Running VirtualBox on your PC

[IRJustman]

Here are a few tips which I've come up with by putzing around a bit with VirtualBox:

Update VirtualBox

When VirtualBox starts up, if you have the option set, it will check for a new version. If one is available, update it! The Direct3D extensions get updated all the time. As a result, these updates make the game run much faster and more reliably. Be sure that whenever you update VirtualBox itself, don't forget to update the VirtualBox Guest Additions install in your Windows guest, following the steps Miyuki outlined near the top of this thread.

Get a virtualization-capable processor

A processor with hardware virtualization support benefits not just execution speed, but also robustness. In my testing when I disabled the virtualization support for the VM, while I was simply moving around, the VM I was playing in rebooted itself.

Just about all brand-new processors support them by default nowadays, including the entire Intel Core iX series as well as all AMD processors (except for most Sempron processors).

Need to know whether your processor has hardware virtualization support? Pick up a recent copy of CPU-Z and run it. Look in the "Instructions" section on the first page. If you are running an Intel processor, you will see "VT-x"; if you have an AMD processor, it'll show "AMD-V".

Also note that you will need to turn on virtualization support in your computer's BIOS.

Get faster memory

This item ALONE can help speed your VM execution dramatically. On my machine, I went from DDR2-800 to DDR3-1333 (my machine supports both types, but only one type can be in use), netting a very noticeable speed increase. This is especially true if your current memory speed is slower than your processor's front-side bus (FSB) speed. In my case, I'm running a Core 2 Duo E8400, whose FSB is 1333MHz.

I hope these tips will help you to get Trickster running faster and more reliably in a virtual machine. Good luck and have fun!

--IJ

[kag]

This isn't really related but for some games you can just create another user -> Right Click Run As -> Login with another user

[potatofreek]

Whenever I run DxDiag, it tells me that there was a problem accessing Direct3D last time, and asks to bypass it. When I say yes, Direct 3D isn't enabled, and if I say no, VirtualBox crashes.

I think this could be because when I installed the Guest Additions, it says the "VirtualBox Graphics Adapter" hasn't passed Windows XP logo compatibility testing? It said to stop installing, but I did it anyways.

Could someone help me figure out what's going wrong?

[Miyuki]

Did you installed the addon in safemode?

[potatofreek]

Originally Posted by Miyuki

Did you installed the addon in safemode?

Yes, I did...

[kag]

try going to ur device manager
uninstall the graphics adaptor and then scan for hardware changes and see if it installs

[okay]

Intel Core2Duo T6600 has no Hardware Assisted Virtualization :x

[Puppet]

Okay i have one problem with this, I got Windows XP SP3 to work on my computer and the game to start but once i get to the loading screen it doesn't go any farther then that and i can't shut down VirtualBox, Help Please

[IRJustman]

Originally Posted by Puppet

Okay i have one problem with this, I got Windows XP SP3 to work on my computer and the game to start but once i get to the loading screen it doesn't go any farther then that and i can't shut down VirtualBox, Help Please

Quick checklist:

1. Are you running everything in your host install (right down to drivers and DirectX) with the very latest patches?
2. Are you using the latest version of VirtualBox?
3. Are you running everything in your guest XP install (right down to DirectX) with the very latest patches?
4. Did you install the guest additions package in safe mode?
5. Did you enable 3D hardware acceleration in VirtualBox itself?
   

These should help you out a bit.

--IJ.

[Puppet]

Thanks i have like 20 updates i still need to Download/Install, i'll try to see if that helps, btw can you check the forum i made(Technical Issue Section) it's named "DirectX Issue" i would just give you a link but i'm at dinner typing this on my phone(Food is taking forever >.<)

[Miyuki]

Some info regarding DirectX, where it seems certain users unable to enable Direct3D acceleration, or it's grayed out.

Do a checkmark
1. Have you installed Guest Addon yet?
2. Installed Guest Addon, but still disabled...
3. Do you installed DirectX after you installed Guest Addon in safe mode?

For #1 checklist

Spoiler!

- Make sure you click on Devices->Install Guest Additions.
- Your guest OS will auto-run the installer, if you've autorun enabled, but DO NOT run the installer yet!
- Restart your Guest OS, and press F5/F8 for bootup menu, and select SAFE MODE.
- In SAFE MODE, go to My Computer->[CD/DVD Drive] for the Guest Addition drive, run the installer. Tick Direct3D Suppport [Experimental].
- Once installation finished, restart your computer.
- Try check if Direct3D is enabled.
- Start->Run, type dxdiag and press ENTER.
- On Display section, it should have listed it as "enabled".

For #2 check list...

Spoiler!

- Did you installed the Guest Additions in SAFE MODE or in Normal Mode?
- If you installed in NORMAL MODE, uninstall it via Add/Remove programs.
- Do the #1 step back.

For #3 check list

Spoiler!

- You've followed step #1 to install Guest Additions, and Direct3D was enabled afterward.
- Afterward, you install the latest DirectX version, and when after you restarted your computer, the Direct3D acceleration is disabled/grayed out.
- Causes
1 - Oracle [previous owner for this vb was Sun]'s Guest Additions replaced some DirectX files.
2 - If you install a new DirectX version, if will replace VB's custom DirectX files, thus render your Direct3D disabled.
- To fix this problem, you've to follow #2, by uninstalling Guest Additions, and reinstall it back in SAFE MODE, as mentioned in #1.
- If you wanna update DirectX, no matter what, you MUST update it before you install Guest Additions.

Hope those kinda solves your Direct3D issues, if you guys have any questions regarding VirtualBox, just post em up here.

If you encounter bugs, or any other major problems, I suggest you to reporting them to their official support forum, which located here
- Index page &bull; virtualbox.org

[Miyuki]

Another update
It seems virtualbox 3.2.0+ have newer interfaces for setting up the virtual machine, and some of features already automatically enabled, but should the guide almost remain the same.

I'll update it from time-to-time

[IRJustman]

Miyuki: A very minor nitpick, but you actually can mount the VB Guest Additions ISO even after you've booted into safe mode. I do this all the time without issue. Installer fires up and allows me to update the Additions.

Hope this helps!

--IJ.

[Miyuki]

Yeah, noticed that as well. I'll update the guide with latest screens..if I'm not too lazy :x

For some reason, the guest additions for Ubuntu 10.04 isn't much stable as I thought.

[oXdacyXo]

Hmm, For those who had a activated XP SP3 on Virtual box 3.1.8 below and intending to update virtual box to 3.2.0, It will make your current Product key invalid and the windows genuine advantage program will mess around with the functionality after 3 days...

I believe that since they renamed sun virtual box to oracle virtual box and changed some setting within the bios and some values for the virtual parts like RAM or it GPU...

Only way to fix it is to retype the product key OR Reinstall the old version of virtual box

[allakyhero]

I did everything according to tutorial. I installed directx 2010 and when I went to dxdiag says dll -> d3d8.dll and d3d9.dll are old and could hurt something ... and when i open the game it loads passing through gameguard and then does not leave the screen to login ... podeira someone help me?

[oXdacyXo]

Originally Posted by allakyhero

I did everything according to tutorial. I installed directx 2010 and when I went to dxdiag says dll -> d3d8.dll and d3d9.dll are old and could hurt something ... and when i open the game it loads passing through gameguard and then does not leave the screen to login ... podeira someone help me?

Remember Direct X Capability in Virtual Box is still in experimental stage, so not all games will be able to be played on virtual box. Even if it works , there might be some glitches in the graphic generated.

[Miyuki]

Yeap, as it stated, it's in "experimental stage".

And you've to install Directx, before you install Guest Additions, as it will replaces some of the directx files that will make the "Direct3D experimental" functions works.

Still, not every games can play under VirtualBox with Direct3D experimental enabled.

[oXdacyXo]

Spot the difference ...



Yup that the reason why it is not recommended to use virtual box for gaming YET!!

Current Configuration for VirtualBox OS:
OS Used: Windows XP SP3
Ram allocated : 1GB
Proccessor allocated : 1
Video Memory allocated : 128 MB
VTx Virtualisation is supported and enabled.

My computer spec :
Intel i7 620M Processor
4GB Ram (3Gb usable) [ DDR3 ]
32-Bit Windows 7
ATI Mobility Raedeon HD 5650 (Is that how it spelt?)

[Yukipyon]

Okay, so I decided to install VirtualBox on my new laptop (Windows 7 host), so I can run Ubuntu (as a guest OS) on it. Problem is, I having trouble installing the guest additions.

- I click on Devices -> Install Guest Additions...
- "VBOXADDITIONS_3.2.4_62467" image is mounted
- I then open up a terminal, go to the CD, and I don't see the usual "Vboxlinuxadditons-x86.run". All I see is a folder named "OS2", which contains a couple of .dll files, "VBoxGuest.sys", "vboxmouse.sys" and "VBoxService.exe"

So, does anyone know what I need to do to install the guest additions? I think I downloaded a newer version (perhaps the newest versions) of Ubuntu and Virtualbox, so I really need some help. Thanks!