Screen resolution confined to 1024 by 768

[Upsilon]

Ever since updating from 4.2.18 to 4.3.4, I have lost the ability to set a virtual screen resolution higher than 1024 by 768. This problem persists through the current 4.3.10. Whereas before installing guest additions, there would be 3 higher resolutions selectable (albeit all of 3:4 aspect ratio), after installing guest additions, I am stuck with no other choices. "Auto resize" can only reduce that resolution, and full screen mode would only create a wide border around a smaller effective display area. Ticket #12462 appears to be describing the same problem but on Linux guest. I, on the other hand, am encountering this on Windows Vista and Windows 8.1 (64-bit) guests. The common denominator seems to be Mac OS-X host. And yet, from user forum discussions, I know of one person running the same guest and host OS's as I but does not encounter this problem. (Perhaps there is a hardware-dependent component to this problem. I am using a Macbook Air laptop, by the way.) I have tried all combinations of enabling 2D and 3D acceleration - they do not matter in this regard. For reference, I have allocated 128 MB of video memory for up to 2 monitors. The only workaround I have found is to downgrade to 4.2.18. Under that version, although higher resolutions than 1024 are not initially available, they become available after entering full-screen mode, if the session had not started up in full screen mode to begin with. With two monitors activated extending each other, I am able to use the full screen real estate of both monitors in either full screen mode or windowed mode. Under 4.3.x, however, each virtual display would be confined to 1024 x 768. I have also tried 4.2.20, which was released at the same time as 4.3.4. I run into the same resolution limitation problem with 4.2.20. I would like also to mention that I have found 4.2.18 to run just fine using the guest additions from later versions. In fact, the latest guest additions help 4.2.18 with more stable redraws, and I could still get full screen resolution control with this combination.

[Upsilon]

Log file from running 4.3.10

[Frank Mehnert]

No idea ATM. Can you tell me the screen size of your host monitor? I guess you are using the built-in display of your MacBook Air?

[Upsilon]

Replying to frank:

No idea ATM. Can you tell me the screen size of your host monitor? I guess you are using the built-in display of your MacBook Air?

My laptop display is 13", with 1440 x 900 resolution. My external display is connect to the MacBook Air via an Apple Mini Display Port to VGA adaptor, and it has 1680 x 1050 resolution.

[Upsilon]

I would like to report that this problem persists with VirtualBox 4.3.12. Moreover, Windows 8.1 guest under Mac OS-X host is flakier than ever with 4.3.12. Many times both monitors would go blank. I could bring the images back by going out of and back into full-screen mode, but in doing so my screen resolution would degrade to and get stuck at 1024 x 768 or lower. There was also a time when the VM kept bringing me back to the system login screen - it didn't say the login was wrong, I just couldn't get beyond it. At that point I switched back to 4.2.18.

[aeichner]

Please reopen if still relevant with a recent VirtualBox release.