excessive mouse lag in directx applications

[Lebostein]

The system I use:

Mac OS X 10.10.5
- 2,5 GHz Intel Core i5
- 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
- Intel HD Graphics 4000 1024 MB

VirtualBox 5.0.4 r1 with Windows XP (32-Bit)
- Guest Additions: installed
- Base Memory: 2048 MB
- Video Memory: 128 MB
- Acceleration: 2D Video, 3D

The Problem: I have tested some older DirectX games, for example System Shock (from GOG). The game runs very smooth and fast. BUT: The mouse lags inside the game (in all games I have tested) very excessive. To move the mouse cursor from the left to the right side of the screen I need 20 seconds! It is impossible to use that sluggish mouse cursor.

What could be the problem?
Thanks!

[loukingjr]

Try disabling mouse integration. It may help.

[Lebostein]

Try disabling mouse integration. It may help.

No effect. That was the first thing I have tried.

[loukingjr]

Some games will have issues in a virtual machine. Not much that can be done. Especially now since XP support has been dropped from VirtualBox.

[Lebostein]

Especially now since XP support has been dropped from VirtualBox.

I thought an important field of use of virtual machines are the support of older operating systems...

[socratis]

I thought an important field of use of virtual machines are the support of older operating systems...

Actually the paying customers have more of a say on the important fields of use.

[Martin]

Especially now since XP support has been dropped from VirtualBox.

Support for Windows XP hosts has been dropped.
Windows XP is still supported as a guest OS:
http://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch03.h ... tossupport

But that still doesn't meen that all games will work satisfactorily inside a VM.

[loukingjr]

(learns something everyday)

[Lebostein]

OK, back to the problem.

I have searched a lot in the last hours. It seems that many users have this problem with DirectX games, but I found no solution....

[socratis]

Virtual machines will never be as powerful as the host, specially on the video side. Applications that have high requirements on the GPU (drawing, 3D, games, video) are expected to not work as good as on the real hardware, if they work at all.

To state it otherwise, unless someone has the resources (either programming skills or biiiiig pockets), not all features will be supported. Especially if it doesn't make any business sense...

[loukingjr]

OK, back to the problem.

I have searched a lot in the last hours. It seems that many users have this problem with DirectX games, but I found no solution....

Just curious, have you tried PlayOnMac? It's free and supports many older Windows games. Their site claims it supports "GOG.com - System Shock 2" for example. Just a thought.

[Lebostein]

Virtual machines will never be as powerful as the host, specially on the video side. Applications that have high requirements on the GPU (drawing, 3D, games, video) are expected to not work as good as on the real hardware, if they work at all.
To state it otherwise, unless someone has the resources (either programming skills or biiiiig pockets), not all features will be supported. Especially if it doesn't make any business sense...

Have you read my question? The game runs very fast, smooth and without any lags or graphical glitches. The only problem is to move the mouse cursor.

[Lebostein]

If I turn on/turn off mouse integration in a fast way an click around randomly in the VB menu then sometimes the DirectX mouse cursor works if I expected! But I can not reproduce that. I've got it right so far only 2 times. It seems to turn off the mouse integration works only in some cases. Very strange...

Edit: Now I used a fast DirectX mouse cursor in booth modes (mouse integration on or off). It seems the lag has nothing to do with the mouse integration. But I can not reproduce, how I switched in this "non lagging"-mode...

Interesting thing: As long as the mouse cursor lags (in this time the cursor moves very slow to the target) all keys (also the Host key) are blocked.
Other interesting thing: This behavior I can see with different DirectX applications. It seems that lagging problem not depends on the application. It seems this is caused by the VirtualBox.