[Solved] ArchLinux Guest is flickering

Discussions about using Linux guests in VirtualBox.
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Rammstein78
Posts: 7
Joined: 19. Mar 2018, 18:25

[Solved] ArchLinux Guest is flickering

Post by Rammstein78 »

I am using VirtualBox Version 5.2.8 r121009 and installed the archlinux-2018.03.01-x86_64.iso file. When I start the VM the window start to flicker and it's very difficult to select an icon or to move between the programs.

Host is a MacBook ProRetina display 2015, 2,6 Ghz, 8GB ram. Other VM's run without problems and smoothly.

I have checked already most of the topics discussed here, but without success to find any solution. I also re-install my Mac OS and even that does not help.

Does anyone knows how to solve this issue ?
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VBox.log.zip
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socratis
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Re: ArchLinux Guest is flickering

Post by socratis »

Rammstein78 wrote:and installed the archlinux-2018.03.01-x86_64.iso file.
You haven't installed the Guest Additions yet. Install them and see if that changes the situation.

Moving to "Linux Guests" from "OSX Hosts".
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Rammstein78
Posts: 7
Joined: 19. Mar 2018, 18:25

Re: ArchLinux Guest is flickering

Post by Rammstein78 »

Hi,

I have installed Guest Additions, but the system is still flickering (when I open Firefox or any other app, the screen is blinking and it's very slow working). I have attached the latests log file.

Could you please have a look again ? If it's needed, I'll try to attach video snapshot file.

Thank you
Attachments
Screen Shot 2018-03-26 at 17.15.45.jpg
Screen Shot 2018-03-26 at 17.15.45.jpg (122.1 KiB) Viewed 4954 times
VBox.log.zip
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mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
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Primary OS: MS Windows 10
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Re: ArchLinux Guest is flickering

Post by mpack »

Try increasing the guest graphics RAM to something reasonable, e.g. you can afford to give it 128MB. 16MB is way too low for a 1136x600x32bpp display.

Also try with 3D acceleration enabled.
Rammstein78
Posts: 7
Joined: 19. Mar 2018, 18:25

Re: ArchLinux Guest is flickering

Post by Rammstein78 »

I have tried by adding 128MB as video memory and enable 3D acceleration. But no changes (last log file is attached). Also you can see video capture on how it works now at: https://1drv.ms/v/s!AgUSfD92C02xtnwdxZYTrtFjNUVF
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Rammstein78
Posts: 7
Joined: 19. Mar 2018, 18:25

Re: ArchLinux Guest is flickering

Post by Rammstein78 »

I have tried also with 256MB video memory, but no change. Last log file is attached.
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andyp73
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Posts: 1631
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Re: ArchLinux Guest is flickering

Post by andyp73 »

You'll need one of the real experts to give you an underlying behaviour but the last two log files seem to show a large number of requests to resize the display to the same resolution. I would expect that following a resize it will redraw the screen which would be perceived as flickering.

-Andy.
My crystal ball is currently broken. If you want assistance you are going to have to give me all of the necessary information.
Please don't ask me to do your homework for you, I have more than enough of my own things to do.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: ArchLinux Guest is flickering

Post by mpack »

Yes, this is looking more like a guest display driver fault. The guest is continuously requesting that the window (virtual display) resizes to the size it's already using. I thought this might be a symptom of lack of lack of graphics RAM, but it looks like that is not the case - though I assume btw that the guest OS was shut down for these display RAM changes, and wasn't just suspended or hibernated etc.

Googling I see other reports of screen flicker with Gnome, some suggesting a Linux kernel update is needed.
andyp73
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Joined: 25. May 2010, 23:48
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
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Re: ArchLinux Guest is flickering

Post by andyp73 »

That rang a bell and it looks to be the same as the problems someone experienced with Ubuntu 1710 screen flicker which was cured by disabling Wayland support.

-Andy.
My crystal ball is currently broken. If you want assistance you are going to have to give me all of the necessary information.
Please don't ask me to do your homework for you, I have more than enough of my own things to do.
Rammstein78
Posts: 7
Joined: 19. Mar 2018, 18:25

Re: ArchLinux Guest is flickering

Post by Rammstein78 »

That really helps

I have uncommented the following line: /etc/gdm/custom.conf

WaylandEnable=false

Thank you very much :)
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