Full-screen in Virtualbox guest for recent (19.04) Ubuntu-variants

[Jason]

Anybody else having trouble with this? I can't seem to get a virtualbox guest that has Kubuntu 19.04 installed to show in full screen or even larger than the default 800x600.

Normally it just works, but I did try installing the vm-tools package via Muon. The install was successful but it didn't change anything.

I tried using the Devices menu to Insert the Guest Additions CD Image. The first time I do it, it complains about an unknown network error (thanks, Oracle, that's really helpful) after trying to download it. I thought this might be due to my VPN so I turned it off. Now when I try to run it nothing whatsoever happens.

I'm using Virtualbox 6.0.6_Ubuntu r129722 on Kubuntu 19.04 with all the updates.

I'm wondering if this problem is related to the release of the 5.x series kernel which is in Ubuntu 19.04 and its official editions now. I mention this because PCLinuxOS has the same problem (in not supporting larger screens out of the box for guests) and it was one of the first distros to use the 5.x kernel.

Any thoughts? I'm annoyed enough I might even try VMware Workstation Player again, are you guys using that having any issues with this?

[fox]

I'm running VB 6.0.6 on vanilla Ubuntu 19.04 and I have full screen access. However, I noticed that my version of VB Additions is in 5.2.10, not 6.0.6. Interesting because normally I am prompted to upgrade the additions when running a VM (Windows 7 guest) after a VB upgrade. That hasn't happened, but perhaps it is because I have the VM suspended and haven't restarted it in awhile. You might try downgrading your additions and seeing if you have functionality again.

Incidentally, if you want a reason to abandon VirtualBox, I can give you one. Oracle is trying to shake down Trent University for use of the unlicensed extension pack by computers connected to the system. My IP address was among those listed, and IT contacted me to inquire how I was using it. There are restrictions, even for universities, for unlicensed use of the extension for the benefit of a business or educational institution.  Personal Use and/or Educational Use expressly exclude any use of the Product for commercial purposes or to operate, run, or act on behalf of or for the benefit of a business, organization, governmental organization, or educational institution. So Oracle was apparently monitored Trent usage of the unlicensed extension and sent an inquiry with a list of the IP's using this.

In my case, my use is legal; I use it to fill out a form the can't be done on the Excel 2010 version I run on Linux. This doesn't benefit Trent or me financially; it just has to be done. My understanding from the IT guy is that he has to collect usage information from users of all unlicensed extensions the Oracle found connected to the Trent server. I think this is very heavy-handed, and Oracle should get a black eye for doing this. Yet another reason to support open source!

[Jason]

Interesting. I didn't know you that you used VB. I thought you were a VMware user.

Anyway, when I try to "insert" the VB Guest Additions disk image, it says it can't find it and prompts me to download it. I just tried to do it after turning off my VPN and it still failed. with an error. I've been using the version of VB available in the default repos though. Perhaps I'll try downloading it directly.

Regarding licensing. Virtualbox (and I think its additions) actually is Open Source (and Free as in speech), licensed under the GPLv2.

But the extension pack is another matter which has its own license which you quoted fairly. Weirdly though, it is included in the default package that I downloaded in Kubuntu although it can be removed from inside the Preferences for VB Manager. You probably don't need it for the form you're filling out since it provides "Support for USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 devices, VirtualBox RDP, disk encryption, NVMe and PXE boot for Intel cards." Oracle might be clamping down on it because there is likely code in there that they don't have rights to but I might be wrong.

[buster]

Just for reference, I have Kubuntu 19.04 as a guest in VMWare. Checked in Muon and it uses open-vm-tools... desktop.

No problems, no changes, even after an update and reboot check. Problem seems specific to VB or JW.

[Jason]

Don't know why I didn't try this before. After you click to "insert" the additions, it asks you download the additions, but it shows the link to the file, and it's clickable. So I clicked on that instead, downloaded the ISO separately and then just used the Optical drive menu to "insert" it. Then ran the installer in the terminal as normal. And it worked, without even a reboot! Yay!

So it just seems to be an issue with their automatic downloader tool.

[Jason]

Just for reference, I have Kubuntu 19.04 as a guest in VMWare. Checked in Muon and it uses open-vm-tools... desktop.

For reference, that was what I installed. Just forgot the exact name. But it works now so I'm happy

[buster]

"For reference, that was what I installed"

Ah yes, but you installed in virtualbox, while Harry used vmware. Thought that might be the source of the problem.

[Jason]

"For reference, that was what I installed"

Ah yes, but you installed in virtualbox, while Harry used vmware. Thought that might be the source of the problem.

It's possible.