screen resolution win2k

[mcnalu]

First off, I HAVE installed guest additions in my windows 2k guest.

If I start up the win2k machine on the 1024x600 screen of my eee pc I can't access any higher resolution modes beyond 800x600. I've tried maximizing the window and going to full screen mode but I'm never offered anything higher than 800x600 with 16 colours. Also, the graphics performance is terrible, not unlike that if guest additions isn't installed at all.

If I connect an external monitor, then all is fine. I can set higher resolutions inside windows or by resizing the virtual box window on the host and I can set 32bit colour.

Any ideas how I can get it to work properly on the 1024x600 screen?

[Perryg]

Since it works if you use a standard monitor and not on the display of the eee PC I would think that it has something to do with the display of the eee PC. I don't have W2K pro installed on my laptop but will later to see what happens.

[Sasquatch]

I used to have a Windows 2000 Advanced Server VM and that didn't give any problems. I don't have a netbook, and that's where I think the problem lies. A lot of users with a similar laptop, be it the Asus EEE, Acer netbook or any other brand, they all give the same problem, 16 bit colours and 800 x 600 resolution, at most. Now, I know that the Display Settings doesn't show a higher resolution on occasion, especially if the highest resolution isn't a normal one (like the 1024 x 600) and it's always one resolution below the Host's (1152 x 864 would be the highest option on a 1280 x 1024 host resolution). But, the colours available should be 24 and even 32 bit.

[Perryg]

Tested it out on my laptop and it seems to work just fine.
Laptop screen size = 1440x900
W2K in full screen = 1440x900 32 True color (32bit).
It must be the eee PC.

[mcnalu]

I've had a further play and it seems that the problem occurs when the guest machine's window doesn't have enough room on first opening, causing scroll bars to appear. The significant part here seems to be that the height is only 600 pixels - i.e. not enough for the guest OS+window decorations+system task bar at 600x480.

BTW I'm using KDE4.2.4 on slackware 13.

[Perryg]

I have seen this with KDE. There is a setting in it somewhere that you can change this behavior. Sorry I don't remember what it is called. I have not used it for a long time due to other conflicts that I had while using it. Another thing can be Compiz. if you have that on as well. You can search the entire site here with the following:

• Search on Google.com using your search key words and followed with site:forums.virtualbox.org
  example -- USB not working site:forums.virtualbox.org

Replace the keywords with KDE or Compiz

[VbRider]

I've had a further play and it seems that the problem occurs when the guest machine's window doesn't have enough room on first opening,

This is what I'm facing too. If I set the monitor resolution say 800x600, then the VM (in full-screen mode) won't go for high resolution same as the monitor settings at the booting time, will remain as the first splash screen (600x480). I need to go back to windowed view and then full screen again

Well this isn't for W2k, but XP and Vbox 3.08

[cmdrwalrus]

This is what I'm facing too. If I set the monitor resolution say 800x600, then the VM (in full-screen mode) won't go for high resolution same as the monitor settings at the booting time, will remain as the first splash screen (600x480). I need to go back to windowed view and then full screen again

What I do to work around this is just boot up in a window, and once the windows desktop comes up, then hit Host+F and continue as normal. Works for me... I'm picky about some things, but not about this. I'm just happy I can run Windows as a slave to my Linux box. It doesn't deserve a whole computer, and it never will.

[mcnalu]

Thanks for all the replies.

Going to full screen doesn't solve it for me, but I've found a fairly straightforward workaround:
1. Start up the win2k machine - it comes up at 640x480 16 colour (euughh!) with scroll bars
2. Drag the window partially offscreen (kde's alt-drag is v handy for this)
3. Then drag resize the window by its edge or corner so that no scrolling is needed for the 480 guest screen height
4. Set one of the higher res/32bit modes in Desktop>Properties>Settings
5. Resizing the window will now give me arbitrarily small windows screen dimensions without scrollbar - in fact, even amusingly small and useless ones!

The best thing is that I only had to do this once and thereafter the win2k window opens up at its last (nonstandard) resolution just fine and behaves perfectly.