[Solved] Intermittent startup freeze with Ubuntu 18.04

[MarkHowe]

Hi,

I'm still experiencing issues with 18.04, which seems to boot correctly for me about one time in three. I'm using VB 5.2.12r122591, but had similar issues with 5.2.10. When startup fails, the dots on the Ubuntu splash screen stop (at an unpredictable point). In the log I see

00:00:18.068385 GUI: UIMachineLogicNormal::sltCheckForRequestedVisualStateType: Requested-state=0, Machine-state=5

My hardware is an Asus Zenbook that I generally use with an external screen connected, running Windows 10. 4Gb RAM, 2 processors, 64Mb video RAM, 3D activated, 2D deactivated.

When the guest does start up correctly, it runs happily for hours.

All suggestions welcome.

Edit:  I initially wondered if viewtopic.php?f=3&t=87919 was my issue, but since I'm now running 5.2.12 I guess not?

[andyp73]

Can we have the full VBox.log file from one of the occasions when it fails to boot correctly. Start the VM from cold, wait for it to fail, force the VM to close and then zip the log file.

Also, when the Ubuntu graphical screen is displayed, can you press <ESC> and get to see the boot messages from the Linux kernel? Some Linux versions let you, others don't!

-Andy.

[MarkHowe]

I've attached a log. No dice with <esc>, I'm afraid.

My theory of the moment is that it's a dual screen thing. So far, since I've been paying attention, it hasn't failed to boot without the second screen plugged in.

[mpack]

Does it work if you disable 3D acceleration?

[MarkHowe]

I've just managed to get failures without connecting the external monitor, and with 3D acceleration turned off.

[socratis]

00:00:03.377304 NumCPUs <integer> = 0x0000000000000002 (2)
00:00:04.035989 CPUM: Physical host cores: 2
00:00:04.036269 Full Name: "Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6200U CPU @ 2.30GHz"

Your i5-6200U has 2 cores, and you've assigned both of them to your guest. Drop down the CPUs to your guest to 1.

00:00:13.740740 DSound: Output: GUID: {DAAA0301-21E7-45A1-A203-9A7F70BB7290} [248CLH (Son Intel(R) pour écrans)] (Module: {0.0.0.00000000}.{daaa0301-21e7-45a1-a203-9a7f70bb7290})
00:00:13.741077 DSound: Input: GUID: {22F8E3B8-C366-410E-B416-5785D0CA0004} [Réseau de microphones (Conexant SmartAudio HD)] (Module: {0.0.1.00000000}.{22f8e3b8-c366-410e-b416-5785d0ca0004})
00:00:13.741103 DSound: Creating capture buffer failed with ERROR_BAD_ENVIRONMENT 0x8878000A

You get that message ten times! Can you disconnect all external audio sources/sinks?

00:00:44.197875 ACPI: Entering S5 power state (power down)

How did that happen? Did you send the shutdown signal?

00:00:12.471817 VMMDev: Guest Additions information report:
                Version 5.2.8 r120774 '5.2.8_KernelUbuntu'

Not only you have an older version of the Guest Additions (GAs), it's a version I've never seen before! I got to check my Ubuntu 18.04 to see what's going on here. In any event, you need to remove those and install the ones that come with VirtualBox.

Typically the distro's GAs will have a string like "5.2.8_Ubuntu". I've never seen the "_KernelUbuntu" before, got to double-check that!

[MarkHowe]

00:00:03.377304 NumCPUs <integer> = 0x0000000000000002 (2)
00:00:04.035989 CPUM: Physical host cores: 2
00:00:04.036269 Full Name: "Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6200U CPU @ 2.30GHz"

Your i5-6200U has 2 cores, and you've assigned both of them to your guest. Drop down the CPUs to your guest to 1.

I thought I had 4 logical processors, and the Virtualbox GUI seemed to think so too, but I've now set it to 1. (I got another crash after that so apparently it wasn't the problem.)

00:00:13.740740 DSound: Output: GUID: {DAAA0301-21E7-45A1-A203-9A7F70BB7290} [248CLH (Son Intel(R) pour écrans)] (Module: {0.0.0.00000000}.{daaa0301-21e7-45a1-a203-9a7f70bb7290})
00:00:13.741077 DSound: Input: GUID: {22F8E3B8-C366-410E-B416-5785D0CA0004} [Réseau de microphones (Conexant SmartAudio HD)] (Module: {0.0.1.00000000}.{22f8e3b8-c366-410e-b416-5785d0ca0004})
00:00:13.741103 DSound: Creating capture buffer failed with ERROR_BAD_ENVIRONMENT 0x8878000A

You get that message ten times! Can you disconnect all external audio sources/sinks?

I think that must be the audio on my external monitor (via HDMI.), so not easily if I want an external monitor.

00:00:44.197875 ACPI: Entering S5 power state (power down)

How did that happen? Did you send the shutdown signal?

Yes, after it locked up. Is there a better way to get control back in this situation?

00:00:12.471817 VMMDev: Guest Additions information report:
                Version 5.2.8 r120774 '5.2.8_KernelUbuntu'

Not only you have an older version of the Guest Additions (GAs), it's a version I've never seen before! I got to check my Ubuntu 18.04 to see what's going on here. In any event, you need to remove those and install the ones that come with VirtualBox.

Typically the distro's GAs will have a string like "5.2.8_Ubuntu". I've never seen the "_KernelUbuntu" before, got to double-check that!

I don't know where that came from, presumably it's what the Ubuntu installer thought I needed.

I've downloaded, mounted and installed 5.2.12 guest additions. The log (attached) suggests I'm using 5.2.12 guest additions now. No more issues so far. I do note that the splash screen looks different (ASCII art dots rather then big anti-aliased ones, which is fine by me). New log attached. I'll be back if problems persist. Thanks for your help!

[socratis]

I thought I had 4 logical processors

I've even included a link to your actual CPU, still no?

I think that must be the audio on my external monitor (via HDMI.), so not easily if I want an external monitor.

Get rid of it as part of the troubleshooting process. That's basic troubleshooting, you don't start with the most complicated of setups, you start simple and you work your way up.

Typically the distro's GAs will have a string like "5.2.8_Ubuntu". I've never seen the "_KernelUbuntu" before, got to double-check that!

I don't know where that came from, presumably it's what the Ubuntu installer thought I needed.

Yes, it is. I opened up a fresh Ubuntu 18.04 guest, and that line was there:

00:00:08.814043 VMMDev: Guest Additions information report: Version 5.2.8 r120774 '5.2.8_KernelUbuntu'

I guess this signifies the transition from the "1.2.3_Distro" Guest Additions to the "official" in-the-kernel GAs. That's a good thing™, as long as the Linux kernel keeps up with the upstream GAs. Got to admit, 5.2.8 isn't that far behind...

I've downloaded, mounted and installed 5.2.12 guest additions.

What's up lately with everybody downloading the GAs separately? Why? They're *bundled* with your VirtualBox installation! You got to go through several hoops to find and download the GAs, why not simply use the menu "Devices" » "Insert GAs CD image..." and you're done!

No more issues so far.

Can you spell it out for me? Problem solved? I'm a little confused because you added another log. I don't want another log if things are working, except if you added the log so that I can check if the additions are properly installed. Yes they are...

Just remember to always eject the GAs CD from your guest, otherwise you might run into some setup issues when upgrading your VirtualBox...

[MarkHowe]

I've even included a link to your actual CPU, still no?

I was looking at

00:00:04.094518 CPUM: Logical host processors: 4 present, 4 max, 4 online, online mask: 000000000000000f

but if you say the value you quoted is the one that matters I believe you.

Get rid of it as part of the troubleshooting process.

I did that yesterday, as mentioned above, and got the same bad behaviour.

What's up lately with everybody downloading the GAs separately? Why? They're *bundled* with your VirtualBox installation!

Thanks for the tip, in future that's what I shall do!

Can you spell it out for me? Problem solved? I'm a little confused because you added another log.

Problem solved as far as I can tell so far (given that the problem was intermittent). Thanks again for your help! I added the log because, personally, when I'm trying to fix other people's problems, I like to know the end of the story.

Just remember to always eject the GAs CD from your guest, otherwise you might run into some setup issues when upgrading your VirtualBox...

I'm not sure what this means. I typically start/stop my guest several times a day, and I assume the CD gets umounted from Linux at shutdown. (I never suspend.) So I eject the CD before upgrading?

[mpack]

I assume the CD gets umounted from Linux at shutdown.

That would be a bad assumption! Does your physical PC eject CDs when you shut it down?

The problem with the GAs CD is that it gets replaced when you next upgrade VirtualBox. Replacing an image file while it is mounted in a VM can cause problems - though mainly for those who tend to suspend their VM instead of shutting it down, or who use the live snapshots feature. Personally I think that if just from an elegance point of view, it is better to remember to eject removable media from drives when you don't need them any longer.

[socratis]

Great! So, the solution seems to be that it needed the updated, same version GAs, as the VirtualBox installed.

Marking as [Solved].