Windows 8.1 guest in Mac OS display size restricted

[socratis]

The display resolution of the XP guest is 1920x1047.

actually in Full Screen mode the XP guest should be 1920x1200.

Both correct. se_ha didn't go Full Screen, s/he maximized the window (1200-borders-bars-misc=1047)

@se_ha
If you want to go Full-Screen, press Host-F. Otherwise for custom resolutions, open up Terminal and type the command (this is an example for a 1280x1024 VM resolution):

VBoxManage controlvm "win_81_32_01" setvideomodehint 1280 1024 32

BTW, I noticed that your VM is called "win_81_32_01" yet it utilizes a VDI from "win_81_vd". Why is that?

[se_ha]

The display resolution of the XP guest is 1920x1047.

actually in Full Screen mode the XP guest should be 1920x1200.

Both correct. se_ha didn't go Full Screen, s/he maximized the window (1200-borders-bars-misc=1047)

@se_ha
If you want to go Full-Screen, press Host-F. Otherwise for custom resolutions, open up Terminal and type the command (this is an example for a 1280x1024 VM resolution):

VBoxManage controlvm "win_81_32_01" setvideomodehint 1280 1024 32

BTW, I noticed that your VM is called "win_81_32_01" yet it utilizes a VDI from "win_81_vd". Why is that?

The point is, I don't want to use my old Win XP installation I want to use a new win 8.1 installation as guest. And the issue is that under XP guest I can set my resolution to whatever is possible but under win 8.1 (32) bit Guest I can only get 1024x7.. resolution, in Host or Scaled mode the Seamless mode is gryaed out.

I have tryed the commandline via the terminal and it has no effect.

After I uninstalled VBox and reinstalled everything I tried again with the same result no change possible to the screen resolutuion. When I sitch on the 3D and 2D acceleration the system hangs as soon as the login screen of the guest is visible. Under Win XP guest 2D and 3D accelaration cuase no issue, but again I don't want to use that guest OS I want to use Win 8.1 as guest.

[loukingjr]

There is always the possibility that your Windows 8.1 source is corrupt. I've been running Windows 8.1 as a guest since 5/14 on various versions of VirtualBox and OSX up through OSX 10.10.2 and have no problems resizing the screen.

BTW, did you install the guest additions in your Windows 8.1 guest while it was in Safe Mode? You're not supposed to.

[se_ha]

There is always the possibility that your Windows 8.1 source is corrupt. I've been running Windows 8.1 as a guest since 5/14 on various versions of VirtualBox and OSX up through OSX 10.10.2 and have no problems resizing the screen.

It's a brand new installation DVD

BTW, did you install the guest additions in your Windows 8.1 guest while it was in Safe Mode? You're not supposed to.

No I never was in safe mode

[loukingjr]

I found the problem. With Windows shutdown make sure "Maximum Guest Screen Size" is set to either None or Automatic in the VB preferences under the Display tab. I.E, in the menu bar VirtualBox>Preferences>Display.

I thought the "Maximum Guest Screen Size" setting was only supposed to affect Linux guests but it forces Windows guests to 1024x768 if set to "Hint". It does it to my Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 guests. I don't know why your XP guest was okay unless you didn't update its guest additions or it only affects the WDDM driver. I imagine it's the latter.

[se_ha]

I found the problem. With Windows shutdown make sure "Maximum Guest Screen Size" is set to either None or Automatic in the VB preferences under the Display tab. I.E, in the menu bar VirtualBox>Preferences>Display.

It seams switching to "Automatic" solved the problem, thanks for your help

[loukingjr]

welcome.