workstation pro 16 linux guest screen defect ( display cuts off)

[hadan]

Hello, 

Following up my unanswered thread here: Opensuse leap 15.3 guest screen issue - VMware Technology Network VMTN

After windows update , I had reinstalled the vmware workstation on windows 10 host and then tried to install new guet os, Fedora 35. But again when running the setup the vm screen still cut off.

I use Lenovo thinkpad e480 and did some windows update before this thing happening, so I suspect there's relation between windows update and the defect.

Hereby I attach the fedora setup screenshot and windows update list.

I hope somebody can escalate this to the vmware  team.

Thank you. 

[bluefirestorm]

Your previous post screenshot appears that your E480 is set at 1920x1080 with scaling (i.e. >100%). Does it happen if you turn off scaling (i.e. back to 100%)?

Based on the product specs
https://psref.lenovo.com/syspool/Sys/PDF/ThinkPad/ThinkPad_E480/ThinkPad_E480_Spec.pdf

It appears the E480 can have either 7th/8th gen i5/i7 with or without Radeon RX 550? When the VM is powered up what is the active GPU? Is it the Intel UHD or Radeon? Does your system have the Radeon?

I don't have a Windows system with Radeon GPU. But my guess is that there should be some setting within Radeon software that will make it the default graphic renderer. There is also a way to make VMware Workstation to choose Intel or Radeon during power up.

Anyway, attach the vmware.log/mksSandbox.log and we should be able to see what is being used (Intel UHD or Radeon).

[hadan]

Hello,

I use Lenovo e480 with intel graphic.

I tried your solution to reduce the windows host scaling to 100% (previously 150% as recommended by my windows). There's a progress. Now the guest screen is normal,  but the windows  now look all very small LOL.  So I have to scale to 100% in windows whenever I want to use vm and then scale back to 150% whenever I want to use windows so my eyes don't hurt. This is silly. 

This issue didn't happen before windows update, still waiting for proper solution but thank you anyway.

[bluefirestorm]

What you could try is at the VM Display Settings, there should be a checkbox “Automatically adjust user interface size in the virtual machine”. I don’t know if that would make any difference.

Alternative to setting scaling >100% is to set a lower resolution on the Windows 10 host. Try any of the 16:9 aspect ratio downwards starting at 1600x900 but keep it at 100% and see whether it is acceptable for your eyesight.

At 1920x1080 with 150% scaling, effectively that is like a 1280x720 at 100%.

[hadan · Accepted solution]

After spent some significant hours browsing web and experimenting, finally I have workaround that works for me.
Wish I wouldn't have to do this but  seems softwares  just break each other often ,in my case between WIndows (I am  staring at you, windows update!), windows display driver, vmware-tools, vmware workstation, opensuse, kde. Whose to blame? Not sure.

Anyway, I want to stay in 1920x1080 resolution on both host and guest with bigger fonts, cause that's the best for my eyes.

Setting on Windows host:
1.Right click on vmware workstation shortcut and go to properties.
Click tab compatibility -> click button Change high dpi settings.
Make sure to  uncheck Override high DPI scaling behaviour.

2.On windows I set display to 1920x1080 with scaling 150% (recommended by Windows)

3.On vmware vm display settings I let all the 'auto blabla' checked.

Setting on Opensuse guest (KDE wm):
Here's what made complicated, after windows update,
I don't know why kde plasma display resolution setting (Opensuse menu -> System settings -> Display and monitors -> Display configuration)
is not saved and 1920x1080 resolution gone from the selection.
After reading bluefirestorm's suggestion, I almost compromised with 1440x900 resolution but it's still feel odd full screen with black border left and right.
So I choose to use xrandr to force set the screen resolution when login.

1.In terminal window as root,
cvt 1920 1080
will output proper mode of 1920x1080 that I use for xrandr.

2.Create xrandr script:
#!/bin/sh

##almost give up and use this:
#xrandr --output Virtual1 --mode 1440x900

##obtained from cvt command
xrandr --newmode "1920x1080_60" 173.00 1920 2048 2248 2576 1080 1083 1088 1120 -hsync +vsync

xrandr --addmode Virtual1 1920x1080_60
xrandr --output Virtual1 --mode 1920x1080_60

save this script as 51-custom-xrandr.sh in /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/ and then chmod

chmod +x /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc.d/51-custom-xrandr.sh

3.Set bigger font DPI.
From opensuse menu -> System settings -> Fonts.
Check the 'Force font DPI' and set 120 and then click apply.
Thankfully this setting is saved after reboot.

4.Force set GRUB gui menu resolution as I don't fully believe in 'auto' anymore.
4.a
Edit /etc/defaults/grub
change GRUB_GFXMODE="auto" to GRUB_GFXMODE=800x600x32
4.b
run:
grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg

That's about it, hopefully this works for me for long haul and might be useful for others.YMMV.