of such a graphics device.

[socratis]

I'm interested in the differents of all of this.

This article pretty much sums it up quite nicely. I hope the OP (grawity) won't mind if I C/P the answer for posterity. My notes in red.

VBoxVGA
This emulates a graphics adapter specific to VirtualBox, the same as in previous versions (<6.0.0).

• This is the default for images created for previous versions of VirtualBox (<6.0.0) and for Windows guests before Windows 7. OSX guests too, haven't gone through the source code for others.
• It has some form of 3D passthrough, but - if I remember correctly - uses an insecure approach that just lets the guest dump any and all commands to the host GPU. And that's exactly the reason why the 3D+VBoxVGA is being dumped itself.
• Using it on a Linux guest requires installing the guest additions because this adapter is not (yet) supported by the mainline Linux kernel. Not quite true, mainline kernel has added support for that.
• Only supports OpenGL 1.1 on 64bit Windows 10 and all Linux guests.

This option likely exists just to provide continuity - after upgrading to 6.0, all old VMs have this mode selected automatically so there's no unexpected change in behavior; you don't lose whatever acceleration you previously had.

VMSVGA
This emulates the VMware Workstation graphics adapter with the "VMware SVGA 3D" acceleration method.

• Contrary to what the manual says, this is currently the default for Linux guests. This has been addressed in the User Manual already.
• It is supposed to provide better performance and security than the old method. Security yes, performance not yet...
• This is supported by the mainline Linux kernel using the SVGA driver.
• Supports OpenGL 2.1 on all Windows and Linux guests.
• It might also have the advantage of supporting old operating systems which had VMware guest additions available but not VirtualBox guest additions. (I plan to test this with Windows 9x, which is otherwise a massive pain to get even VESA graphics working with VirtualBox)

VBoxSVGA
This provides a hybrid device that works like VMSVGA (including its new 3D acceleration capabilities), but reports the same old PCI VID:PID as VBoxVGA.

• This is the default for Windows guests.
• The advantage of this mode is that you can upgrade existing VMs (which previously used VBoxVGA and had the VirtualBox Video driver installed) and they don't lose their graphics in the process - they still see the same device, until you upgrade the "guest additions" at any later time to enable 3D acceleration.
• Also, because it's still VMware SVGA emulated by VirtualBox, choosing this option and using the VirtualBox driver may still have advantages over the VMware one, e.g. allow to make use of VirtualBox-specific additional features.

None
This is, obviously, no emulated graphics at all. Only use it if you provide a real GPU via PCI passthrough, or if your system absolutely doesn't need a GPU.

[teckel]

I too saw the warning about VBoxVGA being deprecated. I tried VBoxSVGA and VMSVGA and this is what I encountered:

1) Both were extremely slow. Seems like little to no hardware acceleration.
2) Couldn't run some programs. Microsoft Word for example loads, but the entire display is corrupt and can't be used.

I'm running the latest Windows 10 and the latest VirtualBox Guest Additions installed. I could only run VBoxSVGA and VMSVGA for about 2 minutes before I had to shut down and try another. Also, all other settings remained the same.

I can absolutely verify that VBoxSVGA and VMSVGA are not ready for Windows 10. I'll be monitoring releases and maybe not upgrading if the only working graphics controller is removed. Oracle, I hope you're reading this!

Tim

[socratis]

I can absolutely verify that VBoxSVGA and VMSVGA are not ready for Windows 10

You didn't even bother to read the post right above yours, did you?

[recluce]

I can absolutely verify that VBoxSVGA and VMSVGA are not ready for Windows 10

You didn't even bother to read the post right above yours, did you?

I am not sure what the post you mentioned should help. I encounter the following show stopper issues (Arch Linux host with NVidia Graphics / Proprietary NVidia Drivers, Windows 7 Guest), none of which are addressed in that post:

• VMSVGA does not work (black screen), which is apparently expected for this combination of host/guest and not a big deal
• VBoxSVGA is extremely slow on a beefy workstation with the following additional issues:
• Significant graphic glitches with basic Aero functionality, like drawing windows correctly
• Issues with resizing the VM window (slow, graphic glitches)
• Some Windows software does not display at all (Black or white windows

In short, I can only stay on VBoxVGA and VirtualBox 6.0.x until this is fixed. To me that indicates "not production ready" for the new graphics subsystems.

[socratis]

I am not sure what the post you mentioned should help.

The 2nd post of the thread, by 'scottgus1':

Yes, the manual says Virtualbox wants VboxSVGA for Windows 7 & later and VMSVGA for Linux.

Just like you for example, you mention both VBoxSVGA and VMSVGA in the same post, without even mentioning the guest, there's no way we can make heads or tails...

To me that indicates "not production ready" for the new graphics subsystems.

Yes. You should be reading the thread from the beginning too it seems. From the same post from 'scottgus1' again (thanks Scott):

Yes, still in development.

[recluce]

I mentioned quite clearly "Arch Linux host with NVidia Graphics / Proprietary NVidia Drivers, Windows 7 Guest" in my post, so I am not the only one how might not read thoroughly enough.

"Still in development" confirms "not production ready", thanks. What I don't understand is why the working driver is deprecated before the new one is actually ready for prime time.