Max Screen Resolution only 1280 x 768 running SL6.2 under VMWare Workstation 8

[VMWareWS8SL62Us]

I'm running a Scientific Linux 6.2 Virtual Machine under VMware Workstation 8.0.3 build-703057.  The Host O/S version is Windows 7 Enterprise, 64-bit 6.1.7601, Service Pack 1.  My normal host screen resolution under Windows is 1920 x 1080 (recommended).  However, when I go to System > Preferences > Display in SL 6.2 within VMWare, the monitor is shown as 'Unknown', and the max resolution available is 1280 x 768.  This resolution is not convenient for my purposes; I need a normal 1920 x 1080 resolution.

After powering down the VM, I have tried adding the following lines to the "Other Linux 2.6.x kernel 64-bit.vmx" file in SL6 to no avail:

svga.autodetect = "FALSE"

svga.vramSize = 8388608

svga.maxWidth = 1920

svga.maxHeight = 1080

I'm reasonably convinced this is not an SL6.2 issue, but rather a VMWare Workstation 8 issue because I'm using the exact same SL6.2 VM installation and exact same Host OS version as a colleague of mine who is not experiencing the same limiting max screen resolution of 1280 x 768.  Rather, he is using an earlier version of VMWare Workstation, specifically 7.1.5 build-491717, which I don't have licensed-priveledges to.

Assistance greatly appreciated.

[WoodyZ]

Did you install VMware Tools?

[dariusd]

Also take a look in your /var/log/Xorg.0.log and see if Xorg is using the VESA driver.

Scientific Linux 6.2 and Oracle Linux 6.2 both derive from Redhat Enterprise Linux 6.2, and we know that Oracle Linux 6.2 shipped with an unfortunately-broken xorg-x11-drv-vmware driver which causes Xorg to use the VESA driver instead, which limits the screen resolutions available in the guest.  Oracle addressed the problem with a post-release update which installs a corrected VMware video driver... If that is the problem there, maybe Scientific Linux has an update to fix it too.

Cheers,

--

Darius

[VMWareWS8SL62Us]

Woody, yep sure did (within the last few weeks):

sl6# ./vmware-install.pl

A previous installation of VMware Tools has been detected.

Thanks for responding

[VMWareWS8SL62Us]

Thank you, I will look into that. . .

[VMWareWS8SL62Us]

Did not discover anything in reference to Scientific Linux updates related to limited screen resolutions.

However, I did try this to no avail:

sl6# yum install xorg-x11-drv-vmware
Loaded plugins: refresh-packagekit, security
Setting up Install Process
Package xorg-x11-drv-vmware-11.0.3-1.el6.x86_64 already installed and latest version
Nothing to do

ALSO I find the following link VERY interesting - it essentially Describes the Precise Problem I'm experiencing AND ITS SOLUTION:

http://communities.vmware.com/message/1650147

The essential ingrediant of the solution is:

sudo apt-get remove xserver-xorg-video-vmware

followed by...

sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-video-vmware

Then log out and log back in again.

Problem is - this resolution is for Ubuntu.

Here's what occurs with that solution in my environ:

sl6# yum remove xserver-xorg-video-vmware
Loaded plugins: refresh-packagekit, security
Setting up Remove Process
No Match for argument: xserver-xorg-video-vmware
No Packages marked for removal

Above suggests xserver-xorg-video-vmware perhaps Needs To Be installed?; no, apparently not?:

sl6# yum install xserver-xorg-video-vmware
Loaded plugins: refresh-packagekit, security
Setting up Install Process
No package xserver-xorg-video-vmware available.
Error: Nothing to do

I appreciate your continued interest and support toward resolution of this issue. . .

[dariusd]

Did you look in your /var/log/Xorg.0.log and see if it says whether it is using the VESA driver or the VMware driver?  If in doubt, just post your /var/log/Xorg.0.log as an attachment to a reply (use the Browse... button below, not copy-and-paste) and I'll have a look.

The package containing the Xorg VMware video driver is named xserver-xorg-video-vmware on Ubuntu and other Debian derivatives, while it's named xorg-x11-drv-vmware on RHEL6 and derivatives, and of course the names might change over time too.  So Scientific Linux does not have a package named xserver-xorg-video-vmware.

Cheers,

--

Darius

[VMWareWS8SL62Us]

Thanks for the additional information Darius.

It's definitely using vesa (see vesa references all through the attached Xorg.0.log file).

As an aside I thought the following was curious during the VMWare tools installation:

Distribution provided drivers for Xorg X server are used.

Skipping X configuration because X drivers are not included.

Creating a new initrd boot image for the kernel.

vmware-tools start/running

The configuration of VMware Tools 8.8.2 build-590212 for Linux for this running

kernel completed successfully.

So, what do you think I should do at this point?

Thank you

[VMWareWS8SL62Us]

Found the xorg-x11-drv-vmware rpm build for Scientific Linux 6 and tried to install/upgrade it:

sl6# rpm -U xorg-x11-drv-vmware-11.0.3-1.el6.x86_64.rpm
package xorg-x11-drv-vmware-11.0.3-1.el6.x86_64 is already installed

It's not clear to me why the vesa driver gets loaded when drv-vmware is present. . .

[dariusd · Accepted solution]

It looks like the VESA driver is being used because a component of the VMware driver is missing or corrupt.  I'd be curious to know what you see if you run:

   rpm --verify xorg-x11-drv-vmware

If the above command indicates there are problems, perhaps it might help to run

   yum reinstall xorg-x11-drv-vmware

to reinstall it.

Cheers,

--

Darius

[VMWareWS8SL62Us]

You're on to something . . .  standby

[VMWareWS8SL62Us]

sl6# rpm --verify xorg-x11-drv-vmware
missing /usr/lib64/xorg/modules/drivers/vmwlegacy_drv.so

sl6# ls
apm_drv.so fbdev_drv.so nouveau_drv.so s3virge_drv.so v4l_drv.so
ast_drv.so glint_drv.so nv_drv.so savage_drv.so vesa_drv.so
ati_drv.so i128_drv.so openchrome_drv.so siliconmotion_drv.so vmware_drv.so
cirrus_alpine.so i740_drv.so qxl_drv.so sis_drv.so voodoo_drv.so
cirrus_drv.so intel_drv.so r128_drv.so sisusb_drv.so xgi_drv.so
cirrus_laguna.so mach64_drv.so radeon_drv.so tdfx_drv.so
dummy_drv.so mga_drv.so rendition_drv.so trident_drv.so

sl6# yum reinstall xorg-x11-drv-vmware
Loaded plugins: refresh-packagekit, security
Setting up Reinstall Process
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package xorg-x11-drv-vmware.x86_64 0:11.0.3-1.el6 will be reinstalled
--> Finished Dependency Resolution

Dependencies Resolved

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Downloading Packages:

xorg-x11-drv-vmware-11.0.3-1.el6.x86_64.rpm | 28 kB 00:00

Running rpm_check_debug

Running Transaction Test

Transaction Test Succeeded

Running Transaction

Installing : xorg-x11-drv-vmware-11.0.3-1.el6.x86_64 1/1

Installed:

xorg-x11-drv-vmware.x86_64 0:11.0.3-1.el6

Complete!

sl6# ls
apm_drv.so fbdev_drv.so nouveau_drv.so s3virge_drv.so v4l_drv.so
ast_drv.so glint_drv.so nv_drv.so savage_drv.so vesa_drv.so
ati_drv.so i128_drv.so openchrome_drv.so siliconmotion_drv.so vmware_drv.so
cirrus_alpine.so i740_drv.so qxl_drv.so sis_drv.so vmwlegacy_drv.so
cirrus_drv.so intel_drv.so r128_drv.so sisusb_drv.so voodoo_drv.so
cirrus_laguna.so mach64_drv.so radeon_drv.so tdfx_drv.so xgi_drv.so
dummy_drv.so mga_drv.so rendition_drv.so trident_drv.so

Logged out.

Reset VM.

System > Preferences > Display shows resolutions all the way up to 1920 x 1080!

Wow; very cool.

Darius, you've been a lifeline on this issue for me the last few days.

Ever grateful. . .

Have a great weekend.

[dariusd]

Nice!  Glad to have been able to help.

--

Darius

[nyanyo]

I have the close problem!

My monitor resolution is 1680x1050 and max what I can now use is 1280x1024. I use SL 6.2.

Leptop Dell e6420 with intell video, and Monitor HP Compaq LA2205wg.

Can somebody help my????

[dariusd]

Hi nyanyo, and welcome to the VMware Communities!

Could you kindly grab a copy of vmware.log from the host (in the directory containing the VM's files) as well as the /var/log/Xorg.0.log from inside the guest and attach those to a reply?

Thanks,

--

Darius

[nyanyo]

This is /var/log/Xorg.0.log - http://pastebin.com/gKf8YFBq.

about my Hardware.

lspci:

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family DRAM Controller (rev 09)
00:02.0  VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core  Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 09)
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1 (rev 04)
00:19.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82579LM Gigabit Network Connection (rev 04)
00:1a.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #2 (rev 04)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller (rev 04)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 1 (rev b4)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 2 (rev b4)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 3 (rev b4)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 4 (rev b4)
00:1c.5 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 6 (rev b4)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #1 (rev 04)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation QM67 Express Chipset Family LPC Controller (rev 04)
00:1f.2 RAID bus controller: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile SATA Controller [RAID mode] (rev 04)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family SMBus Controller (rev 04)
02:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4313 802.11b/g/n Wireless LAN Controller (rev 01)
0a:00.0 SD Host controller: O2 Micro, Inc. Device 8221 (rev 05)
0a:00.1 Mass storage controller: O2 Micro, Inc. Device 8231 (rev 03)

lsusb:

Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 413c:2513 Dell Computer Corp. internal USB Hub of E-Port Replicator
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 413c:2513 Dell Computer Corp. internal USB Hub of E-Port Replicator
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 1bcf:2802 Sunplus Innovation Technology Inc.
Bus 002 Device 003: ID 0a5c:5800 Broadcom Corp. BCM5880 Secure Applications Processor
Bus 001 Device 006: ID 046d:0a0b Logitech, Inc. ClearChat Pro USB
Bus 001 Device 007: ID 046d:c016 Logitech, Inc. Optical Wheel Mouse
Bus 001 Device 008: ID 413c:1005 Dell Computer Corp. Multimedia Pro Keyboard Hub
Bus 001 Device 009: ID 413c:2011 Dell Computer Corp. Multimedia Pro Keyboard

Leptop Dell e6420 with intell video, and Monitor HP Compaq LA2205wg.

[dariusd]

Hi nyanyo,

It looks like that log file is from a Scientific Linux 6.2 host, is that correct?  The issue discussed earlier in this thread is specific to Scientific Linux 6.2 as a guest OS inside a VMware virtual machine.

I was about to direct you to the Scientific Linux forums, but I immediately found your own thread there.

You should probably continue to follow it up in the SL forums, since you are definitely having a hardware support issue with Scientific Linux and your host hardware, which is entirely unrelated to VMware Workstation – the existing info in this thread here will not help you solve that problem.

Thanks,

--

Darius

[nyanyo]

Thank you Darius!!!