Skype for Business not starting anymore (VB 6.0.0 & 6.0.2 & 6.0.4)

[0x00]

Hi,
Skype for Business is only showing a splash screen and then exits without any error message. VBox.log shows the following entry upon clicking the Skype icon:
00:01:32.384054 VMMDev: Guest Log: crUtil DLL loaded.
00:01:32.786791 VMMDev: Guest Log: OpenGL Warning: crPixelCopy3D: simply crMemcpy'ing from srcPtr to dstPtr

I am using the VBoxVGA driver (also tried SVGA but there are so many other graphical glitches/flickering it is unusable) and I also tried with and without 3D acceleration.

The only thing that works to make Skype run again is to deinstall the guest additions but then I have a very small resolution and can't work properly anymore as copy/paste does not work, no shares etc

Is there anything else I can try? Maybe a regression of this bug? #17092 (forum does not allow links on first day/post )

HW: Thinkpad T470p, Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, Win10 Guest, no vbox extension pack
3D controller: NVIDIA Corporation GM108M [GeForce 940MX] (rev a2)
for the record, the daily testbuild of the guest additions does not work either (VBoxGuestAdditions_6.0.1-128063.iso)

[socratis]

We need to see a complete VBox.log, from a complete VM run:

• Start the VM from cold-boot (not from a paused or saved state) / Observe error / Shutdown the VM (force close it if you have to).
• With the VM completely shut down (not paused or saved), right-click on the VM in the VirtualBox Manager and select "Show Log".
• Save only the first "VBox.log", ZIP it and attach it to your response. See the "Upload attachment" tab below the reply form.

[0x00]

thanks, here it is

[0x00]

I have just updated to VB 6.0.2 (incl. guest additions), same problem

[0x00]

is there anything else I can try? was the logfile useful or should i create an additional bug report in the ticket system?

[mpack]

The log is not very useful. It only covers 1 minute of runtime, and is then deliberately terminated. I doubt you did much Skypeing in that time. The log needs to be relevant to the question asked.

As a side issue, it looks like you have a performance issue with the graphics drivers. The second time I've seen this today.

00:01:06.303912 VMMDev: Guest Log: OpenGL Warning: crPixelCopy3D: simply crMemcpy'ing from srcPtr to dstPtr
00:01:06.304558 VMMDev: Guest Log: OpenGL Warning: crPixelCopy3D: simply crMemcpy'ing from srcPtr to dstPtr

This is saying that 2D acceleration isn't working, that it is doing slow software renders.

[0x00]

Hi, thanks for the answer! No, I did not much Skyping because as I mentioned in my first post, it does not even start hence I booted the machine, clicked on the Skype icon and when the splash screen vanished after 1-2 seconds I shut down the machine again according to socratis' instructions.

Ok interesting, I don't have logs anymore with VB5 to verify the 2D accel, but Skype did work properly there. As I mentioned, Skype also works without Guest additions but then everything else the Guest additions rely on does not (low screen resolution which makes working impossible).
I have those nvidia drivers installed: 396.54-0ubuntu0~gpu18.04.1

[0x00]

just upgraded to v6.0.4, same problem. I also updated my host's nvidia display driver to version 415.27-0ubuntu0~gpu18.04.1 now, does not fix it either.

As I can't work properly since upgrading to v6, is there a safe way to downgrade to v5 again? Do I have to adjust something in the config file or is having the guest addition uninstalled enough?

[pentagonik]

@0x00 What was the last version of VBox which worked for you in with regards to Skype for Business?

[0x00]

I had the latest available version before 6 came out, it was 5.2.22

and, since I have upgraded to nvidia 415 drivers (at least I think that was the time) i suddenly get CRITICAL_STRUCTURE_CORRUPTION BSODs quite often now

[pentagonik]

@0x0 Interesting, so 5.2.22 worked for you -- any chance that you also can have a try with 5.2.24 and 5.2.26 whether this still worked for you? This would greatly help us pinpointing the problem. Thanks!

[0x00]

Hi,

I have downgraded from 6.0.4 to 5.2.26, then 5.2.24 and 5.2.22. None of them worked anymore regarding Skype
(always uninstalled guest additions before downgrading, except when upgrading from 5.2.22 to 6.0.4, there I forgot, but booting up still worked).

I am not sure if there could be any leftovers from the v6 installation that might interfere?

But I seem to have found a workaround. If I start Skype for Business in compatibility mode for Windows 7 it starts! If I choose "Windows 8" it does not work, it has to be Win7. Not sure yet if everything works properly in this mode though (next audio call & screen sharing session tomorrow).

Hm, might it work to install the guest additions in Win7 compat mode?

[mpack]

Never install any VirtualBox software using a compatibility mode. It will not do anything good, and may well mess up future upgrades. VirtualBox is not abandonware, which needs to rely on compatibility layers to maintain compatibility with an OS.

IMHO You need to contact the Skype people to find out why their software needs this band-aid.

[pentagonik]

Good news everyone: I've spent some time debugging this and finally found the issue. I'll put up a test build shortly for those who are willing to give this a try.

[0x00]

yes please will it be available here? https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Testbuilds - I saw that there are no Ubuntu/Debian test builds on the site, guess I should use the .run installer?