Ubuntu 1710 screen flicker

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Mac OS X hosts.
zphelj
Posts: 2
Joined: 20. Oct 2017, 19:38

Ubuntu 1710 screen flicker

Post by zphelj »

I'm experiencing a screen flicker in both window and full screen mode on HighSierra with VB 5.2.0 r118431 with a fresh install of Ubuntu 1710 64bit desktop. This occurs even if I start the VM, leave it at the login screen, and then shutdown without logging in. I.e. I do nothing, just leave the machine idle. Otherwise operation is as expected. I've tried tweaking various settings however the result is the same, a very annoying random flicker.

In the VM log I'm seeing resize events over and over:
00:00:33.685795 VBVA: InfoScreen: [0] @0,0 2560x1600, line 0x2800, BPP 32, flags 0x1
00:00:33.685873 Display::handleDisplayResize: uScreenId=0 pvVRAM=000000011c4b5000 w=2560 h=1600 bpp=32 cbLine=0x2800 flags=0x1
00:00:33.685920 GUI: UIFrameBufferPrivate::NotifyChange: Screen=0, Origin=0x0, Size=2560x1600, Sending to async-handler
00:00:33.700914 GUI: UIMachineView::sltHandleNotifyChange: Screen=0, Size=2560x1600
00:00:33.701014 GUI: UIFrameBufferPrivate::handleNotifyChange: Size=2560x1600
00:00:33.701050 GUI: UIFrameBufferPrivate::performResize: Size=2560x1600, Directly using source bitmap content
00:00:33.712050 VBVA: InfoScreen: [0] @0,0 2560x1600, line 0x2800, BPP 32, flags 0x1
00:00:33.712128 Display::handleDisplayResize: uScreenId=0 pvVRAM=000000011c4b5000 w=2560 h=1600 bpp=32 cbLine=0x2800 flags=0x1
00:00:33.718723 GUI: UIFrameBufferPrivate::NotifyChange: Screen=0, Origin=0x0, Size=2560x1600, Sending to async-handler
00:00:33.741201 GUI: UIMachineView::sltHandleNotifyChange: Screen=0, Size=2560x1600
00:00:33.741239 GUI: UIFrameBufferPrivate::handleNotifyChange: Size=2560x1600
00:00:33.741259 GUI: UIFrameBufferPrivate::performResize: Size=2560x1600, Directly using source bitmap content
00:00:33.859351 VBVA: InfoScreen: [0] @0,0 2560x1600, line 0x2800, BPP 32, flags 0x1
00:00:33.859415 Display::handleDisplayResize: uScreenId=0 pvVRAM=000000011c4b5000 w=2560 h=1600 bpp=32 cbLine=0x2800 flags=0x1
00:00:33.859461 GUI: UIFrameBufferPrivate::NotifyChange: Screen=0, Origin=0x0, Size=2560x1600, Sending to async-handler
00:00:33.868411 GUI: UIMachineView::sltHandleNotifyChange: Screen=0, Size=2560x1600
00:00:33.868478 GUI: UIFrameBufferPrivate::handleNotifyChange: Size=2560x1600
00:00:33.868515 GUI: UIFrameBufferPrivate::performResize: Size=2560x1600, Directly using source bitmap content
00:00:45.274291 GUI: UIDesktopWidgetWatchdog::sltHandleHostScreenWorkAreaResized: Screen 0 work area is formally resized to: 0x23 x 1280x723
00:00:48.261357 VBVA: InfoScreen: [0] @0,0 2560x1600, line 0x2800, BPP 32, flags 0x1
00:00:48.261416 Display::handleDisplayResize: uScreenId=0 pvVRAM=000000011c4b5000 w=2560 h=1600 bpp=32 cbLine=0x2800 flags=0x1
00:00:48.261458 GUI: UIFrameBufferPrivate::NotifyChange: Screen=0, Origin=0x0, Size=2560x1600, Sending to async-handler
00:00:48.261528 GUI: UIMachineView::sltHandleNotifyChange: Screen=0, Size=2560x1600
00:00:48.261542 GUI: UIFrameBufferPrivate::handleNotifyChange: Size=2560x1600
00:00:48.261558 GUI: UIFrameBufferPrivate::performResize: Size=2560x1600, Directly using source bitmap content
00:01:21.954062 GUI: UIDesktopWidgetWatchdog::sltHandleHostScreenWorkAreaResized: Screen 0 work area is formally resized to: 0x0 x 1280x746
00:01:22.623470 VBVA: InfoScreen: [0] @0,0 2560x1600, line 0x2800, BPP 32, flags 0x1
Looking for troubleshooting pointers or suggestions. Thanks!
Attachments
vbox-flicker-ubuntu-1710.log.zip
Log file
(30.18 KiB) Downloaded 169 times
Last edited by zphelj on 20. Oct 2017, 23:42, edited 1 time in total.
socratis
Site Moderator
Posts: 27330
Joined: 22. Oct 2010, 11:03
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Win(*>98), Linux*, OSX>10.5
Location: Greece

Re: Ubuntu 1710 screen flicker

Post by socratis »

If you have access to the OSX developer builds, try the latest 10.13.1 beta. They have been fixing bugs like crazy, including many that were affecting VirtualBox. If you don't have access to the OSX developer builds, you'll have to wait until 10.13.x is a little bit more stable.

Can you try an older Ubuntu client, like 16.04 the LTS one? See if you get the screen flicker there too.

Ubuntu 17.10 just came out. So did OSX 10.13. So did VirtualBox 5.2.0. All of them shiny new! You can't possibly expect to have a bug free ride, do you? ;)

PS. Could you ZIP and post the whole VBox.log, after you've completely shut down the VM?
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zphelj
Posts: 2
Joined: 20. Oct 2017, 19:38

Re: Ubuntu 1710 screen flicker

Post by zphelj »

socratis wrote:Can you try an older Ubuntu client, like 16.04 the LTS one? See if you get the screen flicker there too.
...
PS. Could you ZIP and post the whole VBox.log, after you've completely shut down the VM?
Thanks for the suggestions and no, not surprised there's an issue :-) Zip file of log added to original post, and I tried a new installation of 16.04.3 LTS and it's not exhibiting the issue so far.
socratis
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Posts: 27330
Joined: 22. Oct 2010, 11:03
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Win(*>98), Linux*, OSX>10.5
Location: Greece

Re: Ubuntu 1710 screen flicker

Post by socratis »

zphelj wrote:I tried a new installation of 16.04.3 LTS and it's not exhibiting the issue so far.
OK, then it's either an interaction between OSX 10.13 and Ubuntu 17.10, or between OSX 10.13 and VirtualBox 5.2.0, or between Ubuntu 17.10 and VirtualBox 5.2.0. That's what you get when you're trying/modifying 3 (n) parameters of a multi-parameter problem at the same time; you get "n×(n-1)/2" combinations :D

I downloaded "ubuntu-17.10-desktop-amd64.iso" just to try it out. Booted into live/test mode with VirtualBox 5.2.0 and I saw no flickering whatsoever. I then installed it on its virtual hard drive, just to test the Guest Additions (GAs). And then the ... flickering hit the fan!

I installed VirtualBox 5.1.26. Same flickering.
I installed VirtualBox 5.1.28. Same flickering.
I installed VirtualBox 5.1.30. Same flickering.
I installed VirtualBox 5.2.0. Same flickering.

Conclusion: Ubuntu 17.10 does *not* want to be installed, it prefers the Live mode.


PS. On an almost related note, I really liked 17.10, I'm seriously considering upgrading my 16.04 LTS VM. If and when it stops flickering...
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
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gjenkinslb
Posts: 1
Joined: 30. Oct 2017, 21:30

Re: Ubuntu 1710 screen flicker

Post by gjenkinslb »

I found this to be a bug with the new Ubuntu 17.10 in Sierra and VBox 5.2.0 and fixed it by selecting Xorg instead of default Wheland window system. You will find this option in the Ubuntu login dialog under the gear.
socratis
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Re: Ubuntu 1710 screen flicker

Post by socratis »

Thanks 'gjenkinslb', I completely forgot to update the thread. I found the exact same workaround as you, but I forgot to post it...

The parameter that I seem to have left from my previous post, is that I'm on 10.11.6, so it's not a Sierra issue alone. I have an old Win host, I will try later to see what happens there too.

And maybe we'll need to move the thread from the "OSX Hosts" to the "Linux Guests", since I have the feeling that this is an Ubuntu 17.10 issue, not an OSX issue. News later tonight, at 11pm...
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
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vicnowo
Posts: 1
Joined: 19. Nov 2017, 15:53

Re: Ubuntu 1710 screen flicker

Post by vicnowo »

I solved this problem by selecting Xorg. Thank you for your post.
Ekevoo
Posts: 1
Joined: 29. Nov 2017, 22:31
Primary OS: MS Windows 8.1
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Ubuntu

Re: Ubuntu 1710 screen flicker

Post by Ekevoo »

Auto login users might want to uncomment the following line in /etc/gdm3/custom.conf

Code: Select all

#WaylandEnable=false
Here's a helpful one-liner:

Code: Select all

sudo perl -e '$^I=".backup";while(<>){s/#(WaylandEnable=false)/$1/;print;}' /etc/gdm3/custom.conf
bentito
Posts: 2
Joined: 22. May 2013, 19:49

Re: Ubuntu 1710 screen flicker

Post by bentito »

^^^ Fixed the flicker from my Ubuntu 17.10 and Mac OS 10.12.6. Thanks!
ChipMcK
Volunteer
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VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, OSX
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Re: Ubuntu 1710 screen flicker

Post by ChipMcK »

This may be of interest
Ubuntu 17.10: return of the GNOME
csd
Posts: 1
Joined: 8. Feb 2018, 02:38

Re: Ubuntu 1710 screen flicker

Post by csd »

I just upgraded a VM from 1704 to 1710 and hit the flicker issue. A quick googly search pointed me to this thread and the turn-wayland-off solution. I then got greedy and tried to turn on 3D acceleration on the VM configuration. Didn't work. Oh well, guess you can't win them all...
Thanks for posting the solution here!
Christian.
andyp73
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Re: Ubuntu 1710 screen flicker

Post by andyp73 »

As you haven't said, if you are using the 5.2.6 version of VirtualBox then you will need the 5.2.7 version of Guest Additions as there was an issue found that prevented Linux guests booting correctly with 3D Acceleration enabled.

See the important section on the main VirtualBox download page.

-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.
Airgamboy
Posts: 1
Joined: 15. Feb 2018, 14:23

Re: Ubuntu 1710 screen flicker

Post by Airgamboy »

Está solucionado con Xorg.

Thanks !!!!!
sw15
Posts: 1
Joined: 16. Feb 2018, 05:57

Re: Ubuntu 1710 screen flicker

Post by sw15 »

andyp73 wrote:As you haven't said, if you are using the 5.2.6 version of VirtualBox then you will need the 5.2.7 version of Guest Additions as there was an issue found that prevented Linux guests booting correctly with 3D Acceleration enabled.

See the important section on the main VirtualBox download page.

-Andy.
Andy, this post saved me. I updated the version of virtual box to the newest 5.2.6 with guest add-ons and it crashed my ubuntu linux machine (ubuntu 64 16.04 LTS and 17.10). I had 3D acceleration turned on, and there is some bug that won’t allow the machine to reboot that requires 5.2.7 add-on patch to fix. This was not as simple as one might think. Posting it here in case someone else runs into it (as well as the screen flicker problem)

So to bring it back to life, I essentially had to:
* Boot into ‘recovery mode’ in ubuntu
* Hold left shift key, which boots loads GRUB
* Choose first (recovery mode) kernel
* Choose option to enter Root Session and drop into the command line
* Mount the file system as r/w
* Mount -o rw,remount /
* Remove the crap driver
* Change into /opt/VBoxGuestAdditions-<version_number> folder
cd /opt/VBoxGuestAdditions-<version_number>
* In there run:
sudo ./uninstall.sh
* Download patched ‘Guest Addtions’ iso (labeled 5.2.6 but says 5.2.7 when downloaded)
* Mount cd iso in the virtual machine the usual way.
* Then, mount cd iso from the command line and install the new driver
* mount /dev/cdrom /mnt # or any other mountpoint
* cd /mnt
* ./VBoxLinuxAdditions.run
* reboot

Also there is this weird screen flicker that happens with 17.10 on Mac OS. To fix, need to take it out of Wheland and use Xorg instead:
sudo perl -e '$^I=".backup";while(<>){s/#(WaylandEnable=false)/$1/;print;}' /etc/gdm3/custom.conf
thorstenhirsch
Posts: 9
Joined: 10. Oct 2009, 00:10
Primary OS: Ubuntu other
VBox Version: OSE Debian
Guest OSses: OpenSolaris

Re: Ubuntu 1710 screen flicker

Post by thorstenhirsch »

andyp73 wrote:As you haven't said, if you are using the 5.2.6 version of VirtualBox then you will need the 5.2.7 version of Guest Additions as there was an issue found that prevented Linux guests booting correctly with 3D Acceleration enabled.

See the important section on the main VirtualBox download page.

-Andy.
Oh my... it would've been easier to find if they had just made a new release.
Anyway, thank you!
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