How do I get true fullsceen ubuntu guest ?

bobdobbs · Post by **bobdobbs** » 16. May 2008, 08:56

Hi.
I'm running an ubuntu Heron guest on windows XP on an acer laptop.

I searched these forums, and found this thread.
http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic. ... ull+screen

It was helpful, 'cos it showed me how to install the guest additions on linux.

But, even after a reboot, I couldn't get the guest to fill the screen.

When I go into full screen mode, the guest is centered, surrounded by black space.

How do I get it occupy the whole screen ?

Thanks.

dewittdale · Post by **dewittdale** » 16. May 2008, 14:39

Upper Left "Machine" dropdown >Auto-resize Guest Display

Post by **Sasquatch** » 16. May 2008, 16:12

Also make sure that the resolution is supported and you have the vbox video in your xorg.conf file. Resolution support is usually not an issue

. You just need to check if you have vboxvideo set as driver, then hit the resize Guest to window size.

dewittdale · Post by **dewittdale** » 16. May 2008, 16:59

If, yes, then draw the box to full size and hit Auto-resize Guest Display. If the display is set smaller than you want Adjust Window Size will instantaneously move the rectangle to that configuration. And no amount of initial redrawing will expand unless settings are played with.

bobdobbs · Post by **bobdobbs** » 17. May 2008, 00:40

Thanks for the responses guys.

using "Auto-resize Guest Display" won't work, so it seems that
I must configure the xorg.conf.

I'll figure out how to do that, then I'll do it and report back
to let you know my progress.

Thanks.

bobdobbs · Post by **bobdobbs** » 17. May 2008, 06:42

Some luck... kinda

Turns out that xorg.conf is alreasy altered. Perhaps this was done when I ran the script for the guest additions?

But something odd happened

Usually, when I try to go into seamless mode, the option to do so is greyed out in the menu. But, just one time it wasn't. So, I did it.
I found that seamless mode wasn't to my taste, so I went out of it.

Lo and behold. I had true fullscreen mode!

I was able to do this a couple of times:
Go from seamless mode to fullscreen.

Trouble is, seamless mode is greyed out most of the time. I don't have the option to use it.

Where do I go from here to get fullscreen mode?

(So tantalisingly close!)

J2R · Post by **J2R** » 17. May 2008, 13:32

bobdobbs wrote:using "Auto-resize Guest Display" won't work,

This is my experience too. If I have a Windows XP guest running at 1024x768 and I go to Fullscreen Mode, it automatically expands to 1680x1050 (i.e., my full screen size). With (K)ubuntu, it stays at the same size, albeit with a black border around it, and the 'Adjust window size' and 'Auto-resize guest display' options have no effect. Vista host running 1.5.6.

bobdobbs · Post by **bobdobbs** » 17. May 2008, 15:30

Hm.
This is unfortunate.

I still don't know wether this is a bug, or if it is plain impossible to get that full screen size reliably.
I've done it before by accident (as per above post) by switching to seamless mode and then to fullscreen.

But, I can't even make it switch to seamless mode when I want to.

The manual doesn't seem to cover this either.

Is there anyone else out there with an ubuntu guest on an XP host, who can get this to work fullscreen ?

dewittdale · Post by **dewittdale** » 18. May 2008, 18:13

Heck, it don't do much good to just tell you my xphostubutuguest setup expands full then throttles backforth flawlessly. But you asked. Hardy.

bobdobbs · Post by **bobdobbs** » 18. May 2008, 22:45

It does so some good - I now have more of an idea that it can be actually be done, so I'll give vb more time before I give up on it and try another solution.

My situation at the moment is the same -
I know I can get fullscreen mode if I first put it into seamless mode, and then back into "non-seamless mode", and then try to make it fullscreen.

But, the seamless mode option is now greyed out all the time.
So that route is forbidden to me.

Anyone got any suggestions on how I enable seamless mode?

J2R · Post by **J2R** » 18. May 2008, 22:49

What version of VB are you running?

bobdobbs · Post by **bobdobbs** » 18. May 2008, 23:06

I'm using version 1.6.0, on windows XP on an acer extansa laptop
The guest OS is ubuntu 8.0.4
Guest additions are installed.

I managed to get seamless mode working a couple of times, but by complete accident. I don't know what I did to get it working.

In the menu, the option to go into seamless mode is greyed out.
But for me, seamless mode is just a means to an end:
If I can enter seamless mode, then exit it, I can then enter fullscreen mode and actually have the guest occupy the entire screen.

I'd also like to know whether I'm doing something wrong/ missing something from the docs, or whether I'm colliding against limitations in VB.

Any idea?

dewittdale · Post by **dewittdale** » 18. May 2008, 23:43

You ran your guest additions again?

bobdobbs · Post by **bobdobbs** » 19. May 2008, 00:45

Yes.

I installed them initially when I installed the guest OS.

Then, when I discovered that other users had similair problem solved after installing guest additions, I ran the additions installation script again.

Alas, still no joy.

dewittdale · Post by **dewittdale** » 19. May 2008, 01:32

On a slightly different vein I experienced mouse inaccuracies in gnome products with hardy. Proof came from prior and after of dropdown multiple selection fields. KDE, no problem. 1.6 8.0.4 Also the terminal doesn't retain history in any brand terminal but gnome's won't behave with right click. It multiplies instances for each right click (i.e., to paste into terminal)(the menu way works fine)(KDE's OK) The gnome trick is in clicking just the very edge to have a fixed expansion view. Otherwise one has to hold down the (two-button) mouse and then let go to get the selection. That's why I retain my 7.10 instances on virtualbox. Oh, well. Not any complaints I can see regarding this problem. Either on the web or ubuntu or virtualbox search engines. Got to have guest additions. Personally I think ubuntu pushed this version out carelessly. Just my anger probably.