Windows guest sluggishness / lag with mouse pointer

[lastal]

Hi, I installed Windows XP SP2 guest, and I'm experiencing strong sluggishness or lag with the mouse pointer.

For example, if I drag any window on the desktop with my mouse, the window follows with a delay. I can see the mouse pointer following behind too, when I'm moving the mouse over the Windows guest area. And if I move it for a long time, the window continues the mouse path behind until reaches the end of the movement path. This affects also mouse movements in a CAD program I'm using in Windows, making it almost impossible to draw simple lines in it.

I've noticed from older posts this has been a problem before, but I couldn't really find an answer to solve it.

I've installed the GAs, so I'm able for instance scale the screen full (or any other resolution) etc.

MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016), VirtualBox version 5.1.14, Mac OSX 10.12.3, Windows XP SP2.

Thanks in advance!

[socratis]

MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2016), VirtualBox version 5.1.14, Mac OSX 10.12.3, Windows XP SP2.

There have been more and more reports of the symptoms that you describe with 10.12.3 lately (actually since that update came out). I haven't seen any bug reports about it, or I don't remember. A quick search will show...

[socratis]

I found something "similar", but the ticket was observed on Linux guests only, i.e. no mention about Windows hosts: #16436: windows drag and resize slowly, up to several seconds behind mouse. performance otherwise is fine.

A quick and dirty test to see if it is the same issue is provided by the reporter:

to see the bug, just run a live installer like fedora, debian, or red hat. open an app window and try to drag it around. you can even run the mouse in loops or circles than sit back and watch the window follow its trail.

If that's the case, add a comment to the ticket. For what's it worth, I do not see that behavior on a 10.9.5 host.

[ideanl]

Try checking "Use Unscaled HiDPI Output" under Display in the machine settings.

[lastal]

Thank you socratis and idealn for your replies!

I tried checking "Use Unscaled HiDPI Output" under Display in the machine settings, and it did help somewhat – the lag in moving a window in the guest os desktop vanished. However, the texts in the interface becomes overwhelmingly hard to read. And scaling it larger brought back the problem.

And, in addition, using "unscaled HiDPI output" didn't change the problem with sluggish mouse movements in a CAD program I'm using in Windows, it still makes it almost impossible to draw a simple line in it. The mouse pointer is really a lot behind, I can watch a short movement taking several seconds (and longer movements a lot more).

And yes, socratis, it seems like the same problem you pointed for me (with OSX 10.12 and Linux guest).

Hope there will be a bug fix soon!

Thanks.

[cs2015]

Still unresolved unfortunately. I reverted to 5.0.30 which solves the problem.
(I'm using MacOS 10.12.3 and Win XP Pro SP3 guest)

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=81247

[socratis]

@cs2015
Posting on every other thread that has the same problem is going to lead you nowhere. I didn't notice you posting a ticket for the developers to check out with the full details, since you were the first one to notice slow graphics on 10.12. Or subscribing to one. Did you see what "iastal" did?

And yes, socratis, it seems like the same problem you pointed for me (with OSX 10.12 and Linux guest).

Then went ahead and added a comment to that ticket. He didn't check for what I specifically asked him (a Linux LiveDVD), so if you really want to help to get this resolved, verify that it's the same problem and add a comment to the ticket. Because the ticket owner observed and reported the problem for Linux guests. Please make sure it is the same problem before you add a "me too"...

[cs2015]

@cs2015
Posting on every other thread that has the same problem is going to lead you nowhere.

And responding very aggressively towards people won't get you very far either !!

@cs2015
I didn't notice you posting a ticket for the developers to check out with the full details, since you were the first one to notice slow graphics on 10.12. Or subscribing to one. Did you see what "iastal" did?

I haven't posted a ticket. So many people have reported this issue, and it is a very obvious one, that I assumed the developers would already be working on it. Apparently not. Maybe they don't do any alpha testing.

And yes, I did see exactly the same symptoms as iastal.

[socratis]

1. I'm not trying to get far or close or anywhere actually, as I don't see the problem in 10.9.5, so, personally I have absolutely nothing to gain from this. I'm simply trying to coordinate users that are seeing the problem.
2. Users noticing the problem in the users' forums... As I said, that alone won't get you far if the developers don't notice. And for them to notice there is a very clear path. A ticket. Your posts went mostly unnoticed.
3. Don't assume that the developers are working on it because it's important to you. There are 2000+ bugs open. Plus I don't remember you mentioning having a support contract, which means you're low on the radar.
4. They don't do alpha testing, they do beta between major releases, like from 5.0.x to 5.1.x. If this problem was reported in 5.1.12 (just a version ago), after OSX 10.12.2, then either the problem wasn't there or it was introduced with 10.12.2 as far as I know.
5. If you want to try things out and be a part of the open source community as a participating user, try the test builds: https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Testbuilds
6. iastal's problems are with a Windows XP guest. But the ticket so far refers to Linux guests. I asked you to test a LiveCD to make sure that it is the same problem that crept with OSX 10.12.2. I sincerely hope you will.

[cs2015]

I found something "similar", but the ticket was observed on Linux guests only, i.e. no mention about Windows hosts: #16436: windows drag and resize slowly, up to several seconds behind mouse. performance otherwise is fine.

Just appended my comment to that ticket.

[cs2015]

Don't assume that the developers are working on it because it's important to you. There are 2000+ bugs open. Plus I don't remember you mentioning having a support contract, which means you're low on the radar.

I would have thought that having a product with completely unusable graphics (assuming the use of MacOS 10.12) would be quite high on their radar. Perhaps if you switched to 10.12 rather than the obsolete 10.9, it would be obvious to you too.

[Martin]

As long as none of their commercial customers complain or ask for it nothing is "high on the radar".

[socratis]

This is going to be my last remark on something not related to the bug.

verify that it's the same problem and add a comment to the ticket. Because the ticket owner observed and reported the problem for Linux guests. Please make sure it is the same problem before you add a "me too"...

Just appended my comment to that ticket.

Yes you did, but the comment you posted was a "me too". I asked you to specifically check for a Linux LiveDVD which would show that this bug is guest-independent and it's a bad interaction with VirtualBox after the 10.12.2 update, therefore getting a lot more attention from the developers and a higher priority. You didn't.

Perhaps if you switched to 10.12 rather than the obsolete 10.9, it would be obvious to you too.

Your assumptions are completely false. 10.9 is definitely not obsolete. The problem was not obvious to me, but it was I that found the bug report and directed the "me too" users to the bug. That's the only way that the developers will notice, please understand that.

I would have thought that having a product with completely unusable graphics (assuming the use of MacOS 10.12)

I highlighted the part where you were incorrect and a marginal case compared to the paying user base of VirtualBox.

[cs2015]

I give up with this crappy amateurish software.

It is utterly absurd that the developers of VB apparently do not bother to check that it works with the latest version of MacOS. Had they actually tried it, it would be immediately blindingly obvious that something is very wrong with the graphics. A child would notice it !

Multiple people have now reported this problem. It happens on all versions of VB 5.1.X in conjunction with MacOS 10.12.X. The reports have been with Linux, Win XP, Win 7 and Win 10 guests. How much more evidence do you need ?

I do not use Linux so cannot try the test you requested.

[cs2015]

https://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/16479