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How to add a display mode to a VirtualBox VM?

I am using VirtualBox to run windows 8 while I test it out. All of my other virtual machines (i.e. Windows XP a Ubuntu) will use the full screen. For some reason I am unable to get it to fit the full screen like it should. The monitor I am using has its screen resolution set to 1600 X 900.

In the below screenshot of my XP virtual machine you can see the resolution is 1600 X 836. Which utilizes the entire screen. enter image description here

Now looking at the resolution settings in my Windows 8 virtual machine I do not have any resolution setting that is close enough to 1600 X 900. How can I get a resolution setting in the Windows 8 virtual machine that will use the monitors entire area without causing scroll bars?

enter image description here

EDIT Under the view toolbar in VirtualBox I selected Switch to Seemless Mode just to trouble shoot a little and then exited that mode. Now it is actually auto resizing the screen. However I am unable to get to the start ribbon or whatever it is called that appears on the right hand side of the screen. So, I restarted the machine and now it is really slow. Does VirtualBox have problems with guest additions working in Windows 8?

EDIT ROUND 2 Well, I un-installed and re-installed VirtualBox (the most current version). I then created the Windows 8 virtual machine again from scratch. I installed guest additions and it still is not working correctly. I have virtual machines for Windows XP, Ubuntu, Fedora, and Xubuntu and they are all working flawlessly. So far, Windows 8 has not impressed.

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  • What's your host OS? Are you using the latest VirtualBox version? Did you install the VirtualBox Guest Additions? Oct 31, 2012 at 19:14
  • I am running VirtualBox on Window 7 and I do have the latest version installed. I also have guest additions installed.
    – Linger
    Oct 31, 2012 at 19:27
  • I'm getting the same bad behavior. Also, dual monitors isn't working. I have a feeling the Windows 8 Guest Additions are half-baked right now.
    – Vimes
    Sep 15, 2013 at 4:16

2 Answers 2

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Something to try (assuming a Windows host):

  • Stop VirtualBox (all VMs).
  • Open a commnad prompt and navigate to your VirtualBox folder (something like "c:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\").
  • Run VBoxManage.exe setextradata "Your VM Name" CustomVideoMode1 1600x900x32
  • Restart your Win8 VM and check to see if the resolution is available.

More info here and here

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  • I did end up re-installing the windows 8 VirtualBox machine. I added the resolution like you explained and it is working good. For some reason guest additions just was not working. Guest additions made it very buggy.
    – Linger
    Nov 1, 2012 at 12:44
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It seems like you haven't installed the VBox Guest additions. Once that is installed, it should scale to any resolution automatically.

Guest additions

Do remember to restart your VM after installation.

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  • I do have guest additions installed and it is not auto resizing the desktop properly.
    – Linger
    Oct 31, 2012 at 19:26
  • @Linger Try a reinstallation. Also, are you using a version of Virtualbox that gave you Windows 8 as an option during VM creation? Oct 31, 2012 at 19:27
  • Yes I am using a version of Virtualbox that gave you Windows 8 as an option during VM creation.
    – Linger
    Oct 31, 2012 at 19:40
  • Try a reinstallation of Guest additions. Also ensure that Auto-resize display is checked in VBox. Oct 31, 2012 at 19:42

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