Symptoms

When entering Coherence mode in Linux virtual machines, you might be asked to disable display visual (3D) effects in the virtual machine to ensure its proper performance.

Resolution

IMPORTANT: Gnome 3 desktop implementations vary from one Linux distributive to another. Therefore it's not always possible to enable Coherence view mode when running Linux VM. Currently one should consider installing KDE or MATE desktop managers

The resolution is to disable Desktop Visual Effects in Linux VMs or install KDE packages in those guest operating systems which don't allow disabling Desktop Visual Effects (e.g Fedora 23 or later, CentOs, etc):

Ubuntu Linux (Unity desktop environment)

• In Ubuntu 14.04, install gnome-session-flashback package from the Ubuntu Software Center

Log out, click on the Ubuntu icon next to your login name and choose GNOME Flashback from the list.

• In Ubuntu 16.04 and 15.10, Coherence view mode works "out of the box"

Simply switch to Coherence mode (View > Enter Coherence).

In case you receive same error message:

Make sure that 3D acceleration is turned on in Ubuntu virtual machine configuration

 

 

Fedora and CentOs Linux (Gnome 3 desktop environment)

• In Fedora 23 and later, install KDE packages:

  sudo dnf group install kde-desktop-environment
  

  (enter the password)

Switch to the KDE Session from the Start Screen: select the user name and select one of available KDE Desktops from the Session drop-down list.

After you have switched to the KDE shell you should disable Visual Effects: Settings > System Settings > Desktop Effects > uncheck Enable desktop effects at startup, click Apply.

 

Linux Mint (Chinnamon, MATE and XFCE desktop environments)

 

• In Linux Mint Cinnamon 17 and later, install KDE packages.

  sudo apt-get install install kde-desktop-environment
  

  switch to the KDE session from the Linux Mint Start Screen.

After you have switched to the KDE shell you should disable Visual Effects: Settings > System Settings > Desktop Effects > uncheck Enable desktop effects at startup, click Apply.

• In Linux Mint MATE 17 and later, change window manager.

Select Desktop in Linux Mint MATE system preferences.

Change Window manager value in accordance with a screenshot.

Or one may also select:

• In Linux Mint XFCE 17 and later, change window manager.

Select Desktop Settings in Linux Mint XFCE system preferences.

Change Window manager value in accordance with a screenshot.

 

OpenSuse, Linux Mint (KDE based)

 

Just like with other KDE based Linux distributives, one should disable Visual Effects: Settings > System Settings > Desktop Effects > uncheck Enable desktop effects at startup, click Apply.