Wrong driver in the Windows 7 guest after the switch to the VBox SVGA adapter.

[boxer01]

I have a Windows 7 guest on the Windows 8 host. Because it’s new, after the test with an old VGA adapter I tested the new VBox SVGA adapter. After the first start the new device was automatically detected and installed. I have had to reboot the guest and after the reboot the new driver was active and I even had the Windows Aero activated.

Because of the problem I already posted in the forum (if I activate the experimental WDDM driver, my only Java desktop program, the TV Browser, has big skinning issues and becomes unusable) I usually install a regular driver with non-experimental Direct3D support only (Virtual Box Graphics Adapter). I have to boot my guest in safe mode for installation because of this. But time after time I test the experimental one. So after the reboot I found that the device name is “Virtual Box Graphics Adapter for Windows Vista and 7” now and beside the working Aero I also have the already mentioned issues in my Java program. More important: the driver version is 5.2.1 and it’s from the end of the year 2017. This was probably the last time I tested the experimental Aero supported drivers.

So I have to boot in safe mode once again, re-install the guest additions, but this time I answered “no” in the dialog about installing the regular Direct3D drivers and not the experimental WDDM ones. It looks for me, that by activating SVGA adapter the other device is simulated and under Windows 7 and Vista the Aero WDDM driver is used. And if one doesn’t install or re-install the additions explicitly, the wrong version of the drivers are used.

This was my experience from my test of original 6.0 release from December 2018. As I tested the 6.0.2 release, the new device was also detected and the driver was also installed. But this was probably once again not the newest one, so after the reboot I had the BSOD on the boot, more then once. Therefore, I have to repeat the additions installation and this way probably renew the Aero WDDM driver as well. After that the BSOD was gone, but I got the same situation with Aero and Java program as I already had before.

[boxer01]

6.0.3 logs with SVGA activated

[boxer01]

6.0.3 r128259 with VGA adapter, 1st example

[boxer01]

6.0.3 r128259 with VGA adapter, 2nd example

[boxer01]

Some news: just tested with a fresh 6.0.3 revision 128367, and the WDDM driver works just fine. I have Aero and the TV Browser has no artifacts. So this version is clearly useful with SVGA, Aero and TV Browser. There is just one thing: the WDDM drivers, which now also active in the VGA mode, are from January 17th and not 24th. So in spite of the fact that I updated the additions, looks like the driver is still from the previous beta and not the current one.

Here ist TV Browser issue forum ​link.

[boxer01]

Just tested with a new 6.0.5 release, and the same thing happens. Updated the additions in the VGA mode and get an adapter with new (February 2nd, 6.0.5) drivers. After that shut the VM down, change to the SVGA adapter, after the first start the new drivers were installed, but they were the old ones (WDDM in the name, but January 17th, 6.0.3). So it still looks like under the W7 and Vista we need to install both versions of driver. Right now one needs to set-up it twice manually if the virtual graphic adapter was changed, otherwise the old version of the drivers would be used.

[boxer01]

Should be closed because it isn't actual anymore. The current versions are different now, and the whole driver structure because of the rewrite in VBox 7 is different.