No Longer Boots To GUI after update.

Discussions about using Linux guests in VirtualBox.
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OSIAS
Posts: 5
Joined: 13. Jul 2022, 16:39

No Longer Boots To GUI after update.

Post by OSIAS »

Ubuntu 18.04.6 LTS is the Host Server
8 GB of Ram
AMD Ryzen 5 1600
gnome 3.28.2
64 bit
Plenty of free disk space

This server / system is up to date and running fine. The various VM Slices are typically left powered down except for one that runs headless. However whenever I needed to conduct maintenance I could boot all of them into the Ubuntu GUI as they are all running the same. Everything has been fine for 3 years at least. Every 6-12 Months I run backups and I use a VM slice to do this via the GUI. So I did not notice an issue until about a month ago and I have been attempting to figure out what is causing the issue. Best I can tell all the VM Slices will headless start and are up and working, but I cannot access the GUI. I believe this happened after some sort of either ubuntu or virtual box update as I have made zero settings changes. This would have had to occur in the past 6-12 Months as well.

When I first launch the VM Slice I see the ubuntu splash screen, but then it drops to a scrawl and never reaches a login.

I have attached the log as well per the forum guidelines.
Backup-Server-FTP-2022-07-13-09-30-53.zip
Log
(28.14 KiB) Downloaded 14 times
I feel like this is going to be something really simple and silly I am over looking.

Thanks In Advance!
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: No Longer Boots To GUI after update.

Post by scottgus1 »

OSIAS wrote:VM Slice
I have not heard that term before, it's a new one! Is there anything significant in the "slice" as opposed to the regular usual "VM"?

The posted log does not show any problems in the VM "hardware". The OS boots, Guest Additions start up in the VM OS and report themselves, and the VM screen turns on normally.

As a test, please make a new Ubuntu VM and try to install the OS. See if the Ubuntu GUI starts. If it does, then the problem is inside the VM OS's.

Ubuntu is known to go blackscreen if there is not enough free disk space to start the desktop environment. This happens in real PCs too. The solution is to log on text-only and delete stuff until the desktop environment can start. Web-search how to fix this in an Ubuntu PC and apply the steps to the VM. Also see How to Resize a Drive
OSIAS
Posts: 5
Joined: 13. Jul 2022, 16:39

Re: No Longer Boots To GUI after update.

Post by OSIAS »

Thanks for looking I will test out your suggestion and get back to you. Disk space shouldn't be an issue unless it somehow virtually hard constrained itself, but then the other LPAR's were working fine up until this point too and now they are not.

Will review and update.
OSIAS
Posts: 5
Joined: 13. Jul 2022, 16:39

Re: No Longer Boots To GUI after update.

Post by OSIAS »

Okay I have terabytes of free space on the HD in the main host OS.

In virtual Box 5.2.42 If I go into Global Tools and look at the virtual size to physical size your correct its filled up. Not sure it wasn't that way before though but okay size could be the problem. I can just using the tools expand the size of this virtual disk right here. However that didn't fix the issue and per reading your links it likely a two step process.

Anyhow I can't get that far yet, when I launch the VM and get the scrawl I never get to a login prompt. If I attempt to issue a ctrl + Alt + f5 it just dumps my main OS host to a cmd line not the virtual machine and I have tried it a couple different ways. There isn't a ctrl + Alt + f5 option to issue in the menu and none of the others that are do anything other then perhaps reboot the VM.

So I can't get get in to mess with it, Shouldn't I just be able to get to CMD prompt and just clean up space without having to expand the space and that leads to another question what filled this up? Can I dump something simple?

I tried looking at the live CD method I downloaded it to the same location as the other VM Files and refreshed the global tools I believe but its not showing, not certain how to tell it to boot from it when I can't get it to take commands or drop to command etc.

I think I need a little more direction to get it across the finish line.

Please Advise
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: No Longer Boots To GUI after update.

Post by scottgus1 »

OSIAS wrote:I can just using the tools expand the size of this virtual disk right here. However that didn't fix the issue and per reading your links it likely Definitely a two step process.
FTFY. No 'likely' about it. The tutorial does say Step 1... Step 2... :lol:
OSIAS wrote:Shouldn't I just be able to get to CMD prompt and just clean up space without having to expand the space and that leads to another question what filled this up? Can I dump something simple?
How to log into a Linux OS via text-only command line is web-searchable. I've personally never done it, though. Google will tell you how.
OSIAS wrote:I tried looking at the live CD method I downloaded it to the same location as the other VM Files and refreshed the global tools I believe but its not showing, not certain how to tell it to boot from it
It won't show simply by putting it in the VM's files. You need to load the ISO into the VM's Optical Drive. Click the drive, Choose Disk Image, browse to the ISO. Your VM will look for a bootable ISO before trying to boot from the hard drive.

Web-search the usage instructions for whatever LiveCD you are going to use.
OSIAS wrote:another question what filled this up?
See your chosen topic title:
OSIAS wrote:No Longer Boots To GUI after update.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: No Longer Boots To GUI after update.

Post by scottgus1 »

I moved your complaint about my response to "Feedback to Moderators" viewtopic.php?f=9&t=8888

I'm sorry my humor insulted you. Please try to read past it. All we can do in our volunteer time is show the FAQ. I also explained how to boot the VM from the ISO. How to use the ISO and the Linux OS are web-searchable things that are beyond the scope of this forum.
davidbaumann
Posts: 15
Joined: 22. Dec 2015, 16:02
Primary OS: Ubuntu other
VBox Version: OSE other
Guest OSses: Any

Re: No Longer Boots To GUI after update.

Post by davidbaumann »

OSIAS wrote: If I attempt to issue a ctrl + Alt + f5 it just dumps my main OS host to a cmd line not the virtual machine and I have tried it a couple different ways.
With my Windows host, it's Right Control + F1/F2...

David.
OSIAS
Posts: 5
Joined: 13. Jul 2022, 16:39

Re: No Longer Boots To GUI after update.

Post by OSIAS »

Just to help the next soul, this is how I resolved it.

(mod edit: offsite link deleted)

However I could never get gparted GUI to launch was always getting an error. I had to use a previous version of gparted to get it to work.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: No Longer Boots To GUI after update.

Post by scottgus1 »

Thanks for letting us know how you got your problem fixed.

However, and at the risk of offending you again, and for the sake of future readers, offsite tutorials are not considered authoritative sources here on this forum, unless we don't have a proven FAQ on the subject. And we do, above, on how to resize a VM drive.

Future readers, please see How to Resize a Drive.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: No Longer Boots To GUI after update.

Post by scottgus1 »

Thanks, davidbaumann, for that info!
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