Solved: Re: Win 8.1 Full Screen

jw4 · ‎01-01-2014

I am using Fusion 5.3 and Win 8.1 in desktop mode. All was well, and then suddenly Win 8.1 started using the whole screen, and the Mac Dock would only appear if I put the cursor on the left of the screen and held it and then it goes way like the option to hide the dock.. Also the top menu for VM settings etc no longer showed. I'm sure this is setting but haven't found it. Any ideas on what setting controls this?

Thanks

Coach300 · ‎01-01-2014

In the View menu, you can choose between Unity, Single Window, and Full Screen. In full screen mode, the Dock only appears when the mouse as at the edge of the screen where the dock is set to be (default=bottom) long enough. A brief move of the mouse to that edge doesn't bring up the Dock instantly as it's designed to function as if a full Guest environment first (operate as if the screen is only running Win 8.1). You say "suddenly Win 8.1 started using the whole screen"—does this mean it changed to full screen mode on its own? There's no keyboard shortcut to produce that.

At least in Fusion 6 (which may also be the case in 5), even if you have your Mac to always show the Dock, full screen mode on the Guest will hide the dock so that the Guest may appear as if it's the only thing there. It moved the Dock out of the way, but as you said, you can still get at it if you need it. Command-Tab can help you select another (Mac) application and move to a different Mac Space (a Guest VM will occupy its own Space in full screen mode).

Also in the View menu are options for the Full Screen Minibar (always show, always hide, or hide/show based on mouse entering) and you can also uncheck "Hide Menu Bar in Full Screen" (shift/command-M).

View solution in original post

Coach300 · ‎01-01-2014

In the View menu, you can choose between Unity, Single Window, and Full Screen. In full screen mode, the Dock only appears when the mouse as at the edge of the screen where the dock is set to be (default=bottom) long enough. A brief move of the mouse to that edge doesn't bring up the Dock instantly as it's designed to function as if a full Guest environment first (operate as if the screen is only running Win 8.1). You say "suddenly Win 8.1 started using the whole screen"—does this mean it changed to full screen mode on its own? There's no keyboard shortcut to produce that.

At least in Fusion 6 (which may also be the case in 5), even if you have your Mac to always show the Dock, full screen mode on the Guest will hide the dock so that the Guest may appear as if it's the only thing there. It moved the Dock out of the way, but as you said, you can still get at it if you need it. Command-Tab can help you select another (Mac) application and move to a different Mac Space (a Guest VM will occupy its own Space in full screen mode).

Also in the View menu are options for the Full Screen Minibar (always show, always hide, or hide/show based on mouse entering) and you can also uncheck "Hide Menu Bar in Full Screen" (shift/command-M).

jw4 · ‎01-03-2014

Thanks very much for this information, I think my issue was the full screen go set. The shift command M is good to know.

Coach300 · ‎01-04-2014

One additional tip, if you don't already use it: Mission Control/Mouse Gesture four finger left or right swipe will move between Mac Spaces, which will move the Win8.1 completely off the screen in an instant, or back onto it. The Dock will hide itself in full screen Win8.1 but come back into view, if hiding is turned off, on the other Spaces. Four finger swipe up, to display Mission Control, will show your Win8.1 desktop as its own space next to the other(s) running on your Mac.