Ubuntu 9.10 Problem

Discussions about using Linux guests in VirtualBox.
James Bond 007
Posts: 45
Joined: 17. Jan 2009, 02:51
Primary OS: MS Windows XP
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Ubuntu

Ubuntu 9.10 Problem

Post by James Bond 007 »

I have been a long time user of VMware Workstation (5.5, 6.0, 6.5 and now 7.0). It has worked fine except for a small problem : when I run Linux guests (Ubuntu, OpenSuse, Fedora) I always have to disable the sound or the virtual machine would hang when ran. As I can live without sound I have put up with that.

I want to see whether VirtualBox will do better with Linux guests. So I downloaded VirtualBox 3.1.2 and installed it in Windows XP x64.

This is the first time I tried VirtualBox. It works quite a bit differently from VMware Workstation and there are some irritating things but I can put up with that for now.

I created a 32 bit Ubuntu VM with 1GB RAM and 16GB hard disk, removing the floppy and changing the boot order, setting 2 CPU cores, and using Bridge Networking (what I use in VMware) but otherwise using defaults, and attempted to load the Ubuntu 9.10 ISO. The Live CD ran successfully, but already there was a problem : I could not change the screen resolution beyond 800x600 using the Display tool (VMware has no such problem). No problem, I thought, after completing the Ubuntu installation I could install the guest additions and that should fix the problem.

After the Ubuntu installation was completed, I restarted the virtual machine and sure enough, I could not change the screen resolution. At this time Ubuntu's update manager appeared and asked me to install updates. Sure, I thought, let's install the updates first. How wrong that was!

Ubuntu proceeded to download and install the updates. After completion Ubuntu was restarted. And now, there was sound, but the Ubuntu screen became completely garbled! As you can imagine I am not very happy about this. :evil: I restarted the VM but the same thing appeared. It seemed that the display was corrupted for some unknown reason after installing the updates. Of course that means I cannot install the guest additions.

At least with VMware Workstation I never had to deal with these issues. I am quite disappointed with VirtualBox. I thought VirtualBox had come a long way with 3.1.2 but it seemed that my confidence was misplaced. I have decided that if I cannot make it work soon, then I will do away with VirtualBox and just stick with VMware Workstation.

Is there anything I can do to try to solve this problem?
Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst.
Good things come in small packages.
Imagination is more important than knowledge.
When there is a will, there is a way.
Practice makes perfect.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
fixedwheel
Volunteer
Posts: 1699
Joined: 13. Sep 2008, 02:18

Re: Ubuntu 9.10 Problem

Post by fixedwheel »

but the Ubuntu screen became completely garbled!
...
At least with VMware Workstation I never had to deal with these issues.
in virtualbox, is 3d support for the guest enabled? Ubuntu may use it (compiz effects) by default if possible and this may fail - try disabeling 3d in the virtualbox guest settings
AFAIK not available with VMware, so Ubuntu won't use it and not have such a problem
James Bond 007
Posts: 45
Joined: 17. Jan 2009, 02:51
Primary OS: MS Windows XP
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Ubuntu

Re: Ubuntu 9.10 Problem

Post by James Bond 007 »

fixedwheel wrote:in virtualbox, is 3d support for the guest enabled? Ubuntu may use it (compiz effects) by default if possible and this may fail - try disabeling 3d in the virtualbox guest settings
AFAIK not available with VMware, so Ubuntu won't use it and not have such a problem
No, I checked and the 3D support was not enabled.
Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst.
Good things come in small packages.
Imagination is more important than knowledge.
When there is a will, there is a way.
Practice makes perfect.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
abcuser
Volunteer
Posts: 590
Joined: 10. May 2007, 20:03
Primary OS: Ubuntu other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Ubuntu, Windows XP

Re: Ubuntu 9.10 Problem

Post by abcuser »

Hi,
although there was many posts that xorg.conf is not needed to configure manually, I always have to changed this settings manually in VirtualBox guest Ubuntu since Ubuntu 6.10. I use Windows XP host.

For screen resolution I always have to manually add the following settings:

Code: Select all

gksudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf
Set Sections Device and Screen to the following settings:

Code: Select all

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Configured Video Device"
        Driver		"vboxvideo"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier		"Default Screen"
	Device			"VirtualBox graphics card"
	Monitor			"Generic Monitor"
	DefaultDepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		24
		Modes		"1024x768"
	EndSubSection
EndSection
I use 1024x768 screen resolution, if you would like to use something else, then set your own settings.
Regards
James Bond 007
Posts: 45
Joined: 17. Jan 2009, 02:51
Primary OS: MS Windows XP
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Ubuntu

Re: Ubuntu 9.10 Problem

Post by James Bond 007 »

abcuser wrote:Hi,
although there was many posts that xorg.conf is not needed to configure manually, I always have to changed this settings manually in VirtualBox guest Ubuntu since Ubuntu 6.10. I use Windows XP host.

For screen resolution I always have to manually add the following settings:

Code: Select all

gksudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf
Set Sections Device and Screen to the following settings:

Code: Select all

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Configured Video Device"
        Driver		"vboxvideo"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier		"Default Screen"
	Device			"VirtualBox graphics card"
	Monitor			"Generic Monitor"
	DefaultDepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		24
		Modes		"1024x768"
	EndSubSection
EndSection
I use 1024x768 screen resolution, if you would like to use something else, then set your own settings.
Regards
Thank you. But how am I supposed to change that file? The Ubuntu VM was completely garbled after starting, and I can't even install the guest additions. I just don't see how to edit that file within the VM.

I am quite surprised to see that VirtualBox will not allow me to raise the screen resolution beyond 800x600 after installing Ubuntu. I wonder why. And your case was also strange in that you have to manaully edit that file to get your preferred resolution.
Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst.
Good things come in small packages.
Imagination is more important than knowledge.
When there is a will, there is a way.
Practice makes perfect.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
gionn
Posts: 5
Joined: 10. Aug 2009, 14:02
Primary OS: Mac OS X Leopard
VBox Version: OSE Debian
Guest OSses: Linux, Windows
Location: Italy
Contact:

Re: Ubuntu 9.10 Problem

Post by gionn »

Changing xorg.conf has no effects in the latest ubuntu, everything get configured by hal.

Unfortunately, I am using without problems Ubuntu 9.10 i386 on Mac host, your situation is quite strange.

Retry with a clean reinstall, from your post I can't see anything strange, my settings are the same!
abcuser
Volunteer
Posts: 590
Joined: 10. May 2007, 20:03
Primary OS: Ubuntu other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Ubuntu, Windows XP

Re: Ubuntu 9.10 Problem

Post by abcuser »

James Bond 007 wrote:I am quite surprised to see that VirtualBox will not allow me to raise the screen resolution beyond 800x600 after installing Ubuntu. I wonder why. And your case was also strange in that you have to manaully edit that file to get your preferred resolution.
Hi,
this is probably not the problem of VirtualBox alone, but of X not expecting to run in virtual environment. I don't see this as a strange, I have manually configured tons of setting in almost any product out there. It is just impossible to expect that all the hardware on the world will work fine with VirtualBox (or any other program).
Regards
abcuser
Volunteer
Posts: 590
Joined: 10. May 2007, 20:03
Primary OS: Ubuntu other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Ubuntu, Windows XP

Re: Ubuntu 9.10 Problem

Post by abcuser »

gionn wrote:Changing xorg.conf has no effects in the latest ubuntu, everything get configured by hal.
Yes, I have read this on forums, but it was not working until I have set this settings manually. If I delete this settings, then I get back to old screen resolution, so it's got to be this settings after all.
James Bond 007
Posts: 45
Joined: 17. Jan 2009, 02:51
Primary OS: MS Windows XP
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Ubuntu

Re: Ubuntu 9.10 Problem

Post by James Bond 007 »

abcuser wrote:Hi,
this is probably not the problem of VirtualBox alone, but of X not expecting to run in virtual environment. I don't see this as a strange, I have manually configured tons of setting in almost any product out there. It is just impossible to expect that all the hardware on the world will work fine with VirtualBox (or any other program).
Regards
But as I have already stated, there is no such problem in VMware Workstation 6.5 or 7.0. Even without installing VMware Tools (the equivalent of the guest additions) I am able to change the resolution well beyond 800x600. And the mouse can move between the host and the guest.

Do I need to reinstall Ubuntu in Virtualbox from the beginning?
Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst.
Good things come in small packages.
Imagination is more important than knowledge.
When there is a will, there is a way.
Practice makes perfect.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
gallaharsha
Posts: 2
Joined: 22. Dec 2009, 16:03
Primary OS: MS Windows XP
VBox Version: OSE other
Guest OSses: Ubuntu and Fedora

Re: Ubuntu 9.10 Problem

Post by gallaharsha »

Hey James Bond,

Can you please help me out, Ubuntu guest not able to connect to network..so no updates and nothing...

thanks in advance
stefan.becker
Volunteer
Posts: 7639
Joined: 7. Jun 2007, 21:53

Re: Ubuntu 9.10 Problem

Post by stefan.becker »

gallaharsha wrote:Hey James Bond,

Can you please help me out, Ubuntu guest not able to connect to network..so no updates and nothing...

thanks in advance
Own problem, own Thread. This has nothing to do with the origin question. So stop entering this thread.
stefan.becker
Volunteer
Posts: 7639
Joined: 7. Jun 2007, 21:53

Re: Ubuntu 9.10 Problem

Post by stefan.becker »

James Bond 007 wrote:
abcuser wrote:Hi,
this is probably not the problem of VirtualBox alone, but of X not expecting to run in virtual environment. I don't see this as a strange, I have manually configured tons of setting in almost any product out there. It is just impossible to expect that all the hardware on the world will work fine with VirtualBox (or any other program).
Regards
But as I have already stated, there is no such problem in VMware Workstation 6.5 or 7.0. Even without installing VMware Tools (the equivalent of the guest additions) I am able to change the resolution well beyond 800x600. And the mouse can move between the host and the guest.

Do I need to reinstall Ubuntu in Virtualbox from the beginning?
VMWARE Drivers for Linux are Open Source and so often included in Linux Distros.

In your case you have to install the GA and edit a properly xorg.conf. See the Linux GA Howto in the Linux Guest Area.
James Bond 007
Posts: 45
Joined: 17. Jan 2009, 02:51
Primary OS: MS Windows XP
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Ubuntu

Re: Ubuntu 9.10 Problem

Post by James Bond 007 »

stefan.becker wrote:VMWARE Drivers for Linux are Open Source and so often included in Linux Distros.

In your case you have to install the GA and edit a properly xorg.conf. See the Linux GA Howto in the Linux Guest Area.
As I have stated above, since the Ubuntu display became completely garbled after installing the Ubuntu updates, I am unable to install the Guest Additions and unable to edit the xorg.conf or whatever file I need. The Ubuntu virtual machine just displays patches of colours and I can't see anything.

Yes, I am aware that VMware drivers (at least the mouse drivers) are often included with the Linux distributions. May be that's why VMware Workstation works better then?
Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst.
Good things come in small packages.
Imagination is more important than knowledge.
When there is a will, there is a way.
Practice makes perfect.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
tato100
Posts: 1
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 09:51
Primary OS: MS Windows 7
VBox Version: OSE Debian
Guest OSses: ubuntu

Re: Ubuntu 9.10 Problem

Post by tato100 »

I am new with ubuntu and I have the same poroblem:
installed virtualBox on win 7
installed ubuntu machine - works fine but resolution cannot be change.
installed guest addition - cannot use any more the screen garbled....
Any ideas?
Tnx
:D
crcook60
Posts: 2
Joined: 31. Dec 2009, 14:07
Primary OS: MS Windows 7
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: ubuntu 9.10

Re: Ubuntu 9.10 Problem

Post by crcook60 »

Good morning. I am a newbie with virtual machines (virtualbox being my first,) and I am having the same problem as James Bond: the installation of the latest release of Ubuntu goes well but once the updates are applied, and the guest is restarted, the display becomes garbled rendering the guest unusable as far as I can tell, meaning that there appears to be no way to edit/change any display driver setting. I will try to recreate the machine this morning without applying any updates to see if the installation will run successfully without updated packages ( not a great idea,) but not sure how to proceed otherwise. Also I will check the ubuntu forums, but this seemed a good place to start. I have been reading the FAQs and the virtual box manual, and if there is some basic information that I should already have read that addresses this issue, please point me in the right direction.

Thank you.
Carl
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