Ubuntu VMWare Fusion issues

[.Neo]

After installing Ubuntu, VMware Tools and changing my resolution this happens:

The Menu Extras (or whatever they're being called on Ubuntu) shift from their place. It's bugging the hell out of me. So far this always occurs after a restart or log-out, probably because somehow the boot / login screen resolution doesn't match the desktop resolution.

Is there a fix for this?

[Syanide]

Check this guide out and try setting your GDM resolution manually to match the resolution of your desktop (GDM is the login screen). Then lock the panel applets to desired positions and try rebooting. I would also think that it's probably due to a mismatch of resolutions in GDM and in Gnome itself, but I'm not that sure. Anyway, it's a VM, so you can't really break anything.

[.Neo]

And they wonder why Linux doesn't appeal to the general public... :/ Is there a solution that doesn't require me fiddling around in command-line? Because honestly, I don't get anything of what that guide says. Thanks for the suggestion though.

[Syanide]

The thing is I don't really know what the cause of the problem is. In real environment, in 90% of the case, you'd just need a click to install REAL drivers, and that's it. VM is VM, it can't really replace your graphics card, and I guess that's where the issue's coming from.

One suggestion, probably far off, but try disabling the login screen and automatically logging in to desktop, see what happens.

[.Neo]

Already tried that. The weird thing is, the last time I installed Ubuntu directly onto a PC I had the exact same problem. Those damn panels keep shifting after every restart, unless I stick to the default resolution.

[.Neo]

There's no way to fix this?

[AJerman]

No one has a way to fix it because it doesn't happen to most people. It did that to me once after I installed, so I unlocked the panels, moved them back, and since then it's never done it again. I don't know what you call the default resolution, but I'm running at 1920x1080, and my login screen is very definitely a lower (4:3 even) resolution. This is the kind of thing you probably want to ask for help for on the Ubuntu forums. There aren't enough Linux experts here to help you figure out what's going on on your system, but it's definitely not something that happens normally.

I don't recall completely, but I may have had something similar in VM as well. A VM has too many variables. Most people aren't probably going to be too helpful if you're trying to run in a VM because little things like that are almost expected in a VM. I'd help if I could, but I just don't know Linux enough to have any idea. I've only been running Ubuntu (this time) since 10.04 B1.

[deibu76]

I have the same problem running Windows XP as a guest in VMWare Player under an Ubuntu host. The recycle bin icon (which I like to keep on the upper right-hand corner of the screen) moves over to fit a 640 x 480 resolution screen every time I start up, right before the guest session goes full screen.

[.Neo]

Finally found a solution to resolve the issue. After you install Ubuntu in VMware Fusion open Terminal and type (or copy) the following command:

gksu gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

If all goes well an empty document file will open. Copy the following text into the document. You can replace "1920 1080" and "1920x1080" with the resolution of your liking.

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Device		"Failsafe Device"
	Monitor		"Failsafe Monitor"
	Defaultdepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth	24
		Virtual	1920	1080
	Modes		"1920x1080"	"1280x720"	"1280x800"	"1280x768"	"1280x768"	"1280x854"	"1280x720"	"1152x768"	"800x600"	"1440x900"	"800x600"	"1440x900"	"800x600"	"1600x1024"	"800x600"	"1680x1050"	"800x600"	"1680x1050"	"720x400"	"1920x1200"	"640x350"	"1920x1200"	"640x400"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Save the document, close it and Terminal and restart your Guest PC. The login screen and desktop will now use the resolution you put in the file without the panels jumping around.