Narrow TTY1-Screen and no "Cut & Paste" with Debian-Guest

Discussions about using Linux guests in VirtualBox.
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LotharL
Posts: 9
Joined: 23. Apr 2009, 20:24
Primary OS: MS Windows 7
VBox Version: OSE other
Guest OSses: Linux

Narrow TTY1-Screen and no "Cut & Paste" with Debian-Guest

Post by LotharL »

Hi there,

I am in deep trouble with some simple actions for a Linux-Guest and need some help from an expert. :wink:

My System:
- Host : Windows 7 (64Bit), Virtual Box v4.3.12
- Guest : Linux Debian 7.5.0 Amd64 with Linux Guest-Addions123

I don't want to use a X-Server, just the TTY1/shell. Sadly the shell is too narrow, i.e. if I exexute
"df -h" the lines are broken and continued in th next screenline. How can I make the screen wider ?

I also want to do "cut & paste" with pure text from the Host to the Guest and backwards. The VB-options
for "Clipboard" and "Drag & Drop" are "bidirectional" both; the Linux-Guest-Addions are installed and the
Guest-system has been rebootet. How can I insert text from Windows to the TTY1 like in "Putty", and how
can I mark text in the TTY1 with the mousepointer to copy it to Windows ?

Best regards,
Lothar
Perryg
Site Moderator
Posts: 34369
Joined: 6. Sep 2008, 22:55
Primary OS: Linux other
VBox Version: OSE self-compiled
Guest OSses: *NIX

Re: Narrow TTY1-Screen and no "Cut & Paste" with Debian-Gues

Post by Perryg »

You need to change the framebuffers to increase thee screen size in a tty window or cli mode.

If you do not have X you can not use mouse or clipboard as they rely on X to work (with guest additions)
LotharL
Posts: 9
Joined: 23. Apr 2009, 20:24
Primary OS: MS Windows 7
VBox Version: OSE other
Guest OSses: Linux

Re: Narrow TTY1-Screen and no "Cut & Paste" with Debian-Gues

Post by LotharL »

Thanks for your replay, but this doesn't help me without further information. I found dozends of "framebuffer"-documents
dealing with graphics and resolutions, but the text-mode was never mentioned anywhere.
So I made the network-adapter bridged, gave the guest a static IP-adress and now use Putty like for physical machines;
have to live with one more open window, but this better than spending further hours of searching for something unknown.
Perryg
Site Moderator
Posts: 34369
Joined: 6. Sep 2008, 22:55
Primary OS: Linux other
VBox Version: OSE self-compiled
Guest OSses: *NIX

Re: Narrow TTY1-Screen and no "Cut & Paste" with Debian-Gues

Post by Perryg »

Typing configure framebuffers in debian 7 in google actually produces several hits at the top on how to set the framebuffers.
It's as simple as editing a file.
LotharL
Posts: 9
Joined: 23. Apr 2009, 20:24
Primary OS: MS Windows 7
VBox Version: OSE other
Guest OSses: Linux

Re: Narrow TTY1-Screen and no "Cut & Paste" with Debian-Gues

Post by LotharL »

This is exactly what I have done. "GRUB_GFXMODE=1024x768" and "GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX=1024x768" does not state
anything about textsize (what would be i.e. "80x25" for me) and does also no change to my system and my problem; if it
would be so "simple" I wouldn't have started this thread.
Anyway, I have a solution of my own I can live with. For you it's only easy because you've done it several times - and then
everything is "simple". I'm very unhappy with your one-sentence-postings from the top down to not-experts like me. Sorry
for asking questions here and hoping for some real help. :( Live long and prosper.
Perryg
Site Moderator
Posts: 34369
Joined: 6. Sep 2008, 22:55
Primary OS: Linux other
VBox Version: OSE self-compiled
Guest OSses: *NIX

Re: Narrow TTY1-Screen and no "Cut & Paste" with Debian-Gues

Post by Perryg »

No need to get huffy this isn't even a VirtualBox issue. I could have said go to the Debian forums.

But since I am in a good mood this evening I will just retype what all of the links are telling you.

{as su or sudo}
Edit /etc/default/grub
GRUB_GFXMODE=1024x768
GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX=1024x768
# Make sure the following line is commented out
#GRUB_TERMINAL=console

Save and type update-grub
Reboot your guest
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