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Windows 8.1 Pro RTM auto-resize guest display not working in VirtualBox 4.2.18

Microsoft changed course and released Windows 8.1 to MSDN and TechNet users earlier than planned. It was made available last Sept 8, 2013. This got me excited to play with this latest version. Downloading the ISO was quite frustrating as I can't use Firefox Download Them All plugin, just does not work. Downloading via IE10 was also painful but there is a workaround.

VirtualBox also released 4.2.18 last Sept 6, 2013. This must be good, two good products released in the past few days.

Upgrading of VirtualBox didn't work the first time. I have to do a repair to get it to work. So essentially, I have to install it twice.

Installing of Windows 8.1 into VirtualBox was nonevent. But getting guest additions was challenging. I had to read lots of blogs including VirtualBox 4.2.18 release forum discussion topic.

So, how did I get guest addition auto-resize to work? I have to install guest additions *twice*!

This is what was working for me:
  1. Install guest additions... then reboot.
  2. After reboot auto-resize was still not working.
  3. Install guest additions again.... then reboot.
  4. This time auto-resize worked.
Note: VM guest configuration was pretty much default. No 3D/2D acceleration was enabled.

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