08-30-2009, 01:17 PM

Dear all

I have recently installed Sun´s Virtualbox in order to run Mint Linux on my iMAC. The installation of both is complete, but I have some difficulties with the Linux detecting the Monitor. Mint reports the monitor to be unknown. Presently the only resolution available is 800x600. Can you please make suggestions on what may need to be done to improve the resolution.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Caoimh

08-31-2009, 10:29 AM

why don't you install it on a separate partition? I guess when you go to the installation process your screen will get detected.

08-31-2009, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by jeroendiederen

why don't you install it on a separate partition? I guess when you go to the installation process your screen will get detected.

In many cases, virtualization is a much better option. There is no need to install it to the HD for many reasons.

Have you installed the guest additions? When your VM is started, go to Devices > "Install Guest Additions...". This will mount the image in your VM. You now have to install the additions from the bash prompt. Make sure to choose the right ones though - there are both 32 and 64-bit guest additions.

To install them, open up a terminal window, navigate to the mount point for the images (probably /media/cdrom) and execute the binaries from there. So, if they got mounted to /media/cdrom, you would execute the following:

cd /media/cdrom
sudo ./VBoxLinuxAdditions-x86.run

I can't remember the exact name of the additions but the 32-bit ones are named something similar to that which I executed above. It is also important to execute it with root permissions (hence the sudo).

09-01-2009, 12:27 PM

Where do I find

Devices > "Install Guest Additions...".

Thank you Caoimh

09-01-2009, 06:06 PM

This old method of playing with the display settings might help also:

open terminal then type command:

gksu gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Once in this text file you look for the screen section:

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Videocard0"
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

Add the Mac resolution in the sub section bit e.g. Modes "1300x800@60":

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Videocard0"
SubSection "Display"
Viewport 0 0
Modes "1300x800@60"
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

Restart x or just restart the VM and then see if that makes any difference.

09-01-2009, 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by RNDdave

This old method of playing with the display settings might help also:

That probably won't work because I believe the guest additions install graphics drivers.

caoimh81, Devices is a menu. Look at the menu bar.