Ubuntu 10.10 Guest in VirtualBox 3.2.10

[W3bo]

I downloaded the latest ISO from Ubuntu and installed it in an upgraded installation of VirtualBox 3.2.10.

Without touching anything in Ubuntu the mouse and network work fine, though I can't increase the display resolution nor figure out how to get Compiz to work (despite there being 128MB VRam and 3D acceleration enabled).

I took a snapshot before installing the Guest Additions software. After running the additions from the latest VirtualBox it began building the software and seemed to install fine (this is different to how it was when I tried earlier today with a slightly older version of VirtualBox, it failed to build some component of X).

After restarting I see the mouse integration was good, but I can't get Ubuntu's "Visual effects" to work, I get the error message "Desktop effects could not be enabled".

A wider range of monitor resolutions is available (as opposed to just 640x480 and 800x600) which is good, but I can't choose anything above a 1380x720 for some reason.

Whilst I've been using Linux for a few years now, it's never been for anything beyond simple GUI applications and terminal commands, I've never dabbled with real system configuration. What do I need to do in order to get Compiz working?

[Perryg]

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sudo apt-get install dkms

assuming you have already installed build-essential and linux-headers-generic.
Then install the guest additions again.

[hännes]

I've got almost the same problem. Host Windows 7, Guest Ubuntu 10.10, Virtual Box 3.2.10. 3D acceleration is activated, but does not work. 2D acceleration is not activated (greyed out). I have allready tried to install the missing apps and the guest additions again. The Problem is still remaining, could somebody please help me?

[Perryg]

I've got almost the same problem. Host Windows 7, Guest Ubuntu 10.10, Virtual Box 3.2.10. 3D acceleration is activated, but does not work. 2D acceleration is not activated (greyed out). I have allready tried to install the missing apps and the guest additions again. The Problem is still remaining, could somebody please help me?

2D is not supported in a Linux guest. If 3D does not work then the guest additions are not installed properly. This should help Howto: Install Linux Guest Additions + Xorg config

[hännes]

Thank you for your really fast answer! The HOWTO is really helpfull and easy to understand. I've gone through the list again and again (without configuring Xorg). But anyway my visual desktop effects do not work. Have you got another hint for me? I don`t now what to try any more.

[Perryg]

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sudo install dkms build-essential linux-headers-generic

Install the Guest Additions (in the guest)
reboot the guest.
Use the host+g toggle to turn auto-resize on and off and host+f toggle to go in and out of full screen.
If you click on the machine tab at the top left of the guest window and the auto-resize is gray the guest additions are not installed or not installed properly.

[Sasquatch]

Testing if 3D works or not should not be done by enabling desktop settings. Some checks it performs aren't working in VB (like driver whitelisting). You have to check with 'glxinfo' and 'glxgears'. The prior should give output about Chromium and direct rendering. The latter should give you a decent framerate. Another test is to play a video with OpenGL output. If mplayer is installed, it can be easily tested through the terminal by issuing the following command:

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mplayer -vo gl <path to video>

[hännes]

Install the Guest Additions (in the guest)
reboot the guest.
Use the host+g toggle to turn auto-resize on and off and host+f toggle to go in and out of full screen.
If you click on the machine tab at the top left of the guest window and the auto-resize is gray the guest additions are not installed or not installed properly.

Thank you, everything you said i shold test is working perfect.

Testing if 3D works or not should not be done by enabling desktop settings. Some checks it performs aren't working in VB (like driver whitelisting). You have to check with 'glxinfo' and 'glxgears'. The prior should give output about Chromium and direct rendering. The latter should give you a decent framerate.

Thank you too! Everything you told me to try out is also working perfect.

My problem is, that the visual effects of the Ubuntu Desktop do not work. If i want to turn them on (System --> Preferences --> Apperance --> Visual Effects --> Normal/Extra) Ubuntu is searching for available drivers, but then it says Desktop effects could not be enabled. So do you now an answer for this?
Thank you for spending so much time to this issue.

[Perryg]

Yes I do. There seems to be a problem in the installer that if you don't have dkms installed it will not properly install vboxvideo.
Are you certain that you installed dkms, and that you re-installed the guest additions after?
There may be a work around that I can send you but try to make sure that you can not install with dmks installed.

[hännes]

but try to make sure that you can not install with dmks installed.

Sorry i did not understand the last sentence.

I was not sure, that the re-installation was done after installing dkms. To be sure that I did not make something wrong I made a new virtual machine, installed ubuntu again, then installed dkms, build-essentials and linux-headers-generic and at last I installed the guest additions. But it did not help. Same Problem as before.

[Sasquatch]

Same problem as before, meaning the resolution or 3D? The resolution is not reliable, the Display applet will always show a resolution below your max, so to get a higher one, you have to change the window size itself.
For OpenGL, I've noted a few tests above.

[Perryg]

@hännes,
Describe exactly what it is you are wanting. I thought you were wanting compositing (compiz) desktop effects.

[W3bo]

@hännes,
Describe exactly what it is you are wanting. I thought you were wanting compositing (compiz) desktop effects.

No, that's me (I'm the OP).

[Perryg]

@W3bo,
Did you install dkms and if you have not already did you install build-essential and linux-headers-generic? Then install the guest additions again?
It is really important to have dkms installed with this version of VirtualBox as there seems to be an error in the installer if you do not have it installed.

[W3bo]

@W3bo,
Did you install dkms and if you have not already did you install build-essential and linux-headers-generic? Then install the guest additions again?
It is really important to have dkms installed with this version of VirtualBox as there seems to be an error in the installer if you do not have it installed.

Yeah, after installing dkms (and the other packages) I re-ran the Additions installer and integration is now working fine including resizing and seamless mode; I still can't get Compiz to work though. Is there an 'easy' way to enable it without needing to manually change any config files or run any tediously long shell scripts?