Windows 10 Desktop issue on VirtualBox

[michaln]

My monitor is square (it seems Win10 is only designed for widescreen monitors?) and runs natively at 1280x1024. But I can only view Win10 at 1024x768, despite my high-end graphics card.

By "square" you mean 5:4 aspect ratio? That's not a square, but it's closer to a square than the typical 16:9 screens nowadays.

I think this may be the reason Win10 doesn't fit my screen - the Desktop is too large and I have to use SCROLLBARS everytime I want to do ANYTHING - view the Start Menu/Taskbar, view icons on the Desktop, close or navigate apps - you name it.

Yep, that's bad.

Does anyone have any advice on how to fix this issue? The TechNet guys suggested this might be a VirtualBox issue, not one with Windows10.

They're wrong. The basic problem is that Windows 10 (and Windows 8 ) requires at least 1024x768 resolution. And your screen is just not big enough for a VM with 1024x768 resolution plus all the stuff around it.

What may work is the fullscreen mode (Host+F). The scale mode (Host+C) should make it possible to make the window smaller while keeping the resolution, but it probably won't look very pretty.

The best solution would be getting a bigger monitor.

[loukingjr]

The guest additions don't work in Windows 10. And the OP's screen is 1280x1024.

[michaln]

The guest additions don't work in Windows 10. And the OP's screen is 1280x1024.

I know. Did I say something that made it sound like I didn't understand the situation?

Admittedly in my first reply I just concentrated on the VBoxManage syntax and not on the fact that adding a custom video mode is not going to solve the OP's problem. His issue is that the guest screen is too big, not too small (which is the case for just about everyone else).

[loukingjr]

I was under the impression Host+F and Host+C only work with the guest additions installed. And his screen is certainly large enough to show a 1024x768 window.

[Ed1975]

I was under the impression Host+F and Host+C only work with the guest additions installed. And his screen is certainly large enough to show a 1024x768 window.

Hmmm...I'm a bit confused now. Anyway, I tried changing to the E: directory and pasted in your code, but I got the "Could not find a registered machine..." error, as earlier.

Was your code possibly missing the path to the .vdi? I also tried changing .vdi to .vbox, but nothing happened...

[michaln]

I was under the impression Host+F and Host+C only work with the guest additions installed. And his screen is certainly large enough to show a 1024x768 window.

Aha No, full screen/scaling is independent of GAs. Try it.

For full screen, the difference is that with GAs the guest gets resized to cover the full screen and without GAs it doesn't. But since the OP just needs to get rid of the window decorations, that's secondary (and he should be convince to run the guest at 1280x1024 anyway). The OP's problem isn't that the host screen isn't big enough for a 1024x768 window, it's that it isn't big enough for a 1024x768 window with menus, status bars, and all that stuff around it. I don't know what the VM window size will be exactly but it's not going to fit for sure.

[michaln]

Hmmm...I'm a bit confused now. Anyway, I tried changing to the E: directory and pasted in your code, but I got the "Could not find a registered machine..." error, as earlier.

Please stop. VBoxManage will not help you. It would at best make the VM window bigger, not smaller.

Try Host+F to get the VM window to run in full-screen mode. It may not be as convenient but it should be a lot more usable.

[Ed1975]

Try Host+F to get the VM window to run in full-screen mode. It may not be as convenient but it should be a lot more usable.

OK. Can you explain what you mean by Host+F? What key(s) do I press for "Host"? And do I do this within the Win10 Preview while it's running?

Thanks

[loukingjr]

I was under the impression Host+F and Host+C only work with the guest additions installed. And his screen is certainly large enough to show a 1024x768 window.

Aha No, full screen/scaling is independent of GAs. Try it.

For full screen, the difference is that with GAs the guest gets resized to cover the full screen and without GAs it doesn't. But since the OP just needs to get rid of the window decorations, that's secondary (and he should be convince to run the guest at 1280x1024 anyway). The OP's problem isn't that the host screen isn't big enough for a 1024x768 window, it's that it isn't big enough for a 1024x768 window with menus, status bars, and all that stuff around it. I don't know what the VM window size will be exactly but it's not going to fit for sure.

okay well I'll let you two sort it out. I realized Host+F works without scaling the guest. I didn't know about Host+C. Next time I install a guest I will check before I install guest additions.

I don't know about Windows hosts, but on Mac hosts, there is only 43 extra pixels taken up vertically and 0 extra pixels horizontally for a guest. So when I create a 1920x1080 window for a guest, the actual size of the window is 1920x1123.

[loukingjr]

the Host key is the right control key. And yes, the guest has to be open. You've never even glanced at the user manual have you? lol

[Ed1975]

the Host key is the right control key. And yes, the guest has to be open. You've never even glanced at the user manual have you? lol

Guilty, your Honour

Thanks for the help, trying it now...

[Ed1975]

It works! It's *much* better.

Thanks guys! Now I can get on and really try out Win 10

[loukingjr]

you should thank michaln

[Ed1975]

Yeah, thanks Michaln

[michaln]

I don't know about Windows hosts, but on Mac hosts, there is only 43 extra pixels taken up vertically and 0 extra pixels horizontally for a guest. So when I create a 1920x1080 window for a guest, the actual size of the window is 1920x1123.

On Windows it's different. There is additional frame around the entire window, which adds both width and height. On top of that, the menu is inside the VM window, which again adds height. On my system, a 1024x768 VM has a 1040x848 window. If the window has scroll bars, those again "steal" from the available space.