Virtualbox 3.0 is very slow, any way to fix it?

I upgraded to Virtualbox 3.0 and then 3.0.2.

I use Vista as a host and Ubuntu as the guest. In Virtualbox 2.0 I was able to run Ubuntu with standard desktop effects. After upgrading I noticed that it can no longer run the standard effects. The effects are slow, menus and windows stay around after you've closed them, menus don't get selected when you mouse over, etc.

I've seen people complain about the performance of 3.0 before but the only solution I've seen is to uninstall 3.0 and use 2.x.

Is that the only option?

webdtc

Posted 2009-07-22T21:44:09.067

Reputation: 443

When you upgraded to 3, did you somehow lose 3D acceleration? – Richard Hoskins – 2009-07-22T21:50:08.707

I have 3D acceleration enabled. I tried it with 3D acceleration on and off but it's the same. I also tried it with different amounts of video memory. – webdtc – 2009-07-23T04:33:17.153

Answers

FWIW,

I tried desktop effect with 3D enabled and 64MB of Video memory, and found it tearing and leaving artifacts on 3.0.2. Once I disable all the effect stuff video performance is pretty slick even in seamless mode.

I have no experience with 3.0 so can not compare.

My solution has been to currently live without desktop effects while they sort out bugs. I would be very reluctant to downgrade as I would lose out on all the bug fixes.

Sam Saffron

Posted 2009-07-22T21:44:09.067

Reputation: 973

My experience is the same. I currently have desktop effects turned off and the UI is fine. I'm just sad that I used to be able to turn them on and now I can't. – webdtc – 2009-07-23T04:28:15.230

Have you made sure to install all the appropriate Guest Additions inside your guest OS (Ubuntu)? ... I am not sure how this may affect Ubuntu, but I know that to get Windows to work well in VirtualBox under Linux you pretty much have to install the additions first.

jerryjvl

Posted 2009-07-22T21:44:09.067

Reputation: 2 505

If you do find out I'd be eager to find out. I think eventually a release will fix my issue but it would be nice to see if there is a way to run it now. – webdtc – 2009-07-23T21:25:39.060

Yes, I did the Guest Additions when I installed 3.0 and again when I installed 3.0.2. – webdtc – 2009-07-23T04:29:20.127

I'll have to see how my friend is running his... he recently showed me Ubuntu with the Compiz enabled within his VirtualBox, and I'm certain he said it was a 3.0 release. – jerryjvl – 2009-07-23T04:55:57.443

My Ubuntu running in a VirtualBox VM in Windows is extremely slow. But it is the graphics that is extremely slow (NVIDIA outside).

The statistical software package R-2.11.1 runs at the same speed in Ubuntu as on the host OS (when not producing plots anyway).

Mark

Posted 2009-07-22T21:44:09.067

Reputation: 21