Problem adding a device

[Orthoducks-tri]

I'm running a Windows 7 VM under VirtualBox 4.2.16 under Windows 7. I need to add a virtual CD ROM drive so that I can install guest extensions. I think I've found the correct instructions for this, but it's not working.

The procedure I'm trying to use is:

1. Select the Windows 7 VM in the VirtualBox window.
2. Open the Settings dialog.
3. Select the Storage tab.
4. Right-click "Controller: SATA" and select "Add CD/DVD Device."

Step 4 is impossible because the menu command is disabled. (In fact all of them are.)

What is going wrong?

[Perryg]

Most features are not available unless the guest is shut down ( not saved state )

[Orthoducks-tri]

If I understand that correctly, you're staying that the guest system must be shut down for the commands to work.

I shut the guest system down and got exactly the same results. I'm sorry I didn't mention this initially, but since it didn't have any effect at all I assumed it wasn't even relevant.

To be clear,"shut the guest system down" means "saved the guest system's state." I did not try shutting the guest down completely, since that would disrupt my work. I'll do that if you say it's necessary, but I didn't want to do it just to see what would happen.

[Martin]

Would you try to plug in a new DVD drive to a running/powered on PC?
If you want to change the (virtual) hardware, the (virtual) PC needs to be powered off, not just sleeping.

[Orthoducks-tri]

I shut down the VM and was able to mount the virtual CD.

Now, how to run it?

I selected Devices > Install Guest Additions. I got no feedback, but I suspect nothing happened. There was no delay to indicate that something was doing something, and the "Install Guest Additions" menu item was still there, and still enabled. Windows still thinks it is running on a 1600x1200 monitor although the physical monitor is 1920x1080, and 1920x1080 still is not on the Control Panel > Display menu.

One other note: you said, "Would you try to plug in a new DVD drive to a running/powered on PC?"

Sure, why not? I do that kind of thing all the time. I wouldn't try it with hardware that isn't designed to support hot swapping, but a virtual machine has no hardware. Even the virtual controller is SATA, which supports hot swapping, so I see no reason why I shouldn't have expected it to work.

I see that it doesn't work, but I'm puzzled that you think that should have been obvious.

[socratis]

Now, how to run it?

Try your virtual CD-ROM. Run "VBoxWindowsAdditions.exe".

but a virtual machine has no hardware.

You're right. It emulates hardware. And not all features are there. Try to play it safe and you won't regret it...

[Orthoducks-tri]

Thank you, I think we're making progress.

I ran VBoxWindowsAdditions.exe by double clicking it in Windows Explorer. It appeared to run (at least it prompted me for permission to run in admin mode), but the display didn't change, and Control Panel > Display still said the resolution was 1600x1200.

Next I tried running VBoxWindowsAdditions from a command box. After that, Control Panel > Display correctly showed the resolution as 1680x1050. (I was mistaken when I said it should be 1920x1050.)

But when I entered full screen mode, the bottom of the desktop was cut off. I looked at Control Panel > Display again, and the resolution it showed was 1600x1200.

I ran VBoxWindowsAdditions from the command box again. Again it asked for permission to enter admin mode. When it was done I checked the resolution. Still 1600x1200.

I don't think it should be this hard. The VBox Additions are being fussy because something is wrong, and the real solution is to figure out how make them less fussy rather than how to coax them into working in spite of their fussiness.

[socratis]

1) You don't have to install Guest Additions every time. Once is enough.
2) If you want to go Full-Screen, you don't do it through the Windows Control Panel. You do it from the View Menu -> Switch to Fullscreen (Host+F), or by pressing Host+F.

[Orthoducks-tri]

socratis, I think you misunderstood my post.

I know that one does not use the Control Panel's Display applet to enter full screen mode. I was using it to see what resolution Windows was displaying. I hope this will make sense if you read my post again.

I know that Windows Additions should not have to be installed more than once. When the resolution changed and then changed back, I thought that installing it again was a reasonable thing to try. But since it didn't work I need to try something else. I hope you can help me figure out what.

[Rootman]

By running it again did you inadvertently UNinstall it? Does the VBox Guest additions icon show up in the tray area of the guest OS?

You can resize the guest screen resolution simply by dragging the lower right corner of the guest windows just like you would resize any app window - provided guest additions has been installed.

And as socratis pointed out use the keyboard shortcut of HOST+F to get to full screen mode instantly. The HOST key is whatever key you selected to use to activate the guests attention, look in the lower right hand corner of the guest's screen and it will tell you what key it is. The first time you enter fullscreen it warns you and advises you to get back to the windowed screen by pressing the HOST+F again. You can disable the warning by checking the DO NOT SHOW THIS MESSAGE again.

[Orthoducks-tri]

When I restarted the VM to answer your questions, I noticed an unlabeled button on the task bar which had an icon that seemed to resemble the VirtualBox icon. I clicked it and got a wizard that offered to install Guest Additions. I never saw this before; it must have been hidden under other windows from the moment it was opened.

I let the wizard run. When it was done it told me to reboot the VM. I did that, and it displayed an "installing 1 of 7 updates" screen. I waited for it to work through the updates, but nothing happened. I let it run in the background while I did other work. When I returned to the VM about a half hour later, it displayed the log-in screen. I assume it installed the Guest Additions successfully because it did not tell me otherwise, but that may well be untrue. The system tray does show the Guest Additions icon, though.

The VM desktop still covers only about half the area of the screen. The Control Panel's Display applet says the selected resolution is 1152x864, and no higher resolution is available. (Again, the display's native resolution is 1680x1050.)

I cannot change the size of the VM desktop by dragging a corner as you explained.