I installed Ubuntu 9.10 (using the old version because it's bundled with PHP 5.2.10 instead of 5.3.x, which is a requirement for me with the project I'm working on). However, I can't figure out how to change the color display to 32-bit. Yes, I know 32-bit is really 24-bit + 8-bit alpha or whatever, but either way, I can't find a way to change it in Ubuntu/Gnome.

Here's the error I get when booting Ubuntu through virtualbox:

"The virtual machine window is optimized to work in 32 bit color mode but the virtual display is currently set to 16 bit.

Please open the display properties of the guest OS and select a 32 bit mode, if it is available, for best possible performance of the virtual video subsystem."

My host OS is windows 7 with a 32-bit display. I've tried allocating more video memory to the Ubuntu host, but that doesn't seem to make a difference.

Also, searching for this on google yields absolutely nothing. Every post or topic on this is from 2008 and discusses xorg.conf files which, to my understanding, are no longer used.

This seems so elementary, yet requires a 2 year degree in linux administration to change. In windows, you just right click the background and bam, you're done.

Please help.

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migrated from stackoverflow.com Jul 3 '11 at 3:49

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2 Answers

Install Guest Additions from the bundled iso. If required, check the help and find the VBoxManage command to add a custom screen resolution and depth.

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Actually, it doesn't matter that much. Also, it's just 16-bit color during boot, then it switches to 32-bit.

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Is there a way to verify I'm running 32-bit in gnome (or 24-bit + 8-bit) – dustin999 Mar 17 '11 at 22:29
@dustin999 I don't think so, but it doesn't really matter – Nullable Mar 17 '11 at 23:09
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