How can I get VirtualBox to run at 1366x768?

Question

I'm trying to run Windows 8 in VirtualBox. My laptop's display is exactly 1366x768. Windows 8 disables some of its features if the resolution is less than 1366x768, so I need to run the guest OS fullscreen.

The problem is, VirtualBox refuses to run the guest at 1366x768. When VirtualBox is "fullscreen", the guest is only 1360x768 -- six pixels too narrow. So there's a three-pixel black bar at the left and right sides of the display.

This user had the same problem, but the accepted answer is "install the Guest Additions", which I've already done; that got me to 1360, but not to 1366.

According to the VirtualBox ticket tracker, there used to be a bug where the guest's screen width would be rounded down to the nearest multiple of 8, but they claim to have fixed the bug in version 3.2.12. I'm using version 4.1.18 and seeing the same problem they claim to have fixed, so either they broke it again, they were wrong about ever having fixed it, or my problem is something else entirely.

This answer suggested giving the VM 128MB of video memory, and claimed no problems getting 1366x768 afterward. When I created the VM, its display memory was already defaulted to 128 MB. I tried increasing it to 256MB, but with no effect: the guest is still six pixels too narrow.

My host OS is Windows 7 64-bit, and I'm running VirtualBox 4.1.18.

How can I get VirtualBox to run my guest OS fullscreen at my display's native resolution of 1366x768?

Answer 1

While the VM is running, you can also tell the guest OS to change the resolution by using:

VBoxManage controlvm "Name of VM" setvideomodehint 1366 768 32

The 32 at the end denotes the display color depth.

Answer 2

After burning an entire weekend on this, I finally found the culprit: VirtualBox's 3D acceleration.

If you go into your virtual machine's Settings > Display, and uncheck "Enable 3D Acceleration", then the guest will successfully run at 1366x768.

Answer 3

I solved the same problem on Fedora 22 KDE by using following command:

$ VBoxManage setextradata global GUI/MaxGuestResolution any
$ VBoxManage setextradata "Win 10" "CustomVideoMode1" "1366x786x32"

Note that your virtualbox window should be closed.

Answer 4

I had it working by doing this:

1. Shutdown VM

2. Navigate to C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\

3. Shift + Right-Click > Open command window here

4. Run command VBoxManage.exe setextradata "Windows 8 RTM Evaluation" CustomVideoMode1 1366x768x32

5. Start VM

6. Launch Desktop, Right-Click > Screen Resolution

7. Choose 1366 x 768

But, it broke...

I updated VirtualBox and installed new Guest Additions. Now it's using "VirtualBox Graphics Adapter for Windows 8" and I cannot select a wide resolution.

Answer 5

Make sure that your hardware supports whatever resolution you intend to use.

Boot your Linux guest in VirtualBox and press c in the GRUB menu (it's a blue screen in Debian) and then in the grub> prompt use the vbeinfo command to check the supported resolutions by your hardware. It's in the format of 1366x768x32.

Press Esc to exit grub> prompt and proceed. Then:

1. login to the system as root
2. vim /etc/default/grub

3. edit, using one of the modes supported:

   GRUB_GFXMODE=1366x768x24
   GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX=keep
   

4. update your Grub configuration (the command in Debian is update-grub, and in OpenSUSE is grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg)

5. log out

6. in Windows (or whatever the host OS) run this command:

   C:\>...\vboxmanage setextradata "your_guest_os_name" "CustomVideoMode1" "1366x768x32"
   

7. reboot your guest OS

Answer 6

My issue was running Windows XP (in VB) in Ubuntu 14.04. Running that since it is the only way to connect remotely into work. ANyway, max res was 1024X800 until I did the follwoing:

1. Under the Oracle VM VirtualBox Manager, Select the File Menu
2. Select the Preferences option
3. Select Display from the left hand side options
4. Change the Maximum Guest Screen Size to HINT (From Automatic or None)
5. Set your max pixel width and height (mine is 1440X900)
6. CLick on OK
7. Start up your Virtual Session

Answer 7

I have a much easier method : Change the Graphics controller in the virtual box settings to VBoxSVGA. Now open your VM and in the menu click : View -> Virtual Screen 1 -> [choose the resoltuion]

Answer 8

If you're using a Mac OS on your Virtual Machine, it's not possible to set the screen resolution of 1366x768.

Here are some resolutions you can use:

• 640×480
• 800×600
• 1280×1024
• 1440×900
• 1900×1200

To set it on VirtualBox from Windows:

VBoxManage.exe setextradata "Your OS name" CustomVideoMode1 800x600

also, to set it from a Linux OS:

VBoxManage setextradata "MacOS Mojave" VBoxInternal2/EfiGraphicsResolution 800x600

Answer 9

I solved my problem this way:

1. Start your virtual OS (Windows 8), while it's already running
2. From the menu select Device
3. Install the Guest Additions
4. Continue until the installation finishes.
5. Restart VirtualBox

Answer 10

To set screen size to 1366x768 in fullscreen do this:

Steps (in command prompt):

1. cd "C:\Program Files\Oracle\Virtualbox"
2. VBoxManage setextradata "macOS name" VBoxInternal2/EfiGraphicsResolution 1366x768

Change “macOS name” to the name of your virtual OS.

Answer 11

GO to Settings -> Display -> Scale factor (All monitors). Increase it. It will maximize the screen of os running in VM window

Answer 12

For people coming here because they have a very small resolution (like 800x600), just go in the running VM in your screen settings, and change the resolution of the screen from there.

Answer 13

Before you typing those command lines. Add this line "C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox" in the Path. ‘VBoxManage’ is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

Answer 14

I figured out how the guy from Indonesia did it and managed to make it work , but on Win XP guest OS . Should probably work for Win 8 just as well .

1. You must have the VB guest additions installed on host OS

2. Start the VM and from the mini toolbar , right click on CD/DVD and select "Choose a virtual CD/DVD file" .

3. When prompted , browse to VB installation folder and select the VBoxGuestAdditions.ISO

4. Setup will start running on your guest OS and will install the VB guest additions

5. Restart and it works even with 3d video acceleration enabled .

Answer 15

I recently experienced the same problem. Fortunately, for me I was able to fix my resolution issues by using this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCSXDjKKaQo . I followed the instructions step by step and now everything is functioning perfectly. The guy on the video is using a MAC to access the terminal which would make the changes to the screen resolution. I'm using Windows 7 to access Command Prompt (CMD). Interestly enough, the commands work on both Terminal and CMD.

As a FYI make sure to use "1366 768 32" exactly how Oliver's posting described

Hopefully this helps.

Answer 16

Follow these instructions and you will solve your problem:

• I am running VirtualBox 4.3.32
• Installed OS is Windows 7

Now with the virtual machine turned off do the following:

1. Go to the following folder of your PC: C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox
2. Press Shift + right-click and choose "Open command prompt here".
3. Type the following: VBoxManage.exe setextradata windows7 CustomVideoMode1 1366x768x32
4. Replace windows7 with the name of the VirtualBox.
5. Press Enter.
6. Start virtual machine.
7. Right-click on the virtual machine desktop and choose Screen Resolution.
8. In the Resolution list you will find the option 1366 x 768.
9. Choose 1366 x 768 and click OK.