During install on VM, keyboard layout screen wider than install window

pavlos_kairis 2017-07-07 15:52:55 UTC #1

During install of 17.10 daily build on a VM, the screen that asks for keyboard layout is wider than the install window, 800x600, and you need to move the page with the mouse to the left so you can see the continue button. I've seen that in previous versions as well. Have others seen this behavior? thanks.

Screen cut off on right side - can't click continue button

Bill_MI 2017-07-07 23:14:04 UTC #2

Hi @pavlos_kairis, OH YES! When installing on a VM I've gotten in the habit of "Trying" just so I can change resolution - a good workaround.

I did just verify 17.10 nightly on my native hardware has no issue. It's nVidia so nouveau gets loaded and ends up full res on this 1920x1200.

If you get stuck installing at 800x600 it can be a show-stopper as I recall. If it can end up at 800x600 it will on some systems so the screens better work there, period.

My point is, if it is presented as a problem in a VM it'll get lowered to the basement of priority. So who sees this on native hardware? Anyone?

Also, I didn't search but I'd bet there may already be a bug report.

Bill_MI 2017-07-08 15:38:23 UTC #3

I did a little looking around and find this VirtualBox 5.1.22 remembers the size of the last resolution setting independent of any snapshots. But this value always starts on a new guest as 800x600. The booting environment uses this like it probably should. Maybe it can be set somewhere in VirtualBox I haven't found.

I do see https://ubuntu-mate.org/about/ clearly has a minimum size of 1024x768. That checks out as 800x600 is just too small.

I'm concluding it is a Virtualbox issue that possibly could be corrected on the ISO with special exceptions so I'm not holding my breath.

EDIT: Since I have it, here's a look at the problem:

crankypuss 2017-07-09 16:08:10 UTC #4

good old alt-f7 comes into play to make that grabby-hand cursor.

i suspect that at something like 1280x1024 the vast majority of dialogs would fit.

i've no clue why linux dialog boxes are not auto-sizing, i guess that was too hard when they were coded up... then of course one never screws around with working code when there's other code that's more "important".

Values of "important" might be seen to vary between developers. And between developers and their management. Like the wicked witch of the west said when she vanished in a puff of greasy black smoke, "oooh, what a world!"