wheel scroll does not work in virtualbox (windows guest) after buster upgrade

[robertwork]

After upgrading to the recently released Debian buster, wheel scrolling stopped working in only VirtualBox.

VirtualBox runs via the virtualbox-5.2 package from http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian.

I tried enabling and disabling mouse integration. Didn't help. Also tried reinstalling the mouse driver on the Windows 10 guest. Also didn't help. Also tried reinstalling addon extensions. Also didn't help.

My host actually has a touchpad, scrolling via two-finger scroll. It works fine everywhere except in VirtualBox.

If there's a package I should downgrade to get this to work, I will certainly do that. I just don't which package downgrade would help.

[socratis]

Can you try with an actual USB mouse, that has an actual ScrollWheel? Not the fake two-finger-trackpad one? Maybe there's an issue with the trackpad driver that you might have to investigate further.

[sjvs]

I think I might have the same issue:

• Scrolling with both normal mouse and touchpad (two-finger scrolling, Dell Precision 5520) works fine on my VirtualBox host (Ubuntu 19.04)
• Scrolling with my normal mouse works fine in my VirtualBox guest as well (Ubuntu 19.04)
• Two-finger scrolling with touchpad almost never works. When I scroll very aggressively, then some gesture gets picked up by the guest OS, and the page suddenly scrolls a lot. But it's basically unusable.

I tried debugging it using xinput and evtest in the guest: indeed, the guest OS only receives scroll signals when I very aggressively use the two-finger scroll on my touchpad. I tried multiple emulation types in the VirtualBox settings (PS/2 mouse, tablet, multi-touch tablet), tried reinstalling the add-ons in the Guest OS, but nothing helps.

To me, it appears as if the two-finger scrolling signal doesn't properly get picked up by the VirtualBox host software, and/or doesn't properly get passed on to the guest.

[socratis]

To me, it appears as if the two-finger scrolling signal doesn't properly get picked up by the VirtualBox host software, and/or doesn't properly get passed on to the guest.

...or isn't sent properly by the host OS. Just a thought...

Come to think of it, there was a problem with the input and a delay had to be introduced. It's been a while though and I can't easily find the referenced ticket.

[sjvs]

Come to think of it, there was a problem with the input and a delay had to be introduced. It's been a while though and I can't easily find the referenced ticket.

That sounds interesting. If you do come across that ticket, do post a reference here please! Has that delay been introduced specifically for touchpads? I'm just a bit confused by the fact that scroll with my normal mouse works fine; it's specifically the two-finger scrolling on the touchpad that is problematic. I don't know enough about communication between VirtualBox and host OS to be certain who's to blame.

[socratis]

I did come across the ticket, and what I said is technically still valid:

there was a problem with the input and a delay had to be introduced

However the "input" I remember had to do with the keyboard, not the mouse. Here's the ticket: https://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/17709

[obal]

I have the same problem on the Dell Latitude 7480 laptop after upgrading to Debian Buster. Scrolling works normally when I use the USB mouse. Scrolling with two fingers on the touchpad works jerky and misses. Different configuration of the guest system did not help. Virtualbox is version 6.0.12, guest operating systems are different (Windows XP, Debian Stretch, Buster). Before upgrading to Debian Buster, it worked correctly on Debian Stretch. Any tip or solution?

[socratis]

Since it's a Buster-theme bug, have you checked around in the Buster forums to see if any other software is affected?

[obal]

I didn't find that there was a problem with Debian Buster and other specific software. On my laptop with Debian Buster works and scrolled normally in all programs (USB mouse and touchpad two fingers), only virtualbox has problems. I don't understand why there is a difference between scrolling a USB mouse and a touchpad. I thought virtualbox was taking over the action, no matter how it was created.

[socratis]

I thought virtualbox was taking over the action, no matter how it was created.

If VirtualBox was taking over, you'd be royally screwed!
You'd lose the input on your host...

[obal]

I solved the situation. I exported all the virtual guests, uninstalled virtualbox 6.0 and deleted all configuration files. I installed virtualbox 5.2 including the extension pack and imported all the virtual guests and installed the guest add-ons. Scrolling already works on the touchpad with two fingers and normal usb mouse.

[socratis]

I exported all the virtual guests, uninstalled virtualbox 6.0 and deleted all configuration files. I installed virtualbox 5.2 including the extension pack and imported all the virtual guests and installed the guest add-ons.

You didn't have to export/import your guests, simply downgrading to 5.2.38 with the matching ExtPack would suffice.

[Didi1357]

I am affected by the exactly same problem.

I don't think just using an older version is a proper solution. At some point in time the older version will not be available any more. I can help with further debugging if you want.

My host machine is also a Dell Laptop. Most likely I've got the same touchpad:

Code: Select all

dmesg | grep touch
[    3.072277] hid-multitouch 0018:06CB:CDD6.0001: input,hidraw0: I2C HID v1.00 Mouse [DELL095A:00 06CB:CDD6] on i2c-DELL095A:00

Looks like the touchpad is somehow attached via I2C. Could this be the problem?

[socratis]

At some point in time the older version will not be available any more.

If I'm not mistaken, 5.2.x is supposed to be supported until Jul/2020, you have plenty of time to worry about that. Plus you could continue use the old one even if it's unsupported, nobody is preventing you from doing just that...

But, if you check the changelog of the new 6.1.0 RC1++, you'll find this little gem:

• Input: Added support for horizontal scrolling in the PS/2 mouse device using the IntelliMouse Explorer protocol. Note that this support is automatically used by Linux guests but not by Windows guests

You could check it out... https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Testbuilds, the Development Snapshots.

[obal]

Scrolling already works for me in Debian 10. I used the same procedure as last time (6.0 -> 5.2). I exported guests, uninstalled Virtualbox, deleted all configuration, installed Virtualbox 6.0 and imported guests. Only the upgrade did not work. There were also several upgrades to Debian and Virtualbox. Maybe I didn't have to do a downgrade of Virtualbox, but to do that for the same version (6.0).