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[SOLVED] Artix in VirtualBox Does Not Detect 1920x1080 Resolution

I am running Artix (with all the latest updates) under VirtualBox 6.1.    I'm running XFCE desktop (though I hardly think that should matter).  After an update some months ago, I have not been able to get 1920x1080 resolution, which had always worked previously.  I just did another update today (pacman -Syyu), rebooted, but still no 1920x1080 listed in the dropdown in the display configuration.

I would like to be able to use the full screen mode.  This mode (1920x1080) works on all of my other VMs, without any special modifications or configuration; they all detect it properly and select it automatically.   (FWIW, these are Devuan, MX-Linux, and a few others.)

Perhaps it is just a missing modeline.  But why isn't it automatically detected as elsewhere?   Thanks for your help.

[EDIT] In addition, I also note that the clipboard functionality does not seem to work right either.  I am wondering if this is related, given that the clipboard interoperates (if set to do so) with VirtualBox.

Re: Artix in VirtualBox Does Not Detect 1920x1080 Resolution

Reply #1 –
I had a lot of problems with Virtualbox 6.1; I had to downgrade to 6.0.14 IIRC. Video modes some times is a hit or miss, depending on the driver you select to present in the VM settings. For the record, clipboard functionality doen't work in 6.0.14 either.

Re: Artix in VirtualBox Does Not Detect 1920x1080 Resolution

Reply #2 –
OK, I will believe that.  I've seen problems with VBox GA's in the past myself.

But, still, I'm having no problems with either screen resolutions or the clipboard action in my other VMs.   They are working fine under the VBox 6.0.x series.   I'm more suspicious that it has something to do with the more recent kernel:  All my other VMs -- and host for that matter -- are running kernel 4.x series.  Only Artix is running kernel 5.x.

Another problem I am experiencing -- again, only in Artix VM -- is intermittent flickering of the xfce top panel bar.  Also, the bottom bar is truncated and the icons inside of it are not placed evenly; some icons are truncated at the top and bottom, the end icons are truncated on the bottom.

https://pasteboard.co/IUzX8f9.jpg   (It took me 5-6 iterations of copy-and-paste to paste this link, btw!)

Re: Artix in VirtualBox Does Not Detect 1920x1080 Resolution

Reply #3 –
Are your other installs using XFCE 4.14 or 4.12? There are various graphics issues on some hardware with 4.14.

Re: Artix in VirtualBox Does Not Detect 1920x1080 Resolution

Reply #4 –
Just to double-check that it isn't a problem with whatever configuration I ended up with, I thought I'd try an experiment.

My Artix VM is from a 2018 ISO image.  I've continually applied updates to it, so it should be more or less as current as a fresh install.  But I went ahead and, using the most recent ISO (cinnamon/openrc) installed Artix in a new VM.   Sure enough, it also cannot find the 1920x1080 resolution either.  I think the desktop is running cinnamon, though there is no clear indication (no "help" option in the menu).   But since I installed from the cinnamon ISO, I'm guessing that is the default.

So, it is not likely to be xfce-related, as per nous comment above.  Besides, the modes that any of these desktop monitor resolution utilities list are coming from the graphical system anyway.   I would think it is either the kernel version, or the version of the graphical system in use that would point us to the source of the problem.   It may be some rather minor issue with either.

Is there a way to get an older, say, 4.x kernel to try out?   If that quits the problem, then we might be a bit closer to solving the problem.

Re: Artix in VirtualBox Does Not Detect 1920x1080 Resolution

Reply #5 –
nous:  Wayland?   I don't think any of my other VMs run Wayland.

[EDIT]  AHA!    See https://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?t=63416#p300760.   So VBox is not sure when they will support Wayland.    Problem is still not solved, but it seems like we now know the reason why.   I'm not sure what I'm going to do.   I might need to move my work to a different environment.

[EDIT]  I just noticed that that post was from 2014; so maybe VBox has added some support since then.   I tried disabling the 3D acceleration, but that results in a very, very, very [not kidding!] slow display, and all I get is a few icons on a completely blank background.   There is no menu or panel. 

Re: Artix in VirtualBox Does Not Detect 1920x1080 Resolution

Reply #6 –
So I guess I need to look for other options, sorry guys.    It's been a good run.   Thanks for your work.

Re: Artix in VirtualBox Does Not Detect 1920x1080 Resolution

Reply #7 –
My last guesses would be either the kernel or Xorg. I did notice that some ISO images (LXDE or LXQt, not sure) don't read correctly the window resolution of Virtualbox or can't resize it, but not in a reproducible way. I didn't want to mess with xrandr.
You can use any pacman-compatible kernel out there, seems that the 4.20-LTS series is the most stable ATM. For Xorg, it's kind of hard to downgrade, as we don't have (yet) a public archive. As I said, it's easier to change the graphics controller of Virtualbox until a working one is found.

Quote from: bozonius – on
So I guess I need to look for other options, sorry guys.    It's been a good run.   Thanks for your work.

We wish you all luck, thanks for being with us for this long.

Re: Artix in VirtualBox Does Not Detect 1920x1080 Resolution

Reply #8 –
It's not xorg -- it has been replaced by wayland apparently.  It is a completely different compositor as I understand it.

But I will try your suggestion of changing the graphics controller in vbox.

Re: Artix in VirtualBox Does Not Detect 1920x1080 Resolution

Reply #9 –
Changing the graphics controller to VBoxSVGA worked, whereas VMSVGA did not.   3D acceleration is enabled.  I get the full 1920x1080 resolution, as I had in the distant past.

Thanks, nous, for that suggestion.  I will report any issues here.

Re: Artix in VirtualBox Does Not Detect 1920x1080 Resolution

Reply #10 –
Four days and no issues.   Thanks again.