Virtualbox crashes when selecting another window.

[osxcatalina]

After upgrading to macOS Catalina I've had a major problem with virtual box.

I can start and run a virtual machine just fine, however the moment I click on a different window like Safari or check my email while a piece of software is loading in the VM, the VM will immediately crash and my virtual machine log shows the VM with the aborted state. Even going to the preferences window will cause the VM to crash as it is no longer the main focused window.

I have tried to look at the logs, but logs 0-3 all show from mid/late May.

I am running Version 6.0.8 r130520 (Qt5.6.3) on 10.15 Beta (19A471t).

[socratis]

while a piece of software is loading in the VM

What does that mean exactly? If you want a report to have "gravitas", you need to provide a step-by-step reproducible scenario. As in:

1. Launch VirtualBox with VM so-and-so.
2. When the VM boots up, do XYZ.
3. Switch to another application (any?) like Safari, or Mail, or TextEdit, or Finder.
4. Observe the VM getting aborted.

I have tried to look at the logs, but logs 0-3 all show from mid/late May.

Are you sure that you don't get any recent logs? Something doesn't sound right here...

Did you install VirtualBox again after you installed/upgraded your host to 10.15? Did you upgrade or did you do a clean install?

[osxcatalina]

Doh! I totally misread the log. I read VirtualBox VM 6.0.8 r130520 darwin.amd64 (May 13 2019 15:40:24) thinking the log was from May 13th.

Steps to fully reproduce the error are.
1) Launch a virtual machine (mine was windows 10)
2) When the VM is starting up or after it has started up switch to any other window (Finder, safari, mail, even the preferences)
3) observe the vm window close and the virtual machine manager will change state to aborted.

I've installed Catalina as an upgrade to 10.14. I encountered this error, fully deleted all traces of virtual box and restarted, reinstalled virtual box completely and encountered the issue again.

The log was too big to fit in here and it wouldn't let me post a link to it on pastebin.

[andyp73]

The log was too big to fit in here

Zip the log file before attaching it here.

-Andy.

[osxcatalina]

Thanks Andy,

I've attached a zipped version of the log.

[mpack]

00:00:09.579172 VMMDev: Guest Additions information report: Version 5.2.97 r123216 '5.2.97'

That's a test version of the GAs. You should have replaced those at the first opportunity. You certainly shouldn't still be using them in 6.0.8.

[osxcatalina]

Thanks,

I was actually trying to update the GA when I first encountered the bug as I was running on an older version of Virtualbox when I first installed Catalina.

I did update the GA to 6.0.8 and the issue still occurred.

Steps:
Installed the updated GA.
Rebooted VM
Started VM
Clicked on a safari window and saw Virtualbox automatically disappear/close.

Edit: I do have a good and interesting update. If I run it in headless mode, then click the show button in the Virtualbox manager I am able to get the VM up and running. It is slow, but works. Detachable mode also works, slower than headless mode but works. It appears that this issue only occurs in normal mode. Trying to install 6.0.9 resulted in an error at the end of installation, trying to install 6.0.97 resulted in a not signed error as all Mac apps must be signed now.

[DnvrSysEngr]

I too experienced the same issue. Running macOS Mojave (10.14.x) with Windows10 running in VBox 6.0.97 and all was well. Upgraded to macOS Catalina (10.15) and was unable to start vBox 6.0.97 in "Normal Mode" without having it either crash immediately or crash with the slightest movement of my mouse. Tried everything imaginable to no avail. Found this post that mentioned starting in either "Headless Mode" or "Detachable Mode," and voila, I am now back in.

-S

[CoyoteDen]

Oddly enough this particular bug seems to have gone away. I can run a VM fullscreen, normal start, hw acceleration on and switch windows without crashing.

I haven't updated VirtualBox or macOS...

[amsainfor]

I have the same problem, I try uninstall and install vbox and exte, if I start machine (linux or Windows) and click on another windows machine stop to abort state.

Version installed: 6.0.8 r130520 with extension pack.

Thank you.

[socratis]

Just a reminder... If you want to use the latest version for your host/guests, you should also consider doing the same for VirtualBox; try the latest test builds.

Catalina (10.15) came out way after 6.0.8 came out, so don't expect 6.0.8 to have addressed any issues that 10.15 brought with it...

[amsainfor]

Thanks for your reply, I've tried "development snapshots" without success, when I select another window vm crash, however, if vm are started in Headless or Detachable modes this issue not occurs. Maybe input permissions.

macOS version: Catalina 10.15 beta 3 (19A501i)
Virtualbox verson: 6.0.97. r131601

====

[osxcatalina]

you should also consider doing the same for VirtualBox; try the latest test builds.

I actually tried the test builds first. They were not signed and would not install. The general release ones were signed and able to be installed after I deleted Virtualbox and re-installed as trying to update to a test build ended up breaking virtual box.

[amsainfor]

Issue is resolved if you disable on "System Preferences" -> "privacy" > "input Monitoring" and UNCHECK Virtualbox if checked, please see screenshot attached.

macOS version: Catalina 10.15 beta 3 (19A501i)
Virtualbox verson: 6.0.97. r131601

====

[DavGerm4]

I too am having this issue with virtualbox. Tried developer builds, but they wouldn't install, so on releases 6.0.4 and 6.0.8 for me, if I click outside of the VirtualBox window while it's loading a VM, it closes the VM completely. Also my "Input Monitoring" doesn't have anything in there shown. So doesn't really fix it for me.