How To fix black screen around Virtualbox VM in fullscreen mode with guest additions installed

In this article, we will discuss how to resolve the issue of a black screen appearing around a VirtualBox Virtual Machine (VM) when in fullscreen mode, even after the Guest Additions have been installed. This is a common problem faced by many VirtualBox users, and this guide will provide a step-by-step process to troubleshoot and resolve this issue.

What is VirtualBox?

VirtualBox is a powerful x86 and AMD64/Intel64 virtualization product for enterprise as well as home use. It allows you to run multiple operating systems simultaneously on your computer.

What are Guest Additions?

Guest Additions are software packages that can be installed inside a VirtualBox guest VM to enhance its performance and usability. They include device drivers and system applications that optimize the guest operating system for better performance and usability.

Troubleshooting Steps

1. Install Guest Additions CD

The first step is to ensure that the Guest Additions CD has been properly installed within the client. To do this, navigate to the client toolbar, click on “Devices,” and select “Insert guest additions CD image.” This action will mount the CD image. Click on it to execute the installation. After the installation is complete, reboot the guest operating system.

2. Adjust Display Settings

After installing the Guest Additions, the resolution of your VM should adjust automatically. However, if you’re still experiencing the black screen issue, you might need to adjust the display settings manually.

To do this, right-click on the desktop of the virtual machine and select “Display settings” or “Screen resolution” (the exact name may vary depending on your guest operating system). Set the resolution to match your monitor’s resolution.

3. Check Scale Value

If the display appears slightly soft or blurry, it could be due to an incorrect scale value. Navigate to the VM display settings and ensure that the scale value is set to 100% for a sharp display.

4. Add Custom Resolution

If the highest available resolution is not satisfactory, you can add a custom resolution using the VBoxManage command. Open the terminal and execute the following command:

VBoxManage setextradata "VMName" CustomVideoMode1 1920x1080x32

Replace “VMName” with the actual name of your VM. This command adds a custom resolution of 1920×1080 with 32-bit color depth.

Here’s what each parameter does:

• setextradata: This sets some extra data for a particular VM.
• “VMName”: This is the name of your VM.
• CustomVideoMode1: This is the custom video mode you’re setting.
• 1920x1080x32: This is the resolution and color depth you’re setting (width x height x color depth).

5. Disable Full-Screen/Seamless Mode

In some cases, disabling the “Show in Full-Screen/Seamless” option in the VirtualBox settings can resolve the black screen issue. Right-click on the VM in the VirtualBox manager, choose “Settings,” go to “User-Interface” options, and uncheck/disable the mentioned option.

6. Allocate Sufficient Video Memory

Ensure that your VM has enough video memory allocated. To do this, shutdown the VM, go to “Settings” in VirtualBox, and navigate to the “Display” section. Adjust the Video Memory slider to allocate at least 28 Mb. Start up the VM and check if it switches to full screen properly.

Conclusion

If none of the above solutions work, you can try installing the VirtualBox extension pack. This pack provides additional features and may help resolve display-related issues.

Remember, the black screen issue can have multiple causes, and the solutions provided here may not work in all cases. It’s recommended to try different solutions and consult the VirtualBox documentation or community forums for further assistance.

We hope this guide has been helpful in resolving your VirtualBox black screen issue. Happy virtualizing!