screen too small and mouse not moving smoothly

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Mac OS X hosts.
Post Reply
reallywhatwhat
Posts: 8
Joined: 26. Jun 2022, 11:38

screen too small and mouse not moving smoothly

Post by reallywhatwhat »

Hi everyone, I'm new to this world.
I tried to install Windows on virtual box (on a MacOS Monterey).
The problem I have is that the screen remains too small. I can't enlarge it to a decent size, even if I try it, unless I go to settings, DISPLAY and put 200%.
Also the mouse cursor doesn't move smoothly.
Windows also asks me for the serial number when it should be free (according to some tutorial on youtube.
Any advice?
Thank you
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: screen too small and mouse not moving smoothly

Post by mpack »

Windows was never "free", it has always required a product key since Win9x days at least. Online activation however was not a thing until XP.

Graphics performance will be better when you've installed the Guest Additions. p.s. I advise following chapter 1 of the user manual, not some random YouTube video.
reallywhatwhat
Posts: 8
Joined: 26. Jun 2022, 11:38

Re: screen too small and mouse not moving smoothly

Post by reallywhatwhat »

Where do I find chapter one? (excuse the ignorance, is it in this forum?)
And why do they say that Windows is free in these tutorials?
Cheers
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: screen too small and mouse not moving smoothly

Post by scottgus1 »

The Virtualbox manual comes with Virtualbox, see the Help menu, Contents.

For slow VMs on a Retina Mac, try running Virtualbox in low resolution:
solution by '63BottlesOfBeer' and 'sigismund'
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=90446&start=75#p470879
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=91864&p=491209#p491209
1. Navigate to Apps folder. Choose VirtualBox.app
2. Right click on VirtualBox.app, Show Package Contents.
3. Contents -> Resources -> VirtualBoxVM.app (right click -> Get info)
4. Check the "Open in Low Resolution" checkbox.
5. Run the Virtual Machine in 100% scale mode.
reallywhatwhat wrote:why do they say that Windows is free in these tutorials?
People can 'say' anything they want, but what's really true can be different. Windows is not free. You pay for it somehow, either by having it rolled into the cost of a new computer, or by purchasing a license for it.

Microsoft has eased up a bit on Windows in recent time by allowing people to use unpurchased unactivated Windows in a crippled fashion. They also let people try uncrippled Windows for a certain amount of time under various offers. One can try Windows Enterprise level for some six months. But once that time runs out, then it's 'pay up or delete' time. Maybe this is what the tutorials refer to when they say Windows is "free".
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: screen too small and mouse not moving smoothly

Post by mpack »

reallywhatwhat wrote:Where do I find chapter one?
User manual - Chapter 1.

And as Scott mentions, you have a copy of the User Manual PDF in the VirtualBox program folder, and in the F1 help while running the VM manager.
reallywhatwhat
Posts: 8
Joined: 26. Jun 2022, 11:38

Re: screen too small and mouse not moving smoothly

Post by reallywhatwhat »

I had a little experience using Windows 10 on virtual machine and unfortunately it was slow and the cursor was not very easy to manage. Do you reckon that with the right knowledge il could become as smooth as using Windows on its own machine?
Thank you
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: screen too small and mouse not moving smoothly

Post by scottgus1 »

reallywhatwhat wrote:as smooth as using Windows on its own machine?
Depending on what you're doing, yes. Word processing, spreadsheeting, web browsing, yes. Windows-only high-frame-rate gaming, not so well.

A possible fix for the 200% and mouse issue is above. Did it help?
reallywhatwhat
Posts: 8
Joined: 26. Jun 2022, 11:38

Re: screen too small and mouse not moving smoothly

Post by reallywhatwhat »

Is Linux a browser that can work well with less hassle than windows?
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: screen too small and mouse not moving smoothly

Post by scottgus1 »

reallywhatwhat wrote:Is Linux a browser that can work well with less hassle than windows?
This does not answer my question above:
scottgus1 wrote:A possible fix for the 200% and mouse issue is above. Did it help?
reallywhatwhat
Posts: 8
Joined: 26. Jun 2022, 11:38

Re: screen too small and mouse not moving smoothly

Post by reallywhatwhat »

Yes it helped. It would be used mainly for web browsing.
PS And forgive me Linux is an OS, not a browser.
reallywhatwhat
Posts: 8
Joined: 26. Jun 2022, 11:38

Re: screen too small and mouse not moving smoothly

Post by reallywhatwhat »

Windows is now running but the cursor is really annoying as it's not smooth in the movements as it should be. Any tip?
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: screen too small and mouse not moving smoothly

Post by scottgus1 »

Please show a screenshot of the host OS settings with the changes made in the '63BottlesOfBeer' suggestion above, posted using the forum's Upload Attachment tab.

Also, Start the VM from full normal shutdown, not save-state. Run until you see the problem happen, then shut down the VM from within the VM's OS if possible. If not possible, close the Virtualbox window for the VM with the Power Off option set.

Right-click the VM in the main Virtualbox window's VM list, choose Show Log. Save the far left tab's log, zip it, and post the zip file, using the forum's Upload Attachment tab.
Post Reply