How do I change the dynamically change the window size with Ubuntu on VirtualBox [closed]

Question

Ive installed Ubuntu inside of a Sun VirtualBox. When I maximise the VirtualBox window the Ubuntu window stays the same size and does not dynamically grow with the size of the VirtualBox window.

Ive seen this done before. How do I set it up? (And no Im not just looking for how to increase the screen resolution)

Thanks

Answer 1

You need to install the VirtualBox Guest Additions.
Go to Synaptics an mark the packages:

virtualbox-ose-guest-utils
virtualbox-ose-guest-x11

or go to the console and type:

sudo apt-get install virtualbox-ose-guest-utils virtualbox-ose-guest-x11

This will enable most of the VirtualBox drivers in your system.

If you need USB support, you need to install the binary guest additions from the devices menu of your VirtualBox window instead. They have more functions than the OSE ones, but you need to install them manually. This is described at ubuntu-tutorials

Edit: updated Link to a newer article

Answer 2

You need to install Virtualbox Additions inside the guest OS. It can be done by selecting "Devices -> Install Virtualbox Additions".

This will mount the install CD image to the guest machine cdrom if the additions are available for Ubuntu. If they are not, you can install them by following some of the tutorials found on Google. For example, this one.

Answer 3

Fixed the above problem with regards to 'The Windows Guest Additions drivers were removed from this directory to save space on your hard drive'

Seems there's a bug in using 'Devices' > 'Install Guest Additions' when the os is loaded and that the image this mounts is incomplete and does not include all the necessary files (infact it had about 4 files and a readme)

Went back to the VirtualBox manager and picked 'Guest Additions' as the mountable CDROM drive there, that exposed the correct mounted drive and all worked per the earlier provided tutorial instructions.

Answer 4

I suggest an alternate route.

First download the .iso for Guest Additions.

• Main directory (for latest version): http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/
• Latest version at time of this post: 4.0.8-71778
• Direct download of 4.0.8 .iso file: http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/4.0.8/VBoxGuestAdditions_4.0.8.iso

Exit Ubuntu in VirtualBox, and go to:

• Settings > Storage
• Click on "Empty" with the CD icon next to it
• On the right under "Attributes and next to "CD/DVD Drive", click the CD icon
• Click "Choose a virtual CD/DVD Disk file"
• Navigate to the .iso file you downloaded for Guest Additions

Note the difference between a "disc" and a "disk".

• Disc: Internal storage (such as a Hard Drive)
• Disk: External media (in this case a CD or DVD)

NOTE: After installing Guest Additions, for full-screen mode, press (right-Ctrl)+F. Do the same to un-maximize the window.