Washed out desktop background image in Mint 19 Virtualbox VM

[rockadile]

I have been running Mint 18.3 on Virtualbox 5.2.8 for a while with no issues. After upgrading to Mint 19, the background image is washed out. It doesn't matter which image is selected. Right clicking on the desktop, selecting "Change desktop background image" and choosing a new image and then switching back fixes it. Additionally, the selected image also appears on the login page fine. Once I log in is when it becomes washed out. I have upgraded to Virtualbox 5.2.16 as well as upgrading guest additions but the issue still persists.

[ajgringo619]

What video driver are you using?

[rockadile]

The virtualbox driver.

[ajgringo619]

The virtualbox driver.

Sorry...I meant on the host OS.

[rockadile]

I am on Windows 10 running both Intel's driver for the Intel HD GRaphics 530 and AMD's driver for the AMD FirePro W5130M.

[windyweather]

Count me too. I'm using Nvidia latest driver for GTX 1060 graphics in the Win 10 host.
When I first set the BG image, it's fine. Then if I reboot, it goes washed out and over exposed when system comes back up.
I assume this is what we are talking about.

[Mage of Maple]

I am experiencing this as well. Switching to a different background, waiting a second, and then switching back fixes it. Switch and switch back too quickly and it does not. This is a strange one ... I have not previously had this problem. (Not sure if it is caused by the update to Mint or an update to VB.)

[rockadile]

Just to add more information, I just did a fresh install of Mint19 in VirtualBox and I am having the same issue so it does not appear to be related to the upgrade from 18 to 19 but Linux Mint 19 itself.

[ajgringo619]

This is really strange. I'm running Mint 19 XFCE as my main OS (in a VM; host is Windows 10 w/Nvidia GeForce 960), along with 7 other Linux OSes (Mint 19 Cinnamon/LMDE 3 Beta, CentOS 7, Fedora 28 XFCE/Gnome, Manjaro 17, Ubuntu 18.04), and I can't duplicate this error. Can anyone here install another Linux OS in a VM and see if the issue continues?

[rockadile]

This is really strange. I'm running Mint 19 XFCE as my main OS (in a VM; host is Windows 10 w/Nvidia GeForce 960), along with 7 other Linux OSes (Mint 19 Cinnamon/LMDE 3 Beta, CentOS 7, Fedora 28 XFCE/Gnome, Manjaro 17, Ubuntu 18.04), and I can't duplicate this error. Can anyone here install another Linux OS in a VM and see if the issue continues?

Does any other OS do the "fade in" on the background when logging in? This appears to be the crux of the issue since I am using a Qiana background (and have been since the Qiana release) and this was not an issue until Mint 19. In Mint 19, the "fade in" only happens from login. If you go in and select "Change Desktop Background" and choose it, there is no fade in effect and the issue doesn't manifest.

[windyweather]

Ok. So maybe the issue is that the Fade In fails to go completely in on the VirtualBox Graphics Driver.
There's another bug too. You can't take a screenshot in a virtual machine. You can take a screenshot from the host of the VM, but not inside the VM. You get black. So looks like the VirtualBox graphics driver needs some love and hugs.

d

[ajgringo619]

Ok. So maybe the issue is that the Fade In fails to go completely in on the VirtualBox Graphics Driver.
There's another bug too. You can't take a screenshot in a virtual machine. You can take a screenshot from the host of the VM, but not inside the VM. You get black. So looks like the VirtualBox graphics driver needs some love and hugs.

d

EDIT: From my LMDE3 VM (Cinnamon), I tried a screenshot. I got the background image, but it ignored the desktop icons and open windows.
I tried the same thing, this time logging on to the XFCE desktop. This time the screenshot function worked as advertised.

[rockadile]

Ok. So maybe the issue is that the Fade In fails to go completely in on the VirtualBox Graphics Driver.
There's another bug too. You can't take a screenshot in a virtual machine. You can take a screenshot from the host of the VM, but not inside the VM. You get black. So looks like the VirtualBox graphics driver needs some love and hugs.

d

It’s a shame we’re not given the option to disable the fade in (at least that I am aware of).

[smurphos]

It’s a shame we’re not given the option to disable the fade in (at least that I am aware of).

Look at the settings in Effects from the Cinnamon menu - Session Startup Animation is the one to toggle.

[rockadile]

It’s a shame we’re not given the option to disable the fade in (at least that I am aware of).

Look at the settings in Effects from the Cinnamon menu - Session Startup Animation is the one to toggle.

Thanks. Unfortunately, that made no difference.

[JosephM]

Open a terminal and try

Code: Select all

gsettings set org.cinnamon.muffin background-transition 'none'

That setting was added specifically for working around issues with the background in vbox. Hopefully that helps.

[rockadile]

Open a terminal and try

Code: Select all

gsettings set org.cinnamon.muffin background-transition 'none'

That setting was added specifically for working around issues with the background in vbox. Hopefully that helps.

Looks like that works. Thanks!

[Mage of Maple]

Awesome, that did it! Thanks!!!

[ThomIves]

Wow! Thanks. It was such a dumb little thing, but it's nice that it's gone.