Windows 10 guest does not show any 16:9 resolutions

Discussions about using Windows guests in VirtualBox.
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LucianC.
Posts: 4
Joined: 7. Oct 2019, 14:17

Windows 10 guest does not show any 16:9 resolutions

Post by LucianC. »

Hello,

I have a Windows 10 host @ 1920x1080 and I need a Windows 10 guest wide screen at least 1366x768. I have found some topics on this subject but it seems does not apply to me. Host is Windows 10 1903 / VirtualBox 6.0.12

What I have tried:
  • set the Virtual Box Manager Display Preferences: Maximum Guest Screen Size=None - this get me to the maximum resolution of 1920x1440
  • Machine Settings\Display: Graphics Controller: VBoxSVGA and DISABLED "3D Acceleration" and "2D Video Acceleration" (tried each Graphics Controller VBoxVGA/VMSVGA but no 16:9 resolutions)
  • Installed/re-installed the "Guest additions"
  • The command:

    Code: Select all

    VBoxManage.exe setextradata "GuestName" CustomVideoMode1 1366x768x32
However the command:

Code: Select all

VBoxManage controlvm "GuestName" setvideomodehint 1366 768 32
worked, but this is the only 16:9 resolution I get...

So for my understanding VirtualBox does NOT support 16:9 resolution navively, only using the commandline?

Kind regards,
Lucian
socratis
Site Moderator
Posts: 27330
Joined: 22. Oct 2010, 11:03
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Win(*>98), Linux*, OSX>10.5
Location: Greece

Re: Windows 10 guest does not show any 16:9 resolutions

Post by socratis »

LucianC. wrote:So for my understanding VirtualBox does NOT support 16:9 resolution natively, only using the command-line?
Would you ask the same question to Acer/Apple/Dell/HP/Lenovo/etc.? Because VirtualBox provides the hardware, with some additional software goodies. It's up to the guests to figure out the available resolutions, and given the fact that there's no indication about a 16:9/16:10/4:3/5:4 aspect ratio, it sometimes is a hit and miss...

If that command works, then count your blessings... ;)
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LucianC.
Posts: 4
Joined: 7. Oct 2019, 14:17

Re: Windows 10 guest does not show any 16:9 resolutions

Post by LucianC. »

socratis wrote:It's up to the guests to figure out the available resolutions
Thank you socratis, but I was used with VMWare Workstation where all the resolutions were available inside guest as on the host, and a command line it seems to me too complicated when you want to test something at different resolutions. In this case I think is a problem of "Guest Additions" or the way the video card is emulated.

But never mind, I finally found an easier way (no command line) - just I wasn't looking in the right direction (just a matter of habit). The answer was NOT inside the guest as I was used... it were on the VM meniu - View=>Virtual Screen where are available ALL the resolutions... :wink:
socratis
Site Moderator
Posts: 27330
Joined: 22. Oct 2010, 11:03
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Win(*>98), Linux*, OSX>10.5
Location: Greece

Re: Windows 10 guest does not show any 16:9 resolutions

Post by socratis »

LucianC. wrote:it were on the VM menu - View=>Virtual Screen where are available ALL the resolutions...
Actually, I have a serious problem with that specific menu, because it doesn't include my favorite 1280x1024... ;)
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
Do NOT reply with the "QUOTE" button, please use the "POST REPLY", at the bottom of the form.
If you obfuscate any information requested, I will obfuscate my response. These are virtual UUIDs, not real ones.
Pietro-M
Posts: 1
Joined: 24. Jun 2020, 12:55

Re: Windows 10 guest does not show any 16:9 resolutions

Post by Pietro-M »

After I had changed one of my three screen and at the same time I update VM to 6.1 (Versione 6.1.10 r138449 (Qt5.6.2)) I cant have ANY 16:9 guest screen. And the enumeration of the scree in host is 3-2-1 (from left to right) but in VMbox is 3-1-2.
I tried all the method I could find in the forum and stackoverflow, but no-result. The screen size proposed are all 4:3. and if I force 1366x368 or other 16:9 resolutions, the guest start with the 4:3 with same width... :(
Until I had the old screen and 6.0 VM, I was able to choice the full scree on my screens, one of them to 1366x768, the other to 1280x1024.
Host is windows 10, guest is windows 10. If I run a ubuntu guest, it works! So I think something is wrong in guest addition (i tried to reinstall both VM and guest addition w/o result)
Any idea?

P.
bender00
Posts: 2
Joined: 12. Aug 2020, 23:01

Re: Windows 10 guest does not show any 16:9 resolutions

Post by bender00 »

You must install the Extension Pack

With your VM closed download VirtualBox 6.1.12 Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack (or the one that matches your VBox version). The downloading will install it in your VBox

Open your Windows 10 VM

In File Explorer you will find the Extension Pack as disk drive. Open it and the extension pack will install

Restart your VM
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Windows 10 guest does not show any 16:9 resolutions

Post by scottgus1 »

bender00 wrote:You must install the Extension Pack
Installing the Extension Pack is not supposed to influence guest screen size. How did you discover this, Bender? And can you show proof?
bender00
Posts: 2
Joined: 12. Aug 2020, 23:01

Re: Windows 10 guest does not show any 16:9 resolutions

Post by bender00 »

I did yesterday in my desktop computer when looking for a solution. I don't know why, but install the Guest additions of the Extension Pack worked for me.

I repeated today in my laptop and took some screenshots
Attachments
screen resolutions after
screen resolutions after
after.png (35.18 KiB) Viewed 10334 times
scrren resolutions before
scrren resolutions before
before.png (38.8 KiB) Viewed 10334 times
Elwexo
Posts: 28
Joined: 22. Jul 2020, 09:22

Re: Windows 10 guest does not show any 16:9 resolutions

Post by Elwexo »

You do indeed need the guest addons installed for this to work correctly. For custom resolutions, locate your vboxmanage binary and run:

VBoxManage setextradata global GUI/MaxGuestResolution any
VBoxManage setextradata Machine_Name "CustomVideoMode1" "Width x Height x Bpp"
VBoxManage controlvm Machine_Name setvideomodehint Width Height Bpp

e.g.

VBoxManage setextradata global GUI/MaxGuestResolution any
VBoxManage setextradata "Elwexo's Win VM" "CustomVideoMode1" "1024 x 768 x 32"
VBoxManage controlvm "Machine Name" setvideomodehint 1024 768 32

Make sure you have adequate video RAM allocated to the guest to support the mode you're using. I just set all mine to the maximum which is 256Mb.

VBoxManage modifyvm "Elwexo's Win VM" --vram 256
andRos
Posts: 1
Joined: 4. Jan 2022, 14:53

Re: Windows 10 guest does not show any 16:9 resolutions

Post by andRos »

VBoxManage setextradata "Elwexo's Win VM" "CustomVideoMode1" "1024 x 768 x 32"
the resolution should be without spaces, e.g.:

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VBoxManage setextradata "Elwexo's Win VM" "CustomVideoMode1" "1024x768x32"
the name of the machine can be obtained with:

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vboxmanage list vms
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