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Jerry_G
Contributor
Contributor

MacBook Pro Retina-Insanly high resoution and lower rez won't stick across restarts.

The problem I'm having with the Retina MacBook Pro is that the resolution I set within Windows XP Pro won't stick across restarts or shutdown/start. This is in Fusion 4.1.3.

I set my Mac desktop to 1650x1050. Windows XP is running full screen on two monitors (the 15" Retina display at 1650x1050 and a 30" monitor at 2560x1600. Windows XP Pro boots into some incredibly high and almost unreadable resolution. I'm able to just barely use the displays panel to get to 1650x1050 on the Retina screen.

But if I restart windows, or shut down and start windows again, it boots up with the same very high resolution and I have to again reset the displays panel in windows.

Very annoying.

Any workarounds or will it require a new version of Fusion. This is now the only problem I'm having with my new MacBook Pro Retina. And a working Windows virtal machine is critical for me.

Thanks in advance for any help with this issue.

Jerry

22 Replies
WoodyZ
Immortal
Immortal

Obviously with the MacBook Pro with Retina Display just being released I do not believe it is technically fully supported as Host system for VMware Fusion and VMware will need to makes some changes to VMware Fusion to be fully supported on it.

Does it maintain set resolution if using only the MacBook Pro with Retina Display by itself without the external monitor?

As a workaround I'd suggest using an application in Windows that runs upon login to the Windows Desktop.  I use one for both resolution and shortcut placement on the desktop so my shortcuts are always as I want them where I want them and the Desktop the resolution I want.  There are quite a few app available to do this.

Jerry_G
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks so much for your reply.

The problem occurs even without the external monitor being connected.

I'd appreciate it if you could give me the name of the utilities you use to set the resolution and also maintain the shortcut placement.

I'm not sure the resolution one will work as the crazy high resolution doesn't occur right away as soon as the desktop appears. It takes a few seconds to happen, as if something is loading after the desktop appears (perhaps VMWare tools), so it's uncertain if your utility will work, but I'm certainly willing to give it a try as the current situation is annoying and who knows how long it will take to update VMWare.

Thanks again.

Jerry

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WoodyZ
Immortal
Immortal

For shortcut placement I use IconSaver and for the resolution I use RapidRes.  I've used both of these since late 2002 on my XP builds and they are not free apps however I'm sure there are some free equivalents, you'll have to Google for them.

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

Jerry_G,

Congratulations on your new purchase. Can you use the VMwareResolutionSet.exe utility (included with VMware Tools, mentioned here http://communities.vmware.com/thread/275686) to work around the problem?

Simon

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Jerry_G
Contributor
Contributor

I haven't tried that utility. I'm a bit hesitant to as I'm not sure how to use.

I think the issue is with something in the VMWare tools. On initial boot, the screen rez is fine. But soon after booting, say 3 to 5 seconds, the resolution changes, perhaps after something in the VMWare tools loads.

I'd love to hear something from the folks at VMWare about this, at least to find out if a fix is on the way or an official workaround.

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Fleisch24
Contributor
Contributor

I just wanted to report that i am experiences the same issue. Everytime is start my Windows 7 64bit VM the resolution is set insanly high. I reduce it down to 1680x1050 and everything looks fuzzy like a i expected them to be. I just wish the resolution would stay set but i have to do it everytime.

In the end i pretty sure they will do something to fix the "fuzziness", its not unusable but it looks terrible compared to the Host.

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wrhahn
Contributor
Contributor

I seem to have a dependable workaround for this (1) Fuzzy resolution and (2) Win Guests forgetting their resolution and being forced into 2880x1800

I have been running WIndows7 as a Fusion 4.1.3 Guest on my Retina MBP for almost a week now, with fine results.

I understand your resolution issues upon restarting Windows Guest and/or Fusion and/or MBP...as well as fuzzy resolution when changing res inside windows guest.

Here is my Solution Workaround(s) based on my experience:

o If your Windows Guest is stopped/started in Fullscreen mode, Windows will startup in 2880x1800, even if you had it set to a lower resolution previously.

o Solution: Once Windows Guest starts up, I take it OUT of Fullscreen mode.  At that point it conforms to the current native resolution of the Retina MBP.  Then, when I put it back into Fullscreen, it retains the same resolution as the Retina MBP, and it is NOT fuzzy.

o Fuzzy Avoidance: If I change the resolution inside the Windows Guest, the resolution will be fuzzy.  HOWEVER, if I change the resolution of the Retina MBP using Mac OS X System Preferences > Display > Scaled Resolutions... Then the Windows Guest will conform to that resolution and have a CRISP resolution.

Yes, that means that based on my week worth of testing, it seems as though the only truly crisp resolutions for a Windows Guest running on Fusion 4.1.3 on a Retina MBP include and are limited to:

o 1024x640

o 1280x800

o 1440x900 (a.k.a. Retina Default)

o 1680x1050

o 1920x1200

o 2880x1800

I hope that helps.

And, if my points here are not perfectly accurate and all inclusive, please forgive me.

HERE ARE THE TWO MAIN TAKEAWAYS I INTENDED, as a SUMMARY:

1) The MAIN POINT I wanted to make is that you need to force the Windows Guest OUT OF Fullscreen in order to get it to conform to the NATIVE resolution of the RMBP.

2) And, if you change the resolution INSIDE the Windows Guest, it will most likely result in a fuzzy resolution...unless of course you happen to change it to the exact same resolution that the RMBP is currently set at 🙂

Take care.

Fleisch24
Contributor
Contributor

YOU GOT IT!

Both your suggestions fixed my fuzzy problem. It is obviously still not a crisp as retina but its not that noticable using it. In the end 100 times better then it was.

Thank you so much.

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Jerry_G
Contributor
Contributor

wrhahn,

Most excellent! Thank you.

Works great. I always start up in fullscreen. Your suggestion is so much better than trying to open and change the windows displays panel when everything is microscopic and can barely be seen.

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Jerry_G
Contributor
Contributor

I just noticed that Parallel today issued an update for Retina support.

Although we have a work around, a more permanent solution would be best. Hopefully VMWare will be as quick to support Retina as Parallels was.

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elementaltech
Contributor
Contributor

Any news if a fix is in the works for this? For now the swapping in and out of fullscreen mode is definitely the fastest.

Thanks

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Fleisch24
Contributor
Contributor

Okay so im going to guess that this is an issue with vmware.

Story is I purchased a new Macbook Pro Retina with 16GB RAM about a month ago. I was having graphics issues and returned it and just recieved my new on yesterday. Obviously my Fusion trial was over even though i only used it for 3 days. So i bought fusion installed and it my graphics issue is back.


Im not 100% sure this is Fusion's issue nor do i really have any proof besides that it only really gets terrible when fusion is running, I run a Windows 7 64bit VM with 8GB RAM.

Screenshot is attached. Notice the "repaint" issue.

Please tell me someone else has seen this.

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elementaltech
Contributor
Contributor

I'm experiencing the same issue with the 'paint' it seems to only happen if the computer goes to sleep or screen saver and I wake it up.

I'm also on a MacBook Pro Retina.

I was doing a restart every time but it's a little faster to bring up the display properties and make a quick change, anything that will 'reset' the display, such as change the scaling etc.

This is a huge pain as I need this VM running most of the day for work.

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Fleisch24
Contributor
Contributor

I am currently developing an ASP.net web application so i am on a Windows VM all day at work. So i actually close my laptop and open it back up and  let the screensaver come up at times. So i am not sure which one it is. You sure you see this just from screensaver?

Have you seen this issue without vmware running?

Thanks for sharing this problem with me!

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

Fleisch24
Contributor
Contributor

Thank you for your reply, i will try that. The problem is that is doesnt happen right away, for me it seems to get worse the longer the VM is running. Also once the problem is happening it continues it happen even if you kill vmware.

I will try that all day tomorrow and report back.

About the resizing problem. In order to make Windows match the Host resolution i open it in a smaller window and then enlarge it.

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elementaltech
Contributor
Contributor

No I have not seen this issue when VMware is not running.

It seems to do it after the lid has been closed and /or after it has gone to sleep/screen saver.

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elementaltech
Contributor
Contributor

I can confirm this worked for me on my Macbook Pro Retina!!

Thanks for the info, now we just need to get this weird screen painting error resolved.

Thanks!

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Fleisch24
Contributor
Contributor

So i can provide one update i havent seen before. I had vmware fusion running but didnt actually start up the VM. My laptop went to screen saver, i woke it up and the problem was there.


I closed vmware fusion and the problem is gone. Interesting that it happens with just the application running and not even starting the VM.

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