I'm using VirtualBox 4.1.14 on a Windows 7 64-bit host OS to run Slackware 64-bit current in a Virtual Machine.

Everything is working fine with the graphics display and KDE desktop effects turned off. The mouse cursor moves and the mouse integration of VirtualBox captures the mouse correctly.

The problem is that in console mode, the square mouse cursor is stuck in the center of the screen. Mouse clicks cause the line under the cursor to be selected, but moving the mouse has no effect.

Here are some of the things that I've tried to investigate the problem. I tested in run level 3 without the X-Windows server running. I restarted the "gpm" program in case it had to be started after loading the VirtualBox Guest additions. I tested with a previous version of Slackware current with the same results. I verified that the Guest Additions built correctly and loaded without any errors. None of those made any difference.

Can anyone suggest VirtualBox or Slackware settings that might solve this problem? Can anyone confirm if they have the console mouse working with Slackware in VirtualBox? I'm planning to test with an earlier version of VirtualBox when I can.

After some further testing I found that the console mouse support works using the VirtualBox Guest Additions version 4.1.2. However that version of the Guest Additions has other problems with switching between graphics and console screens. Versions 4.1.4, 4.1.6 and later of the Guest Additions have the problem with the console mouse cursor not moving. I am testing in VirtualBox version 4.1.14 using the Guest Additions from 4.1.2 when the console cursor is working. This applies to both 16-bit and 32-bit Slackware guest operating systems.

I reported this VirtualBox problem to Oracle on bug ticket #10558.

Confirmed on Slackware64-current. Just installed a fresh Slackware64-current, then the additions, same behavior. Only difference was my block cursor was stuck at the top.

Removing the additions also fixes the problem, of course then there is not mouse integration.

Thanks for the confirmation. I didn't think about uninstalling the Guest Additions to use the console mouse. That is helpful to know. I could boot in single user mode and then start gpm with "/etc/rc.d/rc.gpm start".

When using multi-user mode it is possible to temporarily stop the guest addtiions. I found these commands to stop the guest additions.

You have to use those commands in the correct order that I listed.

To start the guest additions again use these commands in this order.

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Thanks, good to know about rc.vboxadd...