Guest starts but no graphical display

[Steve_JJ]

I have a Fedora 30 guest on Windows host.

It was working fine, but something happened and it no longer starts the graphical interface when the guest is started.

I can log in using the command line interface, so the guest is definitely running.

I have attached the VBox log file.

If I log in (using command line interface) as a non-root user and try to run "startx", I get the following error:

Code: Select all

/home/jeffreysj> startx
xauth: file /home/jeffreysj/. serverauth.1179 does not exist

X.org X Server 1.20.5
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: 5.1.16-200.fc29.x86_64
Current Operating System: Linux localhost.localdomin 5.2.15-200.fc3Ø.x86_64 #1 SMP Mon Sep 16 15:17:36 UTC 2019 x86_64
Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=(hd0,msdos1)/vmlinuz-5.2.15-200.fc30.x86_64 root=/dev/mapper/fedora_localhost--live-root ro resume=/dev/mapper/fedora_localhost--live-swap rd.lvm.lv=fedora_localhost-live/root rd.lvm.lv=fedora_localhost-live/swap rhgb quiet
Build Date: 10 September 2019 05:03:01PM
Build ID: xorg-xll-server 1.20.5-7.fc30
Current version of pixman:0.38.0
    Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
    to make sure that you have the latest version.
Markers: (--) proved, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
        (++) from cormnnd line, (!!) notice, (II) informtional,
        (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/home/jeffreysj/.local/share/xorg/Xorg.1.log", Time: Tue Sep 24 07:47:41 2019
(==) Using config directory: "/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d"
(==) Using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
-

[socratis]

It was working fine, but something happened and it no longer starts the graphical interface when the guest is started.

1) Define "something", 2) Why do you think that this is a VirtualBox problem, and not something wrong with the guest itself?

[Steve_JJ]

1. By "something happened" I mean I am not sure. I tried to shutdown the linux guest 9using the fedora menu) and it didn't shutdown so I had to "power off" the VM using the Virtual Box menu option. I think the problem may have been caused by this, because the next time I tried to start the linux guest the graphical display was not working.

2. I don't know if it is a VBox or guest problem. Perhaps it is a guest issue because the guest definitely boots, just not into the graphical mode

[socratis]

Perhaps it is a guest issue because the guest definitely boots, just not into the graphical mode

I'm with you, I think it's a Guest issue as well, something got "corrupted" when the shutdown wasn't done properly. Something must went berserk in the guest's setup. I would approach it from that angle, i.e. trying the Fedora forums.

I have attached the VBox log file.

BTW, you know that you never actually attached the VBox.log?

If you want to attach it, just to make 100% sure that it's not a VirtualBox issue, please ZIP it first...

[federicop]

I have the same problem with Centos 7.6.
The guest OS starts but after the initial boot and splash screen I get only a black screen. Few times it starts just fine.
I didn't figure out what is the problem but if I login to the terminal (CTRL+Fx where x is a number) and reboot the guest OS, then the login screen is displayed without problems.

Did you try to reboot the machine from the command line ?

[Steve_JJ]

Apologies for not correctly attaching the Virtual box log file. It is now attached.

The problem might have something to do with the vboxvideo module. I have attached the Xorg.log.1 file which contains an error about this module failing to load.

There is a post that indicates this module is needed, however this post indicates that module is no longer needed.

My system does seem to have at least some of the vboxvideo files:

Code: Select all

> locate vboxvideo
/usr/lib/modules/5.0.9-301.fc30.x86_64/kernel/drivers/staging/vboxvideo
/usr/lib/modules/5.0.9-301.fc30.x86_64/kernel/drivers/staging/vboxvideo/vboxvideo.ko.xz
/usr/lib/modules/5.2.15-200.fc30.x86_64/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/vboxvideo
/usr/lib/modules/5.2.15-200.fc30.x86_64/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/vboxvideo/vboxvideo.ko.xz
/usr/lib/modules/5.2.9-200.fc30.x86_64/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/vboxvideo
/usr/lib/modules/5.2.9-200.fc30.x86_64/kernel/drivers/gpu/drm/vboxvideo/vboxvideo.ko.xz

I have tried to reboot in console mode, but it didn't help.

[socratis]

00:00:02.050982 VMSVGA3dEnabled    <integer> = 0x0000000000000000 (0)
00:00:02.050982 VMSVGAEnabled      <integer> = 0x0000000000000000 (0)
00:00:02.050983 VRamSize           <integer> = 0x0000000001100000 (17 825 792, 17 MB)

Shut down the VM. Go to the VM Settings » Display » Screen. Change the Graphics controller from "VBoxSVGA" to "VMSVGA". Enable 3D acceleration. Increase the VRAM to the max 256 MB.

[Steve_JJ]

The GUI now seems to work correctly. The steps were:

1. Setting the display to VBoxSVGA (I tried VMSVGA - this started the GUI but it only used a small part of the window)
2. Increased VRAM to 128 MB (maximum amount)
3. Enabled 3D acceleration

[socratis]

Setting the display to VBoxSVGA (I tried VMSVGA - this started the GUI but it only used a small part of the window)

Please switch to VMSVGA, the VBoxSVGA is for Windows guests ≥ Win7. Then login and change the resolution from within the guest's Display Settings, not from the host.

I'll wait for confirmation before marking this as [Solved] because right now we're at the [Workaround] status...