An MS-DOS virtual machine does not fill the whole screen in Virtual Server 2005 (843238)

SYMPTOMS

When you use the Virtual Machine Remote Control (VMRC) feature in Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 to view an MS-DOS-based virtual machine in full-screen mode, you experience both of the following symptoms:

The host computer screen resolution changes to 640 x 480 pixels, but the MS-DOS virtual machine screen only covers about 90 percent of the host computer screen.
About 10 percent of the host computer screen appears under the MS-DOS virtual machine screen. However, this area of the host computer screen is not active.

This behavior also occurs when you display a virtual machine basic input/output system (BIOS) screen in full-screen mode.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because a text-mode display requests a screen resolution of 640 x 400 pixels. However, this screen resolution is not supported in Virtual Server 2005. Therefore, a screen resolution of 640 x 480 pixels is used. Because of the difference between the resolution of the virtual machine screen and the resolution of the host computer screen, part of the host computer screen appears under the MS-DOS virtual machine screen.

MORE INFORMATION

MS-DOS is not a supported guest operating system in Virtual Server 2005.

For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

833146 How to install DOS Virtual Machine Additions to permit additional functionality in an MS-DOS-based virtual machine in Virtual PC 2004