VboxSVGA doesn't update screen

[coderforlife]

Just upgraded to VirtualBox 6.0 on a Linux Host (Fedora 29). The guest machine is Windows 10 x64.

I noticed that there were several new display adapter options in the settings and chose to look at them, however, they have problems:

• VboxVGA: works, but according to the documentation this is supposed to be the basic one and is not the default for Windows 7+. Even though this is the default for new machines, it was not the default when moving a machine from 5.2 to 6.0.
• VboxVGA + 3D Acceleration: works, but the taskbar and start menu flicker periodically (a few times per minute, particularly when other screen updates occur) and it gets really annoying. In some other places (like the Settings App) graphics and buttons are distorted.
• VboxSVGA: "works" but the display is not updated unless there is a change in resolution or I open a VirtualBox dialog that causes the screen to go gray (like "Close"). Then the whole screen is updated all at once and looks great, but I can't see any changes until I open another dialog box from the HUD.
• VboxSVGA + 3D Acceleration: this one also kind-of works but the taskbar, start menu, and various other things (like most of the Settings App) show up in black, transparent, or flashing between the two. Once when this was enabled there was a BSOD as well.

I have the guest additions installed in all cases (and upgraded to 6.0). I have given the machine 256 MB of graphics memory (the max allowed in the GUI). I have not tried VMSVGA as this seems mostly for migrating machines from VMWare.

One thing may be that I am using 200% scaling within Windows due to the high resolution of the monitor. This is itself known to cause issues with the mouse cursor on Windows guests (https://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/17778).

The host machine has the latest NVIDIA drivers in use.

I would like to use the newer VboxSVGA (+ 3D acceleration) but at the moment it doesn't seem to work at all. Is this a probably with trying to move a machine over from 5.2 to 6.0? Does it need to be a fresh install to use VboxSVGA? Is there something I need to do to get it working properly? Are others having this problem? Is there anything else I can do to diagnose/fix it?

[andyp73]

I would like to use the newer VboxSVGA (+ 3D acceleration) but at the moment it doesn't seem to work at all. Is this a probably with trying to move a machine over from 5.2 to 6.0? Does it need to be a fresh install to use VboxSVGA? Is there something I need to do to get it working properly? Are others having this problem? Is there anything else I can do to diagnose/fix it?

For new guests created with VirtualBox v6.0.x the defaults are VBoxSVGA for Windows and VMSVGA for Linux. If you look around the forums there are several threads on issues similar to the one you report.

The guidance at the present time is to switch them back to the VBoxVGA (no S) whilst the devs iron out the issues.

-Andy.

[desweds]

Im experiencing a very similar situation

New install of VB 6.0. Windows 10 Pro Host. Nvidia 1080 card. Everything up to date.

Created new Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 VMs from original media. Everything was fine until I added the host additions, got the same "didnt update the screen" symptom as previously described.

Just adding a me too. Changed to VboxVGA and scaled mode. It works.

[skoehler]

I have the same problem on my Linux host at home (Dell XPS 15 9560) but not at work (Haswell, same Linux as at home).
So it definitely also depends on the host hardware/drivers whether this bug shows.

Anyhow, I was surprised my Windows 10 at work was working, even though it was using VBoxSVGA.

[socratis]

Please all, take a look at the Known Issues in the "Discuss the 6.0.0 release". This is a known issue: #18205 VM does not refresh, but preview window runs realtime

Is this a probably with trying to move a machine over from 5.2 to 6.0? Does it need to be a fresh install to use VboxSVGA?

No, you go to the VM Settings > Display > Screen > Graphics controller.

Is there something I need to do to get it working properly?

Wait for the bugfixes...

I would like to use the newer VboxSVGA (+ 3D acceleration)

Why?

[coderforlife]

Please all, take a look at the Known Issues in the "Discuss the 6.0.0 release". This is a known issue: #18205 VM does not refresh, but preview window runs realtime

Thanks for the link to the bug. I figured it must have been reported but couldn't find it.

No, you go to the VM Settings > Display > Screen > Graphics controller.

That is how I switched it. Just wondering since the manual says it is supposed to be the default.

Wait for the bugfixes...

Do you have links to the bugs for any of the other issues I stated? Or should I report them as well?

Why?

As stated in the manual, it has increased performance. I have Windows applications that do use some 3D graphics and do tax the VM right now. Additionally, I figured it might have better performance with the high resolution screen it is running on. I could ask you the question in return - why was it created in the first place and made the default for new machines running Windows 7+?

[socratis]

Just wondering since the manual says it is supposed to be the default.

It's the default for *new* VMs, but you can change it for old VMs as I pointed and you figured out. Same thing as the paravirtualization setting; it's "Legacy" for older VMs, KVM/Hyper-V/Minimal/None for new ones.

As stated in the manual, it has increased performance.

I read and trust the user manual, just not the X.0.0 version, in terms of performance at least. Right now the focus is getting it to work right, the performance gains will come later. I've yet to see a single report of better performance in real-life™. Someone just coming out and saying "Hey you guys, this new vGPU (VMSVGA/VBoxSVGA) flies compare to the old one (VBoxVGA)"...

I could ask you the question in return - why was it created in the first place and made the default for new machines running Windows 7+?

Because there is only one sure way to really test something; mass-release it. That's what MS is doing with Windows, no?