virtualbox.org

VirtualBox 6.0
Host: Windows 10 64-bit
Guest: Windows XP 32-bit

I was just using VirtualBox with an XP VM. The video was working find and then I clicked to move the guest window. I might have clicked on the edge to resize the window. In any case, the window did a redraw, suddenly resized and is now stuck at 640x480 4-bit.

I can choose 32-bit color but when I click Apply, it redraws and goes back to 4-bit, 640x480.

Nothing has changed in the VirtualBox Display settings that I can see. This is very frustrating.

I split your post from the "XP: Stuck on 4-bit color and choppy performance". Don't you think that a thread last updated on 2009-10-25 is dead enough? Let the zombies retire...

I need to see a complete VBox.log, from a complete VM run, where the problem occurs:

1. Start the VM from cold-boot (not from a paused or saved state) / Observe problem / Shutdown the VM (force close it if you have to).
2. With the VM completely shut down (not paused or saved), right-click on the VM in the VirtualBox Manager and select "Show Log".
3. Save only the first "VBox.log", ZIP it and attach it to your response. See the "Upload attachment" tab below the reply form.

I would also like to see the "recipe" of the VM, the ".vbox" file:

1. Right-click on the VM in the VirtualBox Manager. Select "Show in Finder/Explorer/Whatever".
2. ZIP the selected ".vbox" file and attach it to your response.

Yes, that makes sense not to reply to such an old thread. It is good to know not to do that. Thanks for moving my post.

Procedure:

Started VM from cold boot. Observed problem of 4-bit 640x480 resolution. Attempted to change to 32-bit 800x600. Accepted changes, however, video did not actually change and reverted back to 4-bit 640x480. Shut down VM (clean).

I have zipped the .log and .vbox files together.

<ExtraDataItem name="GUI/LastGuestSizeHint" value="917,646"/>

The last size hint shows a different size than the "I think I may have resized it by accident". That's not close to an accident, that was close to a proper window resizing, no?

00:00:02.703852 File system of 'D:\XP.vhd' is ntfs
00:00:02.704501 File system of 'D:\XP_Storage.vhd' is ntfs

That's two VHDs that you have attached there, not the default VDIs...

00:00:02.855261   VMSVGAEnabled    <integer> = 0x0000000000000001 (1)

You have selected the VBoxSVGA as your GPU which is only available after VirtualBox 6.0.0...

00:00:07.464920 VMMDev: Guest Additions information report: Version 5.2.6 r120293 '5.2.6'

And I see that this VM has the older 5.2.6 Guest Additions (GAs) from 2018...

Based on the three points above, I would like to know how this VM came to exist:

• It uses the non-default VHD.
• It has the 6.0.x available GPU.
• But it has the 5.2.6 GAs installed.

So, can you explain the origins and the life of this VM?

socratis wrote:

00:00:07.464920 VMMDev: Guest Additions information report: Version 5.2.6 r120293 '5.2.6'

And I see that this VM has the older 5.2.6 Guest Additions (GAs) from 2018...

Based on the three points above, I would like to know how this VM came to exist:

• It uses the non-default VHD.
• It has the 6.0.x available GPU.
• But it has the 5.2.6 GAs installed.

So, can you explain the origins and the life of this VM?

• I chose to use VHD when I created the VM. I believe my thought at the time was that VHD might be useful if I wanted to attach the image to the Windows host. It seemed more portable.
• I am using 6.0.0 r127566. I didn't create the VM in another version - it was created in this installation. I don't have an answer for that except that it seems to be available in this particular build.

As for the guest utils... hmm, I thought I just chose the "Insert Guest Additions CD Image" from the Devices menu. If there's an unusually old version installed, then I wonder if that might be affecting things. It sounds like I should try upgrading.

Upgrading to Virtualbox 6.0.8 seems to have fixed the issue. I also installed the 6.0.8 guest utils (via the Device menu).

Thanks for your help, socratis.

Glad you got it going. Marking as [Resolved].

Have same problem.
Host: Windows 10 x64
Guest: Windows XP SP 32bit
Virtualbox version 6.0.10 + same Extpack +same GA
Video driver: VboxSVGA (also checked VboxVGA)
Problem: After installation Win XP works fine, i can change some graphics modes.
After GA install and reboot guest system stuck at 4-bit 640x480 mode. Helps only additions delete.

As a reference. Also have Centos machine (host) with 6.0.8 Virtualbox+EP+GA
Same Windows XP SP3 32bit (created + installed)
Works fine after GA install

altronrain,

Since you didn't include any logs, my hunch tells me that your GPU drivers are being rejected due to hardening errors. We need to see a ZIPPED VBoxHardening.log for the VM, after a complete run, see below.

We also need to see a complete VBox.log, from a complete VM run, where the problem occurs:

• Start the VM from cold-boot (not from a paused or saved state) / Observe problem / Shutdown the VM (force close it if you have to).
• With the VM completely shut down (not paused or saved), right-click on the VM in the VirtualBox Manager and select "Show Log".
• Save only the first "VBox.log", ZIP it and attach it to your response. See the "Upload attachment" tab below the reply form.

Oh, sorry
Solved my problem completely deleting this VM.
Then I made clean VM with VboxVGA and installed guest OS + GA. Interesting, but this time all function well

Good to know. I can only leave this thread as [Resolved], since it wasn't your own thread to begin with...