Re: [gentoo-user] VirtualBox question on Thinkpad laptop

[Michael]

On Saturday, 20 August 2022 18:57:38 BST Walter Dnes wrote:
> On Sat, Aug 20, 2022 at 09:05:32AM +0100, Michael wrote
>
> > I've noticed the same problem with a MSWindows VM on a laptop,
> > but only when the screen resolution for the VM is anything other
> > than full screen on the host.
>
>   Thanks.  That clue finally got me going with QEMU, but there are a few
> head scratchers that I'll gladly ignore now that QEMU is working.
>
> Head scratcher #1) After a "native install" of the ArcaOS VM on the
> Thinkpad, the bootup on the Thinkpad screams about multiple missing
> drivers for ArcaOS, "Press Enter to continue".  Meanwhile a copy of the
> install on my Dell desktop PC boots up just fine on the ThinkPad (but
> has mouse problems).
>
> Head scratcher #2) The "native install" of ArcaOS VM on the Thinkpad has
> multiple video resolution options, but it does *NOT* have 1280x800 to
> match the Thinkpad.  Meanwhile, the ArcaOS VM I copied from my desktop
> (1920x1080 monitor) does have a 1280x800 option!
>
> Head scratcher #3) After struggling with the mouse, I finally managed to
> change the ArcaOS install (copied from my desktop to the ThinkPad) to
> 1280x800, and then rebooted the VM.  Once I fire up the VM, it works OK
> with the USB mouse *AS LONG AS I DO NOT GO FULLSCREEN {CTRL-ALT-F}*.  If
> I go fullscreen, the mouse goes super-flakey again.  Since both the VM
> and the laptop screen are 1280x800, I'm missing very little screen real
> estate.  Just a thin white strip across the top with the QEMU menu bar
> ("Machine View").
>
>   So far, so good.  If you don't hear back from me, assume that I'm
> happy with the way things are going.  Once again, thanks for pointing me
> in the right direction.

You're welcome, I'm glad you got somewhere.  TBH I don't claim this is the 
right way to go about it, just the workarounds I have come up with after 
trying different resolutions on the QEMU TianoCore EFI menu, then the MSWindows 
desktop resolution menu and then switching back and forth between full screen 
and the default VM window size.  Unless I escape the TianoCore boot process to 
select Reset, the window of the VM ends up being smaller than full screen, 
inheriting the size of the TianoCore menu window, no matter what the 
resolution of either the TianoCore or the MSWindows desktop has been set at 
and the mouse is jumpy and displaced an inch or so from where I end up 
clicking.

 With VBox, while it worked, I had no such problems once VBox Additions were 
installed on the guest.

Regarding the head scratchers with your ArcaOS it may be different the guests 
graphics drivers and settings are made available/configured at installation 
time, as long as the VM container can detect these from the host.  Perhaps an 
inherited full screen is necessary for the installation to assume the 
appropriate window resolution dimensions.