OpenSuse TW on VMware Workstation, autoscaling #2

massimo.b · August 27, 2026, 11:56am

Follow up to OpenSuse TW on VMware Workstation, autoscaling

I still can’t get autoscaling working in Xfce, running inside a VMware Workstation Pro 26H1.
open-vm-tools-desktop is installed, vmtoolsd is running. But any action View->Fit Guest Now doesn’t make any difference in xrandr.

I have a fresh openSUSE TW installed from yesterday.

Curiously enough with Linux Mint and Cinnamon it is working.
So I also tested the 3 Live Distributions of openSUSE: KDE, Gnome and Xfce.
KDE and Xfce are just black after booting, no screen at all. Gnome starts fine. I install the open-vm-tools-desktop and start the vmtoolsd service, and right after that the scaling works.

How can I get that in Xfce?

massimo.b · August 27, 2026, 1:27pm

@knurpht reply to your other post… I’m not using the Live iso as installation medium, it’s just a quick test with another setup.

massimo.b · August 27, 2026, 1:51pm

@malcolmlewis reply to your other post.
Here are the inxi outputs to compare with a one-liner that should contain all relevant information:

openSUSE TW installation with Xfce, scaling not working:

echo "=== inxi ===";inxi -GSaz;echo -e "\n=== xrandr ===";xrandr;echo -e "\n=== Processes ===";pgrep -alf 'vmwgfx|vmtool';echo -e "\n=== Modules ===";lsmod | grep vmw
=== inxi ===
System:
  Kernel: 7.2.0-1-default arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 16.2.0
    clocksource: tsc avail: hpet,acpi_pm
    parameters: initrd=\opensuse-tumbleweed\7.2.0-1-default\initrd-52eecfcbc4bb525568b9443b5aef0a8dab41e3de
    root=/dev/mapper/cr_root splash=silent quiet security=selinux selinux=1
    mitigations=auto rootflags=subvol=@/.snapshots/1/snapshot
  Desktop: Xfce v: 4.20.2 tk: Gtk v: 3.24.52 wm: xfwm4 v: 4.20.0
    with: xfce4-panel tools: xfce4-screensaver vt: 7 dm: LightDM v: 1.32.0
    Distro: openSUSE Tumbleweed 20260825
Graphics:
  Device-1: VMware SVGA II Adapter driver: vmwgfx v: 2.21.0.0 ports:
    active: Virtual-1 empty: Virtual-2, Virtual-3, Virtual-4, Virtual-5,
    Virtual-6, Virtual-7, Virtual-8 bus-ID: 00:0f.0 chip-ID: 15ad:0405
    class-ID: 0300
  Display: x11 server: X.org v: 1.21.1.24 compositor: xfwm4 v: 4.20.0
    driver: X: loaded: modesetting unloaded: vesa alternate: fbdev,vmware
    gpu: vmwgfx display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1440x900 s-size: <missing: xdpyinfo>
  Monitor-1: Virtual-1 res: mode: 1440x900 hz: 60 scale: 100% (1) size: N/A
    modes: max: 2314x1298 min: 640x480
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 vendor: mesa v: 26.2.1 glx-v: 1.4 es-v: 3.2
    direct-render: yes renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 22.1.8 256 bits)
    device-ID: ffffffff:ffffffff memory: 30.53 GiB unified: yes
  Info: Tools: api: glxinfo de: xfce4-display-settings x11: xprop,xrandr

=== xrandr ===
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1440 x 900, maximum 8192 x 8192
Virtual-1 connected 1440x900+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 0mm x 0mm
   2314x1298     60.00 +
   4096x2160     60.00    59.94  
   2560x1600     59.99    59.97  
   1920x1440     60.00  
   1856x1392     60.00  
   1792x1344     60.00  
   2048x1152     60.00  
   1920x1200     59.88    59.95  
   1920x1080     60.00  
   1600x1200     60.00  
   1680x1050     59.95    59.88  
   1400x1050     59.98    59.95  
   1600x900      60.00  
   1280x1024     60.02  
   1440x900      59.89*   59.90  
   1280x960      60.00  
   1366x768      59.79    60.00  
   1360x768      60.02  
   1280x800      59.81    59.91  
   1280x768      59.87    59.99  
   1280x720      60.00  
   1024x768      60.00  
   800x600       60.32    56.25  
   848x480       60.00  
   640x480       59.94  
Virtual-2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
Virtual-3 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
Virtual-4 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
Virtual-5 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
Virtual-6 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
Virtual-7 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
Virtual-8 disconnected

=== Processes ===
467 [irq/16-vmwgfx]
1486 /usr/bin/vmtoolsd
2825 /usr/bin/vmtoolsd -n vmusr --blockFd 3

=== Modules ===
vmw_balloon            24576  0
vmw_vsock_virtio_transport_common    61440  1 vsock_loopback
vmwgfx                487424  2
drm_ttm_helper         20480  2 vmwgfx
ttm                   155648  2 vmwgfx,drm_ttm_helper
vmw_vsock_vmci_transport    49152  2
vsock                  77824  7 vmw_vsock_virtio_transport_common,vsock_loopback,vmw_vsock_vmci_transport
vmw_vmci              114688  2 vmw_balloon,vmw_vsock_vmci_transport

Linux Mint installation with Cinnamon, scaling working:

echo "=== inxi ===";inxi -GSaz;echo -e "\n=== xrandr ===";xrandr;echo -e "\n=== Processes ===";pgrep -alf 'vmwgfx|vmtool';echo -e "\n=== Modules ===";lsmod | grep vmw
=== inxi ===
System:
  Kernel: 7.0.0-30-generic arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 13.3.0
    clocksource: tsc avail: hpet,acpi_pm
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-7.0.0-30-generic
    root=UUID=9bdf555d-440a-4237-8f85-a541f75365ff ro quiet splash
  Desktop: Cinnamon v: 6.6.9 tk: GTK v: 3.24.41 wm: Muffin v: 6.6.3 tools:
    avail: cinnamon-screensaver vt: 7 dm: LightDM v: 1.30.0
    Distro: Linux Mint 22.3 Zena base: Ubuntu 24.04 noble
Graphics:
  Device-1: VMware SVGA II Adapter driver: vmwgfx v: 2.21.0.0 ports:
    active: Virtual-1 empty: Virtual-2, Virtual-3, Virtual-4, Virtual-5,
    Virtual-6, Virtual-7, Virtual-8 bus-ID: 00:0f.0 chip-ID: 15ad:0405
    class-ID: 0300
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.11 with: Xwayland v: 23.2.6 driver: X:
    loaded: vmware unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa dri: swrast gpu: vmwgfx
    display-ID: :0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 2358x1298 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 623x343mm (24.53x13.50")
    s-diag: 711mm (28")
  Monitor-1: Virtual-1 mapped: Virtual1 res: 2358x1298 hz: 60 size: N/A
    modes: max: 2358x1298 min: 640x480
  API: EGL v: 1.5 platforms: device: 1 drv: swrast gbm: drv: kms_swrast
    surfaceless: drv: swrast x11: drv: swrast inactive: wayland,device-0
  API: OpenGL v: 4.5 vendor: mesa v: 25.2.8-0ubuntu0.24.04.2 glx-v: 1.4
    direct-render: yes renderer: llvmpipe (LLVM 20.1.2 256 bits)
    device-ID: ffffffff:ffffffff memory: 7.52 GiB unified: yes
  API: Vulkan v: 1.3.275 layers: 3 device: 0 type: cpu name: llvmpipe (LLVM
    20.1.2 256 bits) driver: N/A device-ID: 10005:0000 surfaces: xcb,xlib

=== xrandr ===
Screen 0: minimum 1 x 1, current 2358 x 1298, maximum 8192 x 8192
Virtual1 connected primary 2358x1298+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 0mm x 0mm
   2358x1298     60.00*+
   4096x2160     60.00    59.94  
   2560x1600     59.99    59.97  
   1920x1440     60.00  
   1856x1392     60.00  
   1792x1344     60.00  
   2048x1152     60.00  
   1920x1200     59.88    59.95  
   1920x1080     60.00  
   1600x1200     60.00  
   1680x1050     59.95    59.88  
   1400x1050     59.98    59.95  
   1600x900      60.00  
   1280x1024     60.02  
   1440x900      59.89    59.90  
   1280x960      60.00  
   1366x768      59.79    60.00  
   1360x768      60.02  
   1280x800      59.81    59.91  
   1280x768      59.87    59.99  
   1280x720      60.00  
   1024x768      60.00  
   800x600       60.32    56.25  
   848x480       60.00  
   640x480       59.94  
Virtual2 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
Virtual3 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
Virtual4 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
Virtual5 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
Virtual6 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
Virtual7 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
Virtual8 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)

=== Processes ===
455 [irq/16-vmwgfx]
820 /usr/bin/vmtoolsd
1922 /usr/bin/vmtoolsd -n vmusr --blockFd 3

=== Modules ===
vmw_balloon            28672  0
vmw_vsock_virtio_transport_common    57344  1 vsock_loopback
vmw_vsock_vmci_transport    53248  2
vsock                  69632  7 vmw_vsock_virtio_transport_common,vsock_loopback,vmw_vsock_vmci_transport
vmw_vmci              106496  2 vmw_balloon,vmw_vsock_vmci_transport
vmwgfx                471040  2
drm_ttm_helper         20480  2 vmwgfx
ttm                   131072  2 vmwgfx,drm_ttm_helper

malcolmlewis · August 27, 2026, 3:07pm

@massimo.b So on XFCE it’s using (loaded) modesetting vs vmware on the other…

Display: x11 server: X.org v: 1.21.1.24 compositor: xfwm4 v: 4.20.0
    driver: X: loaded: modesetting unloaded: vesa alternate: fbdev,vmware
    gpu: vmwgfx display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1

Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.11 with: Xwayland v: 23.2.6 driver: X:
    loaded: vmware unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa dri: swrast gpu: vmwgfx
    display-ID: :0 screens: 1

massimo.b · August 28, 2026, 11:35am

Ok, it could be about X.org <-> XWayland or modesetting <-> vmware.

Additionally I compared with an Ubuntu installation with Gnome, scaling working:
It’s using Xwayland as well but I don’t see the loaded driver there:

$ echo "=== inxi ===";inxi -GSaz;echo -e "\n=== xrandr ===";xrandr;echo -e "\n=== Processes ===";pgrep -alf 'vmwgfx|vmtool';echo -e "\n=== Modules ===";lsmod | grep vmw
=== inxi ===
System:
  Kernel: 7.0.0-30-generic arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 15.2.0
    clocksource: tsc avail: hpet,acpi_pm
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-7.0.0-30-generic
    root=UUID=3b6e354f-b5f2-4f22-a8ec-93a54a735517 ro quiet splash
    crashkernel=2G-4G:320M,4G-32G:512M,32G-64G:1024M,64G-128G:2048M,128G-:4096M
  Desktop: GNOME v: 50.1 tk: GTK v: 3.24.52 wm: gnome-shell
    tools: gsd-screensaver-proxy dm: GDM3 v: 50.1 Distro: Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS
    (Resolute Raccoon)
Graphics:
  Device-1: VMware SVGA II Adapter driver: vmwgfx v: 2.21.0.0 ports:
    active: Virtual-1 empty: Virtual-2, Virtual-3, Virtual-4, Virtual-5,
    Virtual-6, Virtual-7, Virtual-8 bus-ID: 00:0f.0 chip-ID: 15ad:0405
    class-ID: 0300
  Display: wayland server: X.Org v: 24.1.10 with: Xwayland v: 24.1.10
    compositor: gnome-shell driver: dri: vmwgfx gpu: vmwgfx display-ID: :0
    screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 2358x1298 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 623x343mm (24.53x13.50")
    s-diag: 711mm (28")
  Monitor-1: Virtual-1 res: mode: 2358x1298 hz: 60 scale: 100% (1) size: N/A
    modes: max: 2358x1298 min: 640x480
  API: EGL v: 1.5 platforms: device: 0 drv: vmwgfx device: 1 drv: swrast
    gbm: drv: vmwgfx surfaceless: drv: vmwgfx wayland: drv: vmwgfx x11:
    drv: vmwgfx
  API: OpenGL v: 4.5 compat-v: 4.3 vendor: vmware mesa v: 26.0.8-1ubuntu0.3
    glx-v: 1.4 direct-render: yes renderer: SVGA3D; build: RELEASE; LLVM;
    device-ID: 15ad:0405 memory: 7.81 GiB unified: no
  Info: Tools: api: eglinfo,glxinfo x11: xdriinfo, xdpyinfo, xprop, xrandr

=== xrandr ===
Screen 0: minimum 16 x 16, current 2358 x 1298, maximum 32767 x 32767
Virtual-1 connected primary 2358x1298+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 0mm x 0mm
   2358x1298     59.97*+
   1600x1200     59.87  
   1440x1080     59.99  
   1400x1050     59.98  
   1280x1024     59.89  
   1280x960      59.94  
   1152x864      59.96  
   1024x768      59.92  
   800x600       59.86  
   640x480       59.38  
   320x240       59.29  
   1920x1200     59.88  
   1680x1050     59.95  
   1440x900      59.89  
   1280x800      59.81  
   1152x720      59.75  
   960x600       59.63  
   928x580       59.88  
   800x500       59.50  
   768x480       59.90  
   720x480       59.71  
   640x400       59.95  
   320x200       58.14  
   2048x1152     59.90  
   1920x1080     59.96  
   1600x900      59.95  
   1368x768      59.88  
   1280x720      59.86  
   1024x576      59.90  
   864x486       59.92  
   720x400       59.27  
   640x350       59.28  

=== Processes ===
542 [irq/16-vmwgfx]
1360 /usr/bin/vmtoolsd
3559 /usr/bin/vmtoolsd -n vmusr --blockFd 3 --uinputFd 4

=== Modules ===
vmw_balloon            28672  0
vmwgfx                479232  9
drm_ttm_helper         20480  1 vmwgfx
ttm                   135168  2 vmwgfx,drm_ttm_helper
vmw_vsock_vmci_transport    53248  2
vsock                  73728  5 vmw_vsock_vmci_transport
vmw_vmci              106496  2 vmw_balloon,vmw_vsock_vmci_transport

massimo.b · August 28, 2026, 11:46am

However on the openSUSE TW installation I found, that it tries to load the vmware driver, but fails to find it.

# grep -Ei 'vmware.*module' /var/log/Xorg.0.log
[    21.074] (EE) Failed to load module "vmware" (module does not exist, 0)

So I installed that and rebooted. Now the display is black right after X has started. That issue seems to be covered by Tumbleweed VM no longer starts graphical desktop with VirtualBox - English / Install/Boot/Login - openSUSE Forums

massimo.b · August 28, 2026, 12:15pm

Cross-checking with Xubuntu and Xfce, scaling not working either:
That one is using the X11/X.org stack as well and loaded the modesetting driver.

I guess the only working solution is wayland using vmwgfx directly, and that is afaik not supported by Xfce yet, is it?

malcolmlewis · August 28, 2026, 12:22pm

Since your on Xorg you likely need to create a appropriate nn-xorg.conf file so the vmware driver loads…

massimo.b · August 28, 2026, 12:34pm

I don’t think so. X11 already tries to load it. After installed it loads it and is broken by the black screen like described in the other thread. Therefore modesetting it preferred over the vmware driver as far as I understand.