[SOLVED] Running Ubuntu in Virtual Box, resolution issue

[punkncat]

I am running Ubuntu 20.04.4 LTS inside Virtual Box 6.1. (32) on a Ryzen 2700X machine, 32GB of RAM, GTX 1080. The host system is running fine, no issue there.

Lately I have run into an issue where when I start the VM, it goes to the load/splash screen in "switch mode" (which is a full windowed screen at 1980x1440 4:3) will start to the desktop, then flashes a few times the end of which it defaults back to 800x600 resolution.
Due to the way the menus work, sometimes I can 'grab and move' the setting screen enough to both change resolution and hit the apply button. Sometimes not. Almost without fail I can power off the VM and start it again and it will be back to the larger resolution but don't always stay there.

I have been using the VM as a test bed of sorts so I can learn a bit about it in order to migrate some work machines to it. I have it physically loaded on one machine here (a 3rd gen Intel OptiPlex) and have no issue with it, and have loaded it on a small handful of other similar machines up to 4th gen with no similar issue.

Is this more likely a fault of Virtual Box, or something going on with the install? I absolutely have been monkeying around inside it trying to teach myself things in a way that is easy to wipe and reinstall, which I have more than once. This latest VM is current and up to date on the Ubuntu side.
What should I look into about this?

 

[Satan-IR]

Guest Additions installed and running? In Ubuntu VM settings then Display select VBoxSVGA as graphics controller. Uncheck the option 'Enable 3D Acceleration'. I think if that is selected VirtualBox would revert it back to VMSVGA. See if this works.

I read or heard some people apparently fixed this by using older versions of Guest Additions, such as 6.1.4 or 6.1.2.

There was talk of problems between the graphic drivers included in VirtualBox Guest Additions and the newer Linux/Ubuntu kernels that came with the more recent version of Ubuntu and its other flavors.

Note that if you do this I think you'd have to choose VMSVGA, not VBoxSVGA, as graphics controller and 'Enable 3D Acceleration' should be checked.

 

[punkncat]

I am not sure what Guest Additions is, specifically, so can't really answer that aspect.

I am on VMSVGA with acceleration set as 3D.

 

[Satan-IR]

They are basically a set of drivers and system utilities that make guest system perform better and become more user friendly. One of the areas they improve is better video support and Display related stuff.

Check here if you feel like reading about it.
https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch04.html#guestadd-intro

 

[punkncat]

According to that link the Virtual Box install comes with Guest Additions automatically and is updated as part of even minor releases, so yes. I would also comment that there was an option during install and setup to have it automatically include certain aspects that make performance better, so surely there is another thing or two running the BG that I wasn't aware of.

Thanks for the link.

 

[Satan-IR]

According to that link the Virtual Box install comes with Guest Additions automatically and is updated as part of even minor releases, so yes. I would also comment that there was an option during install and setup to have it automatically include certain aspects that make performance better, so surely there is another thing or two running the BG that I wasn't aware of.

Thanks for the link.

No problem. Yes that's why I asked if it's installed because if I remember correctly you can choose not install them at first.

Now that you have it, if it's the latest version maybe try changing to VBoxSVGA and Disabling 3D acceleration. If not the other option with older GA. The older versions can be found here.