[Solved] VirtualBox kernel service fails after Kernel upgrade

Discussions about using Linux guests in VirtualBox.
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mingle
Posts: 63
Joined: 6. Jun 2015, 07:55

[Solved] VirtualBox kernel service fails after Kernel upgrade

Post by mingle »

Hi Guys,

Ran into this issue a few weeks back, cross-posted in another thread, but seemed to get my wrists slapped, so trying again with (hopefully!) all required info:

Host: Windows 10 Pro 1709 64-bit, VirtualBox 5.2.4 (and 5.2.6), 5.2.4 (5.2.6) Guest Additions installed.
Guest: Linux Mint 18.3 xfce 64-bit

Things were going fine until I upgraded the Linux kernel from 4.14.8 to 4.14.9, then when I rebooted I get the following error when the following error when the Linux desktop appears:

"VBoxClient: the VirtualBox kernel service is not running. Exiting."

It seems that the VB Linux Additions also fail as a result, which means things like sharing of host folders and clipboard functions between host and guest are also gone.

I tried re-installing the Linux Guest Additions from the 5.2.4 (and 5.2.6) Guest Additions .ISO image and received the following error:

Code: Select all

  Verifying archive integrity... All good.
  Uncompressing VirtualBox 5.2.6 Guest Additions for Linux........
  VirtualBox Guest Additions installer
  Removing installed version 5.2.4 of VirtualBox Guest Additions...
  Copying additional installer modules ...
  Installing additional modules ...
  VirtualBox Guest Additions: Building the VirtualBox Guest Additions kernel modules.
  VirtualBox Guest Additions: Look at /var/log/vboxadd-setup.log to find out what went wrong
  VirtualBox Guest Additions: Starting.
  VirtualBox Guest Additions: Building the VirtualBox Guest Additions kernel modules.
  VirtualBox Guest Additions: Look at /var/log/vboxadd-setup.log to find out what went wrong
The VBoxGuestAddition.log shows the following:

Code: Select all

  Removing existing VirtualBox kernel modules.
  Building the main Guest Additions module.
  make V=1 CONFIG_MODULE_SIG= -C /lib/modules/4.14.9-041409-generic/build SUBDIRS=/tmp/vbox.0 SRCROOT=/tmp/vbox.0 -j4 modules
  make[1]: warning: -jN forced in submake: disabling jobserver mode.
  Makefile:945: *** "Cannot generate ORC metadata for CONFIG_UNWINDER_ORC=y, please install libelf-dev, libelf-devel or elfutils-libelf-devel".  Stop.
  /tmp/vbox.0/Makefile.include.footer:101: recipe for target 'vboxguest' failed
  make: *** [vboxguest] Error 2
  Creating user for the Guest Additions.
  Creating udev rule for the Guest Additions kernel module.
  Building the main Guest Additions module.
  make V=1 CONFIG_MODULE_SIG= -C /lib/modules/4.14.9-041409-generic/build SUBDIRS=/tmp/vbox.0 SRCROOT=/tmp/vbox.0 -j4 modules
  make[1]: warning: -jN forced in submake: disabling jobserver mode.
  Makefile:945: *** "Cannot generate ORC metadata for CONFIG_UNWINDER_ORC=y, please install libelf-dev, libelf-devel or elfutils-libelf-devel".  Stop.
  /tmp/vbox.0/Makefile.include.footer:101: recipe for target 'vboxguest' failed
  make: *** [vboxguest] Error 2
  Creating user for the Guest Additions.
  Creating udev rule for the Guest Additions kernel module.
  modprobe vboxguest failed
If I revert to the 4.14.8 kernel, all is fine. I have also tried installing later kernels 4.14.10 to 4.14.13 and all result in the same error as the 4.14.9 upgrade.

The issue is the same for VBox 5.2.4 and 5.2.6, so it appears that there's been some change in the Linux kernel from 4.14.9 onwards that's causing this.

However, I'm at a loss of where to look and what to try so any comments or suggestions greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Mike.
Last edited by mingle on 19. Jan 2018, 12:27, edited 3 times in total.
mingle
Posts: 63
Joined: 6. Jun 2015, 07:55

Re: VirtualBox kernel service fails after Kernel upgrade

Post by mingle »

Hi again,

Looking at the VBoxGuestAddition.log file, this line is interesting?

Code: Select all

"Makefile:945: *** "Cannot generate ORC metadata for CONFIG_UNWINDER_ORC=y, please install libelf-dev, libelf-devel or elfutils-libelf-devel". Stop."
Could it be that in Kernels post 4.14.8, certain files and/or libraries have been omitted or moved?

Cheers,

Mike.
socratis
Site Moderator
Posts: 27330
Joined: 22. Oct 2010, 11:03
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Win(*>98), Linux*, OSX>10.5
Location: Greece

Re: VirtualBox kernel service fails after Kernel upgrade

Post by socratis »

mingle wrote:Could it be that in Kernels post 4.14.8, certain files and/or libraries have been omitted or moved?
Or maybe that their requirements changed? I'll go with the last one, because I already know the answer... ;)

Install these libs and if you still have a problem, let us know...
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
Do NOT reply with the "QUOTE" button, please use the "POST REPLY", at the bottom of the form.
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mingle
Posts: 63
Joined: 6. Jun 2015, 07:55

Re: VirtualBox kernel service fails after Kernel upgrade

Post by mingle »

Ha Ha! See, you're a dev and you know these things - I'm just a user! :-)

I installed libelf-dev and then upgraded the kernel to 4.14.13, without issues.

Can you tell me why that library disappeared in the 4.14.9 - onwards Kernels?

Cheers,

Mike.
Last edited by socratis on 19. Jan 2018, 15:15, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Removed unnecessary verbatim quote of the whole previous message.
socratis
Site Moderator
Posts: 27330
Joined: 22. Oct 2010, 11:03
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Win(*>98), Linux*, OSX>10.5
Location: Greece

Re: [Solved] VirtualBox kernel service fails after Kernel upgrade

Post by socratis »

Ha ha! The joke's on you! I'm a user too, not a developer... ;)
And no, I don't have the slightest idea why the requirements changed. Kernel list maybe? But they came at the same time as the Spectre/Meltdown updates, so it may have something to do with that, I don't know...

PS. Thank you for marking it as [Solved]... ;)
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
Do NOT reply with the "QUOTE" button, please use the "POST REPLY", at the bottom of the form.
If you obfuscate any information requested, I will obfuscate my response. These are virtual UUIDs, not real ones.
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