Inactive/non-functioning keyboard and mouse in fullscreen (Ubuntu 9.10 guest)

[Carl-Erik Kopseng]

As described in ​this post, my Ubuntu guest OS does not function in fullscreen in VirtualBox 3.1.2.

I have previously been running this VM successfully in fullscreen on this computer using VB 3.0.10, but I have since reinstalled Windows. Though this should not matter since the OS remains the same (Windows 7 Pro x64).

Fullscreen renders the screen area "unclickable"/static and all animated content is frozen until I return from fullscreen, at which time the VM resumes operation.

I have reinstalled VirtualBox Guest Additions after upgrading the kernel. I have also tried reverting to an earlier kernel, but I still cannot go to fullscreen mode.

I can go into functioning fullscreen mode when not installing the Guest Additions, but I have a 16:9 screen (1280x800) and the picture when going fullscreen has an aspect ratio of 4:3.

Attached is the VBox.log from a session in which I boot Ubuntu 9.10, tries going fullscreen, reverts to windowed mode, and shuts it down.

[Carl-Erik Kopseng]

Bootup of Ubuntu 9.10, windowed->fullscreen->windowed, shutdown

[Carl-Erik Kopseng]

I found a fix. It is most probably caused by Compiz, because I just deactivated visual effects in Gnome, and voila! I now have a functioning fullscreen mode ... I still believe it is a bug, though, since less knowledgeable users will not try long and hard enough to find this out for themselves.

[Carl-Erik Kopseng]

Since Compiz is related to 3D, it might be useful to know something about the hardware, altough I doubt it. I am using a Acer Travelmate 6292 with an integrated Intel GMA3100 GPU. 4GB of RAM and plenty of disk space.

[carlill]

I am also seeing this and can confirm that it ONLY happens when:

• 3D acceleration is enabled in the VM; and
• visual effects are enabled in Ubuntu

If the VM window is maximised, as opposed to being in full screen, everything works correctly.

Configuration:

• Guest: Ubuntu 9.10 and 10.04 alpha 2 (64 bit) both display problem
• Host: Windows 7 64-bit
• Virtualbox 3.1.2 and 3.1.4 and their respective Linux guest additions both have the problem

[Carl-Erik Kopseng]

carlill is indeed correct. This only happens in fullscreen with 3d acceleration enabled, and with visual effects enables. Visual effects are in reality controlled by Compiz, so I guess it has something to do with that.

The fact that carlill has the exact same configuration as myself: 64 bit Windows host and 32 bit Linux guest, open the possibility this might be a 64 bit only problem, seeing that noone with 32 bit hosts have joined the discussion.

This is still a problem with the latest VB release: 3.1.6 r59338 Host os is still Win7 64 Pro and guest os is Ubuntu 10.04

[Carl-Erik Kopseng]

Hey, I found this bug in Launchpad: ​https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/xorg-server/+bug/353126

Seems this also happens with VNC connections to Ubuntu guests. Disabling desktop-effects fixes the issue. According to the bug report, this seems to be an regression that entered the Xorg server starting with Ubuntu 9.04 (one year ago).

[Carl-Erik Kopseng]

Made a ​demo video on Youtube that shows the problem (approx 3min).

[carlill]

A further update, testing with VirtualBox 3.2.0:

• The bug is still present in Ubuntu 10.04 (32 bit) running on a Windows 7 64 bit host
• It is also present in OpenSUSE 11.3 Milestone 7 (32 bit) running on the same host.

Any idea of when we might expect a fix?

Ceri

[carlill]

Testing with VirtualBox 3.2.4 (corrected build) shows that this bug is still present.

Any feedback on when a fix might be made available?

Ceri

[rraghur]

Configuration:

Host: windows 7 x64

Guest: Ubuntu Lucid 32bit

Virtualbox: 3.2.6

HW: Dell E6410 with Intel GMA

Bug is still present. 3d accel + Full screen + compiz does not work as described.

A further piece of info: On a remote desktop connection with the above enabled, the rdp screen is black.

Disabling compiz seems to do the trick - can get a functioning desktop in full screen - obviously minus the effects :(

A fix would be very much appreciated - I just moved to better hardware so I could run vbox better :)

[Carl-Erik Kopseng]

Still present in 3.2.10 running on Windows 7 x64. Guest: Ubuntu 10.10 (had to install dkms and build-essential to make 3d accel work in windowed mode)

[bjc1138]

Replying to fatso:

Still present in 3.2.10 running on Windows 7 x64. Guest: Ubuntu 10.10 (had to install dkms and build-essential to make 3d accel work in windowed mode)

FWIW, I've had the same issues, over the same span of time. I am currently running the same guest(Ubuntu 10.10, 3D enabled, running Compiz) and host(W7 pro 64 bit) on VB release 3.2.10 and still can't go full screen. Kind of a bummer too, as in windowed mode everything runs beautifully on my x61T. And yes ... If I disable compiz/3D all goes back to normal.

If it helps any, I'll describe my symptoms: Once in full screen mode, the desktop freezes and behaves as though someone has substituted the desktop with a snapshot image of the desktop. The mouse still moves and updates however (changes based upon what it is hovering over). If I try to move a window or click on an application I get the associated sounds/mouse updates, but no other screen updates. BUT ... If I switch back to windowed mode, anything that I did (moved windows, opened aps, etc.) is properly shown. For instance, say that I have a window in the upper right hand corner of the screen, then I switch to full-screen mode. I can try to grab the window, and try to move it around but it appears to remain frozen in place. If I switch back to windowed mode thereafter, the window will have in fact moved.

[Matt]

Same issue: W7 64-bit host, VB 4.0.8r71778 In my case, my guest is a fresh install of fedora core 15. bjc1138 describes the symptoms perfectly: it's as if a snapshot of the desktop is shown, but things are still happening. For example, if I type or move a window, I can see the changes when I exit fullscreen.

Very frustrating.

[Matt]

Any update? I'm happy to assist with debugging if I can be of help.

Further curious symptoms I found today: I have a dual-head display - external VGA (1280x1024) and notebook LCD (1366x768)

1. If I have both displays active, and set my virtualbox fullscreen to LCD, it works fine.
2. Otherwise, (i.e. if I have only one display active, or if both displays are active and I set my virtualbox fullscreen to VGA) it either suffers this 'freeze' effect or else I get a different effect: the guest doesn't fill the full screen, but the mouse pointer can range over the full screen -- so it is inaccurate when clicking. In this case the guest sees a screen resolution equal to what it saw before fullscreening.
3. If I have both displays active, and set my virtualbox fullscreen to LCD, and then switch off my VGA output (single-head), my LCD fullscreen continues to work fine.

My hardware: Toshiba Portege-R700. Intel HD Graphics Video BIOS 2026.8. Driver 8.15.10.2189 Host: windows 7 64-bit Guest: fedora core 15 64-bit, kernel 2.6.38.8-32 VirtualBox: 4.0.10 r72479, guest additions installed.