Slow graphics on ArcaOS (OS/2) when resolution is "large"

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jailbird2
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Joined: 2. Dec 2013, 07:14
Primary OS: Solaris
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Slow graphics on ArcaOS (OS/2) when resolution is "large"

Post by jailbird2 »

I've noticed this for a while now but I only recently figured out the situation.

On any version of VBox from the last couple of years, when you install ArcaOS (any version, I'm using 5.0.6 now), the default resolution is pretty low and everything is good. After installing the VBox Guest Additions and GRADD (in newer releases, ArcaOS will do this for you during install if you tell it to), everything is still pretty good up to about 1024x768. There's probably very slight lag, but nothing really noticeable unless you're specifically looking for it.

At 1280x1024, there's definitely noticeable UI lag just moving the cursor around. Eg, you can definitely see the mouse pointer "stutter" moving it to the XCenter menu button and clicking on something and selecting it.

At 1600x1000, the UI lag is so bad it's very aggregating trying to navigate around.

So it seems like the larger, the slower it is. This is basic 2D stuff, not 3D. Increasing the VRAM assigned to the VM doesn't help.

Is this a generic OS/2-related issue (eg, the way GRADD works), or is it a VBox guest additions issue?
mpack
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Re: Slow graphics on ArcaOS (OS/2) when resolution is "large"

Post by mpack »

Several problems with your underlying assumptions.

First, 3D acceleration provides almost direct access to host graphics hardware - so it speeds up all graphics, not just 3D CAD.

Unfortunately, there is no 3D acceleration for OS/2. The guests supported by the 3D acceleration feature are listed in the user manual, section 4.5.1.

Also see the list of generally supported guest OS in section 3.1. You'll see that OS/2 Warp 4.5 has legacy support (i.e. no 3D), but no other variants are mentioned.

This means that ArcaOS is not supported at all, hence is probably using basic VESA graphics only: a fully software virtual hardware rendering, same as Win9x etc - no VirtualBox guest drivers involved at all. This will always be slow especially as you increase the number of pixels that need to be moved around (which incidentally grows as the square of the DPI).
Is this a generic OS/2-related issue (eg, the way GRADD works), or is it a VBox guest additions issue?
I have no idea what GRADD is. If you post a VM log then we can establish if GAs are actually installed. This would surprise me since the user manual contains no indication that they exist. It may be a third party fork from the sources. A VM log would inform the discussion: make sure the VM is fully shut down, then right click it in the manager UI. Select "Show Log" and save "VBox.log" (no other file) to a zip file. Attach the zip here.
jailbird2
Posts: 6
Joined: 2. Dec 2013, 07:14
Primary OS: Solaris
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Linux,Windows,NetBSD

Re: Slow graphics on ArcaOS (OS/2) when resolution is "large"

Post by jailbird2 »

Sorry. So ArcaOS is a "continuation" of Warp 4.52, so it uses the OS/2 GAs. The GAs are loaded and function properly.

If I run the VM in fullscreen mode, it seems to work better. I don't have this problem with other guest OSs and others don't seem to have this problem when running ArcaOS under VBox under Windows. So it seems to be some weird macOS + VBox + OS/2 issue.

GRADD is the OS/2 graphical subsystem.
ghr
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Guest OSses: DOS, Win3x, Win95, WinXP, Ubuntu, OS/2

Re: Slow graphics on ArcaOS (OS/2) when resolution is "large"

Post by ghr »

From your first post: you load GA *and* GRADD? Can you do without GRADD in this case, just use ArcaOS "as is", albeit with GA? I have several OS/2 VM under VBox, up to typ. 1280*1024, Warp3 and more recent, never use GA, never have the issue. So another suggestion is to do without GA...
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