Virtualbox no longer starts......

[kjacobs]

Hi group.....I am getting the following error when I try to start my Win XP virtualbox now. This was working just last week and now fails. I have tried running the vboxdrv setup, but it is not found....even after installing DKMS. Any ideas to get this working again.....my business books are on that vbox and need to get at them.

Thanks,
Ken

Kernel driver not installed (rc=-1908)

The VirtualBox Linux kernel driver (vboxdrv) is either not loaded or there is a permission problem with /dev/vboxdrv. Please reinstall the kernel module by executing

'/etc/init.d/vboxdrv setup'

as root. If it is available in your distribution, you should install the DKMS package first. This package keeps track of Linux kernel changes and recompiles the vboxdrv kernel module if necessary.

[gold_finger]

Can you post back with output from Terminal:

Code:

dpkg -l | grep "dkms"

and

Code:

dpkg -l | grep "linux-headers"

Use instructions shown here for pasting that output back to forum.

[kjacobs]

Thanks for the reply.....here is the output from the 2 commands.

kenneth@kenneth-OptiPlex-755:~$ dpkg -l | grep "dkms"
ii  dkms                                  2.2.0.3-1ubuntu3.2                                  Dynamic Kernel Module Support Framework
ii  virtualbox-dkms                        4.1.12-dfsg-2ubuntu0.6                              x86 virtualization solution - kernel module sources for dkms
ii  virtualbox-guest-dkms                  4.1.12-dfsg-2ubuntu0.6                              x86 virtualization solution - guest addition module source for dkms
ii  virtualbox-ose-dkms                    4.1.12-dfsg-2ubuntu0.6                              transitional package for virtualbox-dkms
kenneth@kenneth-OptiPlex-755:~$

kenneth@kenneth-OptiPlex-755:~$ dpkg -l | grep "linux-headers"
ii  linux-headers-3.13.0-32                3.13.0-32.57~precise1                              Header files related to Linux kernel version 3.13.0
ii  linux-headers-3.13.0-32-generic        3.13.0-32.57~precise1                              Linux kernel headers for version 3.13.0 on 32 bit x86 SMP
ii  linux-headers-3.2.0-67                3.2.0-67.101                                        Header files related to Linux kernel version 3.2.0
ii  linux-headers-3.2.0-67-generic        3.2.0-67.101                                        Linux kernel headers for version 3.2.0 on 32 bit x86 SMP
ii  linux-headers-3.8.0-34                3.8.0-34.49~precise1                                Header files related to Linux kernel version 3.8.0
ii  linux-headers-3.8.0-34-generic        3.8.0-34.49~precise1                                Linux kernel headers for version 3.8.0 on 32 bit x86 SMP
ii  linux-headers-3.8.0-37                3.8.0-37.53~precise1                                Header files related to Linux kernel version 3.8.0
ii  linux-headers-3.8.0-37-generic        3.8.0-37.53~precise1                                Linux kernel headers for version 3.8.0 on 32 bit x86 SMP
ii  linux-headers-3.8.0-38                3.8.0-38.56~precise1                                Header files related to Linux kernel version 3.8.0
ii  linux-headers-3.8.0-38-generic        3.8.0-38.56~precise1                                Linux kernel headers for version 3.8.0 on 32 bit x86 SMP
ii  linux-headers-3.8.0-39                3.8.0-39.58~precise1                                Header files related to Linux kernel version 3.8.0
ii  linux-headers-3.8.0-39-generic        3.8.0-39.58~precise1                                Linux kernel headers for version 3.8.0 on 32 bit x86 SMP
ii  linux-headers-3.8.0-41                3.8.0-41.60~precise1                                Header files related to Linux kernel version 3.8.0
ii  linux-headers-3.8.0-41-generic        3.8.0-41.60~precise1                                Linux kernel headers for version 3.8.0 on 32 bit x86 SMP
ii  linux-headers-3.8.0-42                3.8.0-42.63~precise1                                Header files related to Linux kernel version 3.8.0
ii  linux-headers-3.8.0-42-generic        3.8.0-42.63~precise1                                Linux kernel headers for version 3.8.0 on 32 bit x86 SMP
ii  linux-headers-3.8.0-44                3.8.0-44.66~precise1                                Header files related to Linux kernel version 3.8.0
ii  linux-headers-3.8.0-44-generic        3.8.0-44.66~precise1                                Linux kernel headers for version 3.8.0 on 32 bit x86 SMP
ii  linux-headers-generic                  3.2.0.67.79                                        Generic Linux kernel headers
ii  linux-headers-generic-lts-raring      3.8.0.44.44                                        Generic Linux kernel headers
ii  linux-headers-generic-lts-trusty      3.13.0.32.28                                        Generic Linux kernel headers
kenneth@kenneth-OptiPlex-755:~$

[gold_finger]

Looks like your latest system kernel (3.13....), which I'm guessing you upgraded to (or got pulled in with an update) within the last week does not match up with the versions of:
-- virtualbox-dkms
-- virtualbox-guest-dkms
and possibly
-- virtualbox-ose-dkms

that are needed for that kernel.  The versions of above now on your system are for prior kernel.  I'd bet that if you accessed grub menu and picked the menu item for the last kernel you used and booted computer with that, your VBox would work again.

To fix VBox to work with current new kernel, I'm guessing that you should be able to find the needed new versions of above in the Synaptic Package Manager.

*  Open the package manager:  Menu -> System -> Install/Remove Software

*  Hit the "Reload" button in upper left and wait until it finishes reloading packages.

*  In search box, type (without quotes) "virtualbox-dkms"

*  Look through list to see if you find one that says it's version "4.3.10-dfsg-1".  That's what you need.

*  If you see it, mark it for installation by checking the box next to it.

*  Find the version that is currently installed already (4.1.12-dfsg-2) and mark it for "complete removal".  (Synaptic may tell you it's doing that when you pick the new version -- I don't know.  If it does, then you won't need to manually do this step.)

*  Do same thing for the others listed above.  (I don't have "virtualbox-ose-dkms" on my system and don't know what it is; but if you find that and see a new version with number I noted above do same for that too.)

NOTE:  your version of "dkms" is fine as it is.  It's only the "virtualbox" dkms packages that need to be changed.

Also NOTE:  You will need to reboot the computer after these changes for them to take effect.

I'm using LL 2.0 and do not have my system set to take kernel upgrades, so my Synaptic only shows me one version of above files.  I'm guessing that since your system is set-up to accept new kernels it will show you multiple versions of those files.

[kjacobs]

Thanks for the detailed followup.

I opened Synaptic Package Manager to search for an updated virtualbox-dkms....however, it looks like version 4.1.12 is the only one available and already installed. I may need to try the grub menu option to see if I can get back to where it was before. Can you clue me in to how to change that back. Once I get everything reverted....this may be a good time to load LL 2.0 (which has been working great on my laptop).

Thanks.

[gold_finger]

Just lost a long detailed reply when I hit the "Preview" button to an "Internal Server Error" on forum.  One of these days maybe I'll learn to copy everything I type in here before I hit "Preview" button and loose it all for the millionth time.

Sorry kjacobs, but I don't have time to type it all out again right now.  Will post back later with two more options to get your VBox upgraded and working with the new kernel.  For now, here is how to get to the older kernels for booting the computer.

Assuming you don't already see a grub menu on bootup, hit either <Space>, <Esc>, or left <Shift> key a few seconds after powering on the computer.  (You may need to repeatedly hit one of those keys instead of just once.)  When menu displays, the first choice is the new kernel and that is the current default.  Just use arrow keys to navigate down list to the next choice that is not "recovery" or "memtest" and hit <Enter>.  (If by chance that leads to a submenu, just pick first one on submenu list and hit <Enter>.)  That should be the last kernel you were using and the computer will boot from that now.

[kjacobs]

Yikes....glad that I am not the only one losing posts. My original post was having the same problem....many, many times.

No problem......I tried restarting my computer while holding shift and rebooted to the previous linux kernel. My virtualbox screamed back to lilfe. So yes, the kernel was the problem. I was unable to find the updated files for virtualbox, so I removed the most recent kernel upgrade and reverted back one version. All is right with the world again. I am pretty sure this showed up during a "hardware update" install on my update manager. Will not be clicking that install button again....LOL.

Thanks for your help and pointing me in the right direction.

Ken

[gold_finger]

kjacobs,

Glad you got it sorted out.

No, you're not only one to loose posts.  It's happened to me several times and someone else posted about that once here on the forums, so others have it happen too.  I sometimes remember to copy what I write to a text file first, but I didn't this time.  Definitely frustrating when that happens on a long post.

Anyway, I was going to suggest two other ways to try getting the VBox working with new kernel.  After thinking a bit more, I doubt one of them would apply so not going to bother with that.  The one that would likely work would be to add Oracle's PPA to the sources list.  That way any updates would include new updates for VBox by Oracle and new kernels would pull in the necessary new files for VBox too.  I used to have one computer set up like that.  You don't need that right now, but if you plan to do kernel updates in LL 2.0 when you move to that, you may want to consider adding Oracle to sources list.  Just follow directions for Debian-based systems on this page:  https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads.

Whenever you do move to LL 2.0 and whether or not you plan to do the above, you should backup the folder that contains your VMs to a USB or external HDD so you can reuse them.  If you've got them on a separate /home partition that you will be keeping for reuse on LL 2.0, then you don't need to bother with that.  I'm guessing that you already know where that folder is, but if you don't here is an easy way to find out.

*  Open VBox and click File -> Virtual Media Manager

*  Highlight one of the .vdi files in the "Hard Drives" tab and look at "Location" near bottom of window.



*  Yours will be different than mine (I set up a non-standard location on separate partition), but you're looking for the name of folder right after /home/<username>/.  It might be a hidden folder that begins with a period "." in the name (I can't remember what default name is used).  Once you know where it is, navigate to it with file manager and copy paste the folder and its contents to external source for safe keeping since it sounds like you have data you don't want to lose on the Windows VM.

*  When you finish installing LL 2.0, just copy it back to same location.

*  To start using your saved VMs, start VBox and click Machine -> Add -> navigate to and open VM folder, select the .vbox file you want to use.

NOTE:  If you've never looked at that location before, there will be a folder for each VM you have.  Inside each VM's folder will be a ".vbox", ".vbox-prev", ".vdi" file and a "Logs" folder.  You pick the ".vbox" file when adding a machine to new VBox installation.