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I am currently using VirtualBox to run a Fedora 15 VM. While changing my settings, I allocated 128MB of video memory, as well as enabling 3D acceleration.

Is there any way to assign more video memory? If not, why is it limited to 128MB?

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  • 1
    What are you doing in a VM that you think would be helped by providing more video memory?
    – Zoredache
    Jun 6, 2011 at 22:34
  • I was interested in testing Compiz on there for fun, and figured a little extra memory may help. I also wondered why i was limited anyway Jun 6, 2011 at 22:46
  • @Zoredache I amazed!!! why users don't have any solution about a question and just keeping ask why you want to do that?
    – QMaster
    Aug 3, 2018 at 16:54
  • @QMaster, I ask why, because I am partly here to learn, and knowing why someone wants to do something may help me learn something. I ask why because sometimes the person asking is approaching a problem in an unusual way, and sometimes I can provide an alternative that is better. I ask why so the question will have a better description so that it may be easier for someone else with the same problem that wants to find it. TL;DR Asking why a person wants to do something when it isn't clear usually improves the question/answer.
    – Zoredache
    Aug 3, 2018 at 19:10
  • @Zoredache You right, But I didn't see any other advice from you about the problem. So after 2 days of searching and just getting this type of "WHY?!" answers and nothing else without any success, I'm sure you understand my irritation.
    – QMaster
    Aug 4, 2018 at 10:55

4 Answers 4

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You can do it from the command line. This example will increase the video memory to 256MB:

<~> $ vbm showvminfo WinXP-SP3 | grep VRAM
VRAM size:       128MB

<~> $ vbm modifyvm WinXP-SP3 --vram 256

<~> $ vbm showvminfo WinXP-SP3 | grep VRAM
VRAM size:       256MB

Note:vbm is actually an abbreviation for vboxmanage.

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    Worth mentioning for those who don't use virtualbox that often (like me): vbm is an alias for vboxmanage, so you either need to create this alias or just replace vbm with vboxmanage in the above commands. Apr 21, 2014 at 2:41
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The upper limit provided by VirtualBox is 256Mb, regardless of the capability of your host hardware/GPU.

For example running:

vboxmanage modifyvm MyVMBoxName --vram 1024

Gives this error:

VBoxManage: error: Invalid VRAM size: 1024 MB (must be in range [1, 256] MB)
VBoxManage: error: Details: code NS_ERROR_INVALID_ARG (0x80070057), component SessionMachine, interface IMachine, callee nsISupports
Context: "COMSETTER(VRAMSize)(ValueUnion.u32)" at line 417 of file VBoxManageModifyVM.cpp

Would be great if there was a way to assign more video memory to a VM as my Win7 use is pretty extensive e.g. for Photoshop.

4

go to your virtual machine display properties and put monitor count at max; this will also give you the max ceiling for video memory just above it. go on and move your slider for video memory all the way to max and ok it. start your virtual machine. let your virtual machine run for a few minutes then shut it down. go back into the virtual machine display properties and bring monitor count back down to one. video memory will remain at max level from now on.

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    This worked well for me - don't need to install anything or mess with any commands. Thanks!
    – DMan
    Nov 13, 2016 at 18:17
  • 1
    Worked perfectly for me as well. Thanks.
    – Shai
    Aug 22, 2019 at 17:58
0

Alternatively (if you are using mac),

1) in virtualbox, right click on the VM -> showinfinder

2) edit the xxxxxxx.vbox file with an editor

3) scroll down to the line

... Display VRAMSize="128" monitorCount="1" accelerate3D="true" accelerate2DVideo="false"/>

4) change the value to 256

... Display VRAMSize="256" monitorCount="1" accelerate3D="true" accelerate2DVideo="false"/>

and save.

Note: Remember to backup /clone your current image for safety. As above try to set within 256 mb. And finally do not run this while your VM is running. :) good luck.

PC should be similar, you just have to find the vbox file.

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