Pls Help! Error when installing Guest Additions

[UmbrellaMan]

Hi, folks. Sorry, Linux and Virtualbox noob here.
I've been using an Ubuntu 16.04 guest on a Windows 7 host for a while successfully. Recently, I got a notification about a new version of guest additions being available. (Edit: the guest additions version is 5.2.1.) When I install it, I always get an error that says:
VirtualBox Guest Additions: Look at /var/log/vboxadd-setup.log to find out what went wrong
I've tried several times and it always throws this error. The latest time, it also said:
VirtualBox Guest Additions: modprobe vboxsf failed.
I notice the following a few times in the log file

echo >&2 " ERROR: Kernel configuration is invalid."; \
echo >&2 " include/generated/autoconf.h or include/config/auto.conf are missing.";\
echo >&2 " Run 'make oldconfig && make prepare' on kernel src to fix it."; \

but I don't know how to do this or if this is the right way to fix the error. I also don't know how to search to see if one or both files are missing from the proper directory
I did some searching and didn't find any recent results. In the past the following has been suggested:

at (link removed due to this being my first post). Anyway, the topic was "building-guest-additions-in-virtualbox-with-38-kernel-fails-871284/"
it was suggested to run "sudo apt-get install build-essential module-assistant;"
Not sure if the semicolon at the end is an accident
Another answer was
You need to create a symlink:

Code: Select all

ln -s /usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.38-1-686/include/generated/autoconf.h /usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.38-1-686/include/linux/

Please help. Let me know if I've forgotten to supply any info needed to troubleshoot.

[Perryg]

Post the guests log file ( as an attachment ). Right click on the guest in the Main Manager then click show log. Save and post as an attachment. Compress if it is too large to post.

[UmbrellaMan]

The vbox.log file? Several others also show up when I view logs: vboxhardening.log, vbox.log.1, .2, and .3

[Perryg]

I just want the vbox.log

[socratis]

BTW, the "modprobe vboxsf failed" is not an error, just a cosmetic thing. Neither are the "echo" statements.

[UmbrellaMan]

Thanks for looking into this.

[Perryg]

Try this one.
https://www.virtualbox.org/download/tes ... 118468.iso

[UmbrellaMan]

Yes!!! That installed with no apparent errors.
A few more questions
--I removed the existing file"VBoxGuestAdditions.iso" from the installation directory of VirtualBox, renamed your file to this name and replaced it there. Then, from the guest's "Devices" menu, I selected "Insert Guest Additions CD image..." and it auto-installed. I assume this is what I was supposed to do?
--Also, what was the problem?- software bug, problem with my machine, etc?
--Can I expect to have this problem in the future or was it probably a 1 time problem?
Thanks for your help!

[Perryg]

Issues happen. Especially with a new major release and of course the OSes constantly changing kernels, and packages. Just one of those things that one needs to be on top of. No problem though. If you have another issue just head back and ask away. Oh and also keep in mind that the golden rule of software for most users, " if it ain't broke, don't fix it". So only update when you need to.

[UmbrellaMan]

I usually try to update everything immediately because a lot of updates relate to security. Is that not the case with guest additions updates? Should I just keep using the version I'm on if its working OK?

By the way, the speed of the problem resolution on this forum is incredible.
I'm very impressed.

Thanks again.

[socratis]

I usually try to update everything immediately because a lot of updates relate to security. Is that not the case with guest additions updates?

Usually not. If there are security updates, they come in batches and there are updates for the previous release as well (at least the last major version), i.e. if there was a security update, the 5.1.x series would have been updated as well. The major upgrades, that means mostly new features, not security updates.

BTW, this is from pure observation only, for every software that's out there...