Public bug reported:
Title:
Ubuntu 26.04 Cinnamon VMware guest uses legacy vmware Xorg driver with RandR
disabled, preventing guest auto-resize
Package:
xserver-xorg-video-vmware
Alternative related packages:
open-vm-tools-desktop
xserver-xorg-core
cinnamon-session
Summary:
A fresh install of Ubuntu 26.04 Cinnamon inside VMware Workstation 25H2 does
not auto-resize the guest display when the VMware window is resized.
open-vm-tools and open-vm-tools-desktop are installed and running correctly,
and the vmwgfx kernel module is loaded. However, Xorg loads the legacy
vmware_drv.so Xorg driver, which reports that it was compiled without KMS/3D
support and disables RandR12+ support. Because RandR support is disabled,
dynamic guest resizing does not work.
Environment:
- Guest OS: Ubuntu 26.04 Cinnamon, fresh install
- Virtualization: VMware Workstation 25H2
- Desktop session: X11
- VMware graphics adapter: VMware SVGA II Adapter
- Kernel module loaded: vmwgfx
- Packages installed:
- open-vm-tools
- open-vm-tools-desktop
- xserver-xorg-video-vmware
Expected result:
The guest display should dynamically resize when the VMware window is resized,
assuming:
- open-vm-tools-desktop is installed
- vmtoolsd / vmusr is running
- VMware View → Autosize → Autofit Guest is enabled
Actual result:
The display does not auto-resize. `xrandr` only shows a generic `default`
output:
default connected primary 3840x2160+0+0 0mm x 0mm
The VMware Tools daemon and user process are running:
/usr/bin/vmtoolsd
/usr/bin/vmtoolsd -n vmusr --blockFd 3
The kernel graphics driver appears correct:
vmwgfx 479232 1
drm_ttm_helper 20480 2 vmwgfx
ttm 135168 2 vmwgfx,drm_ttm_helper
`lspci` confirms the VMware graphics device:
00:0f.0 VGA compatible controller: VMware SVGA II Adapter
Relevant Xorg log:
Xorg loads the old VMware Xorg driver:
LoadModule: "vmware"
Loading /usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/vmware_drv.so
Module vmware: vendor="X.Org Foundation"
vmware: driver for VMware SVGA: vmware0405, vmware0710
The driver then disables the features required for proper dynamic
resize:
vmware(0): Driver was compiled without KMS- and 3D support.
vmware(0): Disabling 3D support.
vmware(0): Disabling Render Acceleration.
vmware(0): Disabling RandR12+ support.
The log also shows normal display modes being rejected, for example:
Not using default mode "1920x1080" (monitor doesn't support reduced
blanking)
Not using default mode "2560x1440" (monitor doesn't support reduced
blanking)
Not using default mode "3840x2160" (monitor doesn't support reduced
blanking)
Troubleshooting already performed:
1. Confirmed open-vm-tools and open-vm-tools-desktop are installed.
2. Confirmed the VMware Tools service and desktop helper are running.
3. Confirmed the session is X11, not Wayland.
4. Confirmed the vmwgfx kernel module is loaded.
5. Confirmed VMware SVGA II Adapter is detected by lspci.
6. Confirmed Xorg is loading `vmware_drv.so`.
7. Confirmed `vmware_drv.so` disables RandR12+ support.
8. Confirmed `xrandr` exposes only `default connected`, not a proper dynamic
VMware output.
Likely cause:
The fresh Ubuntu 26.04 Cinnamon install selects the legacy
`xserver-xorg-video-vmware` driver instead of using the modern modesetting path
with the vmwgfx DRM/KMS driver. The selected legacy driver disables RandR12+,
which breaks VMware guest auto-resize.
Suggested fix:
Ubuntu should prefer the modern modesetting driver for VMware SVGA/vmwgfx
guests, or the packaged vmware Xorg driver should be built/configured with
proper RandR/KMS support. At minimum, the default Xorg driver selection should
not choose a VMware driver path that disables RandR12+ on a fresh VMware guest
install.
Workaround:
Force Xorg to use the modesetting driver:
sudo mkdir -p /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d
sudo tee /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-modesetting.conf > /dev/null <<'EOF'
Section "Device"
Identifier "VMware SVGA"
Driver "modesetting"
Option "AccelMethod" "glamor"
EndSection
EOF
sudo reboot
If Xorg still loads the old VMware driver, removing or moving
`/usr/lib/xorg/modules/drivers/vmware_drv.so` forces fallback to
modesetting.
Impact:
This affects VMware guest usability on a fresh Ubuntu Cinnamon install. Users
lose automatic window resize behavior, one of the primary expected features of
open-vm-tools-desktop in a VMware desktop guest.
ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 26.04
Package: xserver-xorg-video-vmware 1:13.4.0-2build1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 7.0.0-15.15-generic 7.0.0
Uname: Linux 7.0.0-15-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.34.0-0ubuntu2
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
CompositorRunning: None
CurrentDesktop: X-Cinnamon
Date: Sat May 9 14:23:35 2026
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: resolute
DistroVariant: ubuntu
GraphicsCard:
VMware SVGA II Adapter [15ad:0405] (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
Subsystem: VMware SVGA II Adapter [15ad:0405]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2026-05-09 (0 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-Cinnamon 26.04 "Resolute Raccoon" - Release amd64
(20260423.1)
Lsusb:
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0e0f:0003 VMware, Inc. Virtual Mouse
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0e0f:0002 VMware, Inc. Virtual USB Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Lsusb-t:
/: Bus 001.Port 001: Dev 001, Class=root_hub, Driver=uhci_hcd/2p, 12M
|__ Port 001: Dev 002, If 0, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid,
12M
|__ Port 002: Dev 003, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/7p, 12M
/: Bus 002.Port 001: Dev 001, Class=root_hub, Driver=ehci-pci/6p, 480M
MachineType: VMware, Inc. VMware Virtual Platform
ProcEnviron:
LANG=en_US.UTF-8
PATH=(custom, no user)
SHELL=/bin/bash
TERM=xterm-256color
XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-7.0.0-15-generic
root=UUID=7d8e8791-f37e-4965-94a8-bba70142a5fb ro
debian-installer/custom-installation=/custom find_preseed=/preseed.cfg auto
preseed/file=/floppy/preseed.cfg automatic-ubiquity noprompt priority=critical
locale=en_US console-setup/modelcode=evdev
SourcePackage: xserver-xorg-video-vmware
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 03/24/2025
dmi.bios.release: 4.6
dmi.bios.vendor: Phoenix Technologies LTD
dmi.bios.version: 6.00
dmi.board.name: 440BX Desktop Reference Platform
dmi.board.vendor: Intel Corporation
dmi.board.version: None
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 1
dmi.chassis.vendor: No Enclosure
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.ec.firmware.release: 0.0
dmi.modalias:
dmi:bvnPhoenixTechnologiesLTD:bvr6.00:bd03/24/2025:br4.6:efr0.0:svnVMware,Inc.:pnVMwareVirtualPlatform:pvrNone:rvnIntelCorporation:rn440BXDesktopReferencePlatform:rvrNone:cvnNoEnclosure:ct1:cvrN/A:sku:pfa:
dmi.product.name: VMware Virtual Platform
dmi.product.version: None
dmi.sys.vendor: VMware, Inc.
version.compiz: compiz N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.131-1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 26.0.3-1ubuntu1
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx N/A
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:21.1.22-1ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev N/A
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:22.0.0-1build2
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel
2:2.99.917+git20210115-1build2
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.18-1build1
** Affects: xserver-xorg-video-vmware (Ubuntu)
Importance: Undecided
Status: New
** Tags: amd64 apport-bug resolute ubuntu
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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2152103
Title:
Ubuntu 26.04 Cinnamon VMware guest uses legacy vmware Xorg driver with
RandR disabled, preventing guest auto-resize
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