virtualbox-ose-5.2.22_2: Debian boots fine but does not show X11 display

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on other (unsupported) hosts like FreeBSD.
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Gurucubano
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virtualbox-ose-5.2.22_2: Debian boots fine but does not show X11 display

Post by Gurucubano »

Hello,

I have a VB image 'x86_64.vdi' which contains a bootable amd64 (Debian) Linux system running, an upcoming Linux smartphone (Librem5), more information on this here: https://developer.puri.sm/Librem5/Devel ... /qemu.html

The host is a FreeBSD 12-CURRENT amd64 and I compiled VB as virtualbox-ose-5.2.22_2 (and also the kmods) from ports (as all my other ~1400 packages).

The guest boots fine and (perhaps) starts automatically some X11 application (the "phosh", the phone shell). It only shows a blinking cursor, nothing else. I can switch with Alt-F1 to a login shell and login there. It's difficult to do that because the screen jumps always after 1-2 secs back to the tty7 (perhaps the phosh is up there). Same is true for Alt-F2...F6. That's why I think on tty7 is someting running.

Why I do not have any screen picture there.

What can I do to login via network? I can't configure anything in the Debian with this jumping back after 1-2 secs. The VB manager does not offer host-only network at all, only bridged or NAT.

matthias
socratis
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Re: virtualbox-ose-5.2.22_2: Debian boots fine but does not show X11 display

Post by socratis »

We need to see a complete VBox.log, from a complete VM run, where the problem occurs:
  • Start the VM from cold-boot (not from a paused or saved state) / Observe problem / Shutdown the VM (force close it if you have to).
  • With the VM completely shut down (not paused or saved), right-click on the VM in the VirtualBox Manager and select "Show Log".
  • Save only the first "VBox.log", ZIP it and attach it to your response. See the "Upload attachment" tab below the reply form.
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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.
Gurucubano
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Re: virtualbox-ose-5.2.22_2: Debian boots fine but does not show X11 display

Post by Gurucubano »

Thanks, attached is VBox.log.gz
Attachments
VBox.log.gz
VBox.log from fresh boot to shutdown
(23.74 KiB) Downloaded 76 times
mpack
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Re: virtualbox-ose-5.2.22_2: Debian boots fine but does not show X11 display

Post by mpack »

vbox.log wrote: 00:00:01.163345 Host RAM: 1948MB total, 1245MB available
Eek.
vbox.log wrote: 00:00:01.189231 Installed Extension Packs:
00:00:01.189253 VNC (Version: 5.2.22 r126257; VRDE Module: VBoxVNC)
Say what?
vbox.log wrote: 00:00:01.507196 RamSize <integer> = 0x0000000037800000 (931 135 488, 888 MB)
For a 64bit desktop OS?
vbox.log wrote: 00:00:01.507789 VRamSize <integer> = 0x0000000001000000 (16 777 216, 16 MB)
Eeek.

Does the host OS have a GUI?
Gurucubano
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Re: virtualbox-ose-5.2.22_2: Debian boots fine but does not show X11 display

Post by Gurucubano »

What does "Eek." and "Eeek." mean? What does your question about VNC extension mean?

The hint from Purism was set RAM to 1 GB (with qemu), I will set it a bit higher. This is not a complete desktop OS, but just a phone shell.

I set RAM to 1,363 MB and VRamSize to 128 MB, and disabled VNC Extension -- no change visible (a part of the log).
mpack
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Re: virtualbox-ose-5.2.22_2: Debian boots fine but does not show X11 display

Post by mpack »

Gurucubano wrote: I set RAM to 1,363 MB and VRamSize to 128 MB
That would mean that you overcommitted RAM. This host frankly IMHO doesn't have enough resources to run two 64bit operating systems.
Gurucubano
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Re: virtualbox-ose-5.2.22_2: Debian boots fine but does not show X11 display

Post by Gurucubano »

I accept that this small netbook (Acer C720) has very limited resources, but works just fine with FreeBSD, KDE4, and tons of applications.

Re/ VB, it is possible to create and run a VM with Ubuntu-17.10 in it and run in this a DBS Sybase and application servers on top of this. Why this works and the Debian with the phosh not?

Purism mailed me how to stop the phosh (sudo systemctl stop phosh). I will try to login again and fire this up to be able to look around using tty1.
Gurucubano
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Re: virtualbox-ose-5.2.22_2: Debian boots fine but does not show X11 display

Post by Gurucubano »

I crafted on the host a special ~/.xinitrc which only starts a twm, xterm and Xorg. After managed to login on tty1 I stoped the phosh and have a stable session in the Debian to look around. A top in the guest shows 1319M total and 870M free. I can restart the phosh with

systemctl start phosh

And I'm again as after boot on tty7 a black screen with cursor) and after Alt-F1 it always jumps back after 2-3 secs to it. I don't think it's a memory problem.

What I detected while looking around: the phosh needs gnome and a wayland server. I have never used any system with wayland and also not as guest in VB. Is this supposed to work in VB?
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