Seamless not working (desktop is not removed) with Ubuntu 18.04 host, Win10 Guest

[Jim Avera]

Entering "seamless" mode expands the guest's desktop to fill the entire screen on the host but the guest desktop does not go away -- it stays there obliterating everything else on the host's display.

I made a video (.ogv) showing what happens. Please take a look.

VBOX: 5.2.10_Ubuntu r121806 HOST: Ubuntu 18.04, Xorg 7.7+19ubuntu7.1, i7-8700K built-in graphics, 1024x1280 display GUEST: Windows 10 (GA updated)

[Jim Avera]

The video is too big to attach. Please view the video at

​http://abhweb.org/downloads/private/vbox_seamless_bug.ogv

[Socratis]

Replying to Jimav:

VBOX: 5.2.10_Ubuntu r121806
And I'm running Vbox 5.2.10 (the latest available on Ubuntu 18.04)

1. That could be the problem; you're using the Ubuntu fork version of VirtualBox. You can either ask in their forums for help, or completely remove/uninstall/delete/purge their version and install the official version from the Linux Downloads section of VirtualBox.

2. It's usually better and faster, if issues get first addressed in the ​VirtualBox forums, a lot more eyes there. More than 95% of the issues are resolved over there, which keeps the developers focusing on the bug fixes and enhancements, and there is no need for another ticket to keep track of. For example, yours is most probably not a bug and someone from the developers has to deal with it and close it as "Invalid".

3. You were supposed to follow these steps when you filed the bug, and provide a VBox.log:

   Attach a (full) log file ("Machine" menu/"Show Log" in the main VirtualBox Manager window) straight away to save time for you and for us. The log file contains a lot of useful information about both the host and the guest systems as well as information about what happened during a particular machine run. Please do not cut and paste it.

[Jim Avera]

Ok. Problem is the same using 5.2.18 r124319 (Qt5.9.5) obtained from the Oracle deb repo. Attaching Vbox.log

The session the log is from consisted of starting a VM from a shut-down state, opening a browser window in the Win10VM, switching to seamless mode (where the bug appears, i.e. the Windows desktop remains painted all over the host desktop, as shown in the video). Then I used HOST+L to get out of seamless, and saved the VM state.

[Jim Avera]

VBox.log

[Socratis]

VirtualBox VM 5.2.18 r124319 linux.amd64 (Aug 14 2018 12:02:04) release log
00:00:05.066673 VMMDev: Guest Additions information report: Version 5.2.11 r122181 '5.2.11'

Your GAs do not match your VirtualBox version, they should. You need to update them in your guest.

00:00:00.903591 GUI: 2D video acceleration is disabled

And so is the 3D acceleration. Shutdown the VM and enable them in the VM settings » Display. Then re-install the Guest Additions (GAs) in the guest.

00:00:00.220122 NumCPUs <integer> = 0x0000000000000006 (6)
00:00:00.391918 CPUM: Physical host cores: 6
00:00:00.392129 Full Name: "Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8700K CPU @ 3.70GHz"

You have assigned all your CPUs to the VM. The host is going to run low on resources, since VirtualBox cares about physical processors (cores), not logical ones (threads). See ​"CPU Cores versus threads" and ​"Why is it a bad idea to allocate as many VCPUs as there are physical CPUs?". Your ​i7-8700K has 6 cores/12 threads.

00:00:00.220216 Path <string> = "/usr/share/virtualbox/VBoxGuestAdditions.iso" (cb=45)

Always eject your GAs CD after you're done with the GAs installation.

But as I said, I'd rather be doing the analysis in the forums, a lot more eyes to examine the logs there, a lot more users to learn...

[Jim Avera]

VBox.log with updated GAs, fewer CPUs, 2d & 3d accel enabled

[Jim Avera]

Sorry about the older GAs, it was an oversight. The problem is still there after updating GAs, reducing CPUs, enabling 2d & 3d acceleration, ejecting the GA ISO, and rebooting.

Uploaded a new VBox.log

I will open a forum post as you asked.

[Jim Avera]

Forum post: ​https://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=89660

[Jim Avera]

Same problem with Wayland on host instead of Xorg. So might not be related to X11. Will upload VBox.log from using Wayland.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE USING WAYLAND on Ubuntu 18.04:

1. Log Out
2. At Login screen, click the "gear" icon and select "Ubuntu on Wayland", and log in again
3. (same as above, namely...) Start Win10 guest
4. Open and Edge window
5. Host+L (enter seamless mode)

RESULTS: Guest's background not removed, and covers other Host windows.

[Jim Avera]

Microsoft Edge (or maybe any new-style Win10 app?) is breaking seamless! Or so it seems...

If ab Edge window is open in the guest, then seamless does not work (background is not removed).

If Edge is not running, but other apps (e.g. Firefox) are, then Seamless works.

If Edge is running, and you enter Seamless mode and the bug appears (background not removed), then closing Edge while in Seamless mode immediately removes the background.

Strange half-screen backgrounds appear with other Win10 "modern" apps.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE:

1. Start Win10 guest; install Firefox
2. In guest: Start Firefox
3. Host+L , Host +L (enter and exit seamless mode, which works as expected)
4. In Guest: Start Edge (leave Firefox running)
5. Host+L (enter seamless, but background is NOT removed)
6. Close the Edge window while in seamless mode

RESULTS: background disappears immediately, restoring correct seamless operation

7. Host+L (exit seamless mode)
8. In Guest: windowsicon->Calculator
9. Host+L (enter seamless mode)

RESULTS: Half of the guest background is removed (the part not overlapping the calculator)

[MyCatsNameIsBernie]

I have similar problem with 6.0.0 using a MacOS 10.14.2 host and Windows 10 version 1809 guest. However for me the problem occurs on all windows, not just Edge or modern windows. Even if I close all open windows, the Windows desktop still remains opaque.

[janitor]

#15092

[ambarroy]

Same issue seen on macOS 10.15.2 with Virtualbox 6.1.0