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Virtualbox 3.0 800x600 max resolution in windows guest
Posted: 30. Jun 2009, 18:13
by wilbur.harvey
Host Jaunty 64-bit, guest Windows7
I upgraded to Virtualbox 3.0 and everything seemed fine.
I updated the Guest Additions, after rebooting windows, I am stuck with an 800x600 display.
Re: Virtualbox 3.0 800x600 max resolution in windows guest
Posted: 30. Jun 2009, 18:21
by Perryg
Try rebooting the host.
Did you actually see the guest additions install on Win 7RC?
Try installing the guest additions again after you reboot the host.
Also check to see that the auto-resize button is activated (turns blue) in the guest.
Re: Virtualbox 3.0 800x600 max resolution in windows guest
Posted: 30. Jun 2009, 18:26
by wilbur.harvey
Yes, I saw the additions install in Win7
Yes, I tried rebooting the guest, then rebooting the host.
Yes, I tried the auto-resize button several times.
Nothing helped.
After un-installing the guest additions, rebooting the guest, and re-installing the guest additions and rebooting the guest, it seems to work.
Re: Virtualbox 3.0 800x600 max resolution in windows guest
Posted: 9. Jul 2009, 09:38
by Nickel
Hmmm... Maybe section 9.3 of the user's manual?
--manual copy & paste --
9.13 Configuring the maximum resolution of guests when using the graphical frontend
When guest systems with the Guest Additions installed are started using the graphical frontend (the normal VirtualBox application), they will not be allowed to use screen resolutions greater than the host’s screen size unless the user manually resizes them by dragging the window, switching to fullscreen or seamless mode or sending a video mode hint using VBoxManage. This behavior is what most users will want, but if you have different needs, it is possible to change it by issuing one of the following commands from the command line:
Code: Select all
VBoxManage setextradata global GUI/MaxGuestResolution any
will remove all limits on guest resolutions.
Code: Select all
VBoxManage setextradata global GUI/MaxGuestResolution >width,height<
manually specifies a maximum resolution.
Code: Select all
VBoxManage setextradata global GUI/MaxGuestResolution auto
restores the default settings. Note that these settings apply globally to all guest systems, not just to a single machine.
--end of manual copy & paste --
After this, use setvideohint like this:
Code: Select all
VBoxManage controlvm <VirtualMachineName> setvideomodehint <xres> <yres> <bpp> [display]
Hope it works!
Re: Virtualbox 3.0 800x600 max resolution in windows guest
Posted: 21. Aug 2009, 21:53
by pagefarmer
This technique worked great for me. I have VirtualBox running on Ubuntu 9.04 Server 64-bit in headless mode. My client is an HP t5145 thin client with a Compaq display. The display's max resolution is 1366x768. Odd, but a good, cheap monitor for the kids.
My question: Sometimes, if I have to connect to the VM with a different client (e.g., MS Windows Remote Desktop), the VM's video mode reverts to something like 1021x768. I then have to go back and run the controlvm setvideomodehint command again. Is there a way to make the setvideomodehint permanent? The modifyvm command doesn't offer the setvideomodehint as an option.
I've created a shell script to run quickly in case I have to do so (especially if I don't remember the command), and I can even run it via a command/shortcut from my Windows desktop by installing PuTTY/PLink.
Re: Virtualbox 3.0 800x600 max resolution in windows guest
Posted: 8. Sep 2011, 09:41
by toskoide
The same problem and that fixed it to me too.

Just one more tip: your Video Card Memory should be at least at 32MB; if not, is possible that you dont get a resolution higher thatn 1280 x 1024.
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