Windows became grainy, low res in Fusion on Mac

[Bob_Futrelle]

Things have been fine until I tried playing the Pinball game that came with my XP SP2 install. Since then, the screen resolution in all Windows apps has been low res, grainy. No amount of Mac reboot and Fusion shutdown, restart has changed this. You'd think there'd be a preferences file somewhere, something that controls XP resolution. It is just permanently mis-set. This is in a 17" MacBook Pro, 3GB mem, etc. As I said, it has been perfect up to now. No longer.

Any ideas, suggestions?

[Bob_Futrelle]

Some more info: When I rebooted in Boot Camp only, so only Windows was running, I got full and correct resolution. Shutting down and rebooting in Mac OS and running Fusion, Windows was still grainy.

[nathanp · Accepted solution]

I wonder if something changed the graphics adapter when you are booted into Windows through Fusion.

If you right-click on the Desktop, and select Properties.

Then click the Settings tab, does it say Display: \[Default Monitor] on VMware SVGA II?

What is the reported resolution, and what color quality is selected (what is available)?

If graphics works fine in Bootcamp, but not Fusion, then I think you should also try re-installing/upgrading VMware Tools.

Maybe someone else has better tips or the correct answer.

[Bob_Futrelle]

Worked like a charm. Now my display looks perfect. Thanks so much.

[lesliekirk]

I'm having the same problem - it just seems to be the text - it's not "smooth". I've tried resetting the Screen resolution to 1280 by 1024 pixels but it keeps resetting itself to 1280 by 924 pixels. the Color quality remain constant at Highest . I think the problem might be related to my Apple Studio Monitor as a second display and have dragged my partition over to it. If I drag the partition back over to my laptop display, it's fine.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Leslie

[WoodyZ]

First of all the OP wasn't using an external monitor and you are so that makes your situation different. It also appears that installing/reinstalling VMware Tools fixed the issue the OP was having and you have not stated that you have tried the same and the results are still the same.

Also there is a bit of ambiguity as to whether this issue is occurring on the Host or the External Monitor or both.

What "partition" are you dragging? Do you mean dragging the Virtual Machine window?

Have a look at and provide the information requested within the document and be a bit more explicit and specific about the issue and what actions precipitates it and abates the issue.

[lesliekirk]

I do have the latest version of VMware Tools - do I need to reinstall it again? Yes, I have dragged the Virtual Machine window to my Apple Studio Monitor. Sorry I called it a partition - that's what is at the top of the window "Boot Camp partition". As I mentioned, if the virtual window is dragged to the external monitor - it's grainy or more specifically, the text is grainy.

Sorry for being the noob, in the forum, usually posting questions is a last resort as I hate that noob feeling...

Leslie

[lesliekirk]

I think I stumbled upon a solution today. I was mousing over the USB symbols in the lower right hand corner of my virtual machine window labeled Boot Camp partition, when I noticed one labeled Connect Apple Studio Display with a popup message Connect your "Apple Studio Display" to this Virtual Machine. When I clicked it the content seems to get "smoother", less grainy. The only problem I have now is when I do connect it the display loses brightness and I cannot adjust the brightness like I can (via the System Preferences on the host) when it's not connected. The brightness slider disappears from the System Preferences > Displays window.

Anywho, it must not be much of an issue because I still can't many others who are concerned or have commented about it.

Many thanks,

Leslie

[EricBobinsky]

Hi. I've been running Fusion for about a year with no problems save

one: the text in Microsoft Office 2003 under Windows XP is quite grainy, regardless of the

point size, zoom level or anything else. I have the latest version of

Fusion and VMware tools. I'm running Fusion on a Macbook Pro (boot camp partition) and a new Mac Mini with two monitors (no boot camp partition), and have the same problem on both machines. FWIW, I have font smoothing turned on in Windows.

Windows itself is not grainy, nor are any of the graphics in, say Word or Powerpoint-- just the text. And the resolution (using full screen, windowed or Unity mode) always matches that of the monitor. I've tried playing with that too, to no avail.

This has merely been an annoyance until now, when I'm having to make heavy use of Office under Windows to fit into a client's environment (change tracking between Office 2008 for Mac and Office for Windows is problematic). It's getting hard on my eyes!

I've tried everything I can think of but no luck. I've searched the various forums and this is the closest thread I've found.

I'd appreciate any advice, or even a steer toward a more appropriate thread.

Thanks in advance!

Eric

MBP, Mac Mini, OS X 10.5.6, Fusion 2.0.4

[officewallah]

This post is two years old, but the problem seems unchanged in the 2011 beta, namely that the brightness keys don't work as soon as Fusion is launched, and the slider in the control panel disappears. Wonder why.