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I had to upgrade a hard drive, so i did a complete clean install of ubuntu 9.04 (x32), and vbox. Everything okay until I installed guest additions. The old problem is back. I have a choice of guest addition features with the display stuck at 800x600, or no guest addition and any screen resolution.

I have tried uninstalling GA and reinstalling, but no joy.

@Ozdemon,

What is the host and the guest? What are the guest settings?

Post you xorg.conf file for me to look at.

Also when you installed the guest additions did you see any errors?

Perryg wrote:@Ozdemon,

What is the host and the guest? What are the guest settings?

Post you xorg.conf file for me to look at.

Also when you installed the guest additions did you see any errors?

Wow, fast reply. I need to correct my earlier post - host keys do not work with or without GA installed. The only effect of installing GA is a rez of 800x600 that cannot be changed, surrounded by a thick black border.

There were no errors during install of GA.

Xorg attached below:
=================================================================================================
# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# Note that some configuration settings that could be done previously
# in this file, now are automatically configured by the server and settings
# here are ignored.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
Device "Configured Video Device"
EndSection

Host and guest?

Perryg wrote:Host and guest?

Host is Ubuntu 9.04 (32-bit). Guest is XP sp3.

OK so you understand about the whole click and drag thing and the fact that you do not set the resolution in the guest window right?

What is disturbing is you say the host key does nothing. Host key is the right crtl key unless you changed it. So to get to full screens would be the (right ctrl key + F) and is a toggle to go in and out of full screen.

Also your saying that your screen is surrounded by a think black border indicates to me that the guest additions are not installed or not installed and working properly. Try the following:

Start the guest and then click the devices tab at the top left part of the guest window. Then click install guest additions. If nothing happens then click the devices tab and click unmount the CD/DVD and then click on install guest additions again. You should see that it is running and told to reboot at the end. Reboot and see if the host + f will get you full screen. Also look at the auto resize in the machine tab to be sure the it is blue. Click it a time or two to see that it changes color.

Perryg wrote:OK so you understand about the whole click and drag thing and the fact that you do not set the resolution in the guest window right?

What is disturbing is you say the host key does nothing. Host key is the right crtl key unless you changed it. So to get to full screens would be the (right ctrl key + F) and is a toggle to go in and out of full screen.

Also your saying that your screen is surrounded by a think black border indicates to me that the guest additions are not installed or not installed and working properly. Try the following:

Start the guest and then click the devices tab at the top left part of the guest window. Then click install guest additions. If nothing happens then click the devices tab and click unmount the CD/DVD and then click on install guest additions again. You should see that it is running and told to reboot at the end. Reboot and see if the host + f will get you full screen. Also look at the auto resize in the machine tab to be sure the it is blue. Click it a time or two to see that it changes color.

I am happy to try again, but the problem is that once GA is installed any chance of doing anything under the title bar is lost as the screen immediately turns black, followed by the 800x600 XP screen. So with no chance of changing a setting under the VB title bar, and no host-key combo working, I am stuck. I should add that I have been using VB without a problem for more than a year.

But I will try again in a few minutes.

After the guest starts.
Try using the (host + f) and (Host + g) a few times to see if you can't get it synced.

Perryg wrote:After the guest starts.
Try using the (host + f) and (Host + g) a few times to see if you can't get it synced.

Thanks for your suggestions, but nothing so far makes the host-key work once GA is installed. GA just gives me a fixed and poor rez.

I tried going back a version, but no change. I give up.

Some good news

I just installed VB 3.0.0, and it has a nifty popup bar at the bottom of the screen. I was still stuck at 800x600, but by using the mouse to select the icon to toggle fullscreen mode, I was able to then see the main VB menus and then select proper fullscreen mode.

I have also discovered why the host key would not work. As I have a usb keyboard, I had added it to the list of usb devices in the VB settings! Big mistake.

In my defence I previously had a PS/2 kb that died and I was 'borrowing' a kb in the interim, doing some hotplugging. When the kb was not detected, I added the filter.

So, in summary, everything working as it should now.