VM does not start after being imported to new host

[Squark]

I have a Ubuntu VM set up on my Windows 10 Dell laptop that runs fine. I'm trying to move this VM to my Windows 11 Lenovo laptop, using VirtualBox's export and import tools. The VirtualBox on my Windows 10 laptop was on a version 6, so I updated to 7.0.8 before exporting so the versions are the same between the two computers. Trying to launch this VM after the import, I see the usual Ubuntu startup screen, followed by a black screen that ends with the following:

Screenshot of booted VM

a.png (56.17 KiB) Viewed 1846 times

I know one of the Shared Folders path is wrong, but removing them does not change anything. I'm not sure what else could be the issue. Any help? Attached is my log file.

[BillG]

The recommended way to move a vm from one host to another is to copy the entire vm folder from the Users/Username/VirtualBox VMs folder of one machine to the corresponding folder of the other, then register the vm in the new host.

Export and import are actually VMWare programs to allow moving vms between different hypervisor programs (such as VirtualBox to VMWare).

[Squark]

I actually copied the entire folder at first and got the exact same error, which is why I ended up trying the export/import options just to see if anything would change.

[scottgus1]

Aside from the shared folder error, the log shows a properly-working VM with an OS inside that's failing. Host Hyper-V is enabled, though for Linux VMs that hasn't been as much a limitation as in the past, as long as the VM had 2 processors. Yours has three in it.

Thoughts: Do you see the green turtle or the blue V in the status bar of the VM on the old host?

If the blue V is on the old host, then the new host's Hyper-V may be getting in the way. Try two processors only, then consider disabling host Hyper-V. HMR3Init: Attempting fall back to NEM (Hyper-V is active)

Alternative, since both straight folder copy and export/import reportedly resulted in the same error, the copy process should be OK. Which means the OS in the VM may find too much different on the new host (like the CPU?) and needs a repair install. Can you post a successful-run log from the old host?

[Squark]

The blue V is what shows up in the old host. Dropping the number of processors down to 2 did not seem to do anything. Neither did disabling Hyper-V, though I don't feel comfortable opening up the laptop so I didn't do the clean shutdown in step 6; the turtle icon remains when I start the VM.

Attached is the successful run log from the old host and a screenshot of its status bar.

[scottgus1]

I don't feel comfortable opening up the laptop so I didn't do the clean shutdown in step 6

Did you check to see if the laptop BIOS has a battery disable setting?

[Squark]

I don't feel comfortable opening up the laptop so I didn't do the clean shutdown in step 6

Did you check to see if the laptop BIOS has a battery disable setting?

It appears to be an option, yes, but how necessary is this step? I've confirmed Hyper-V is disabled and I've now separately also disabled Windows Security's memory integrity. Should I just turn off the computer and disable the battery before powering the computer on again? What would that change?

features.png (79.98 KiB) Viewed 1638 times

[scottgus1]

I've confirmed Hyper-V is disabled

If the green turtle is still appearing, then host Hyper-V is still enabled, and the tutorial explains why the Windows Features box is not an accurate indicator of host Hyper-V status.

If the green turtle is still there, then the complete tutorial still applies.

[Squark]

Okay, so I went through all the steps for disabling Hyper-V, but I still have the turtle icon. Below are the steps I did.

1. Turned off memory integrity in Windows Security. This prompts a restart, which I do.

2. Opened a command prompt as admininstrator and entered "bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype off". The prompt says the operation completed successfully. I also tried running "DISM /Online /Disable-Feature:Microsoft-Hyper-V" but the system did not recognize this.

3. I restart the computer so I can access the BIOS menu on startup. Nothing is plugged into the laptop now and I've switched off my Bluetooth mouse. In the power menu, I disable the battery which automatically shuts down the laptop. I wait 3 minutes for the laptop to cool before plugging in the AC adaptor and turning it on.

4. I start VirtualBox and try running the VM. I see the turtle icon in the status bar and the VM runs into the same issue originally described.

I suppose there's the possibility of DeviceGuard or CredentialGuard still being on, but I'm not sure how to check for those. Below is the core isolation menu of my Windows Security. Does it matter if the vulenerable driver blocklist setting is still on?

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Here's what the virtualization menu in my BIOS looks like, if it's useful:

bios.jpg (45.97 KiB) Viewed 1609 times

[fth0]

Neither Microsoft Vulnerable Driver Blocklist nor Memory access protection / Kernel DMA Protection should play a role IMO.

Start msinfo32 and check the System Summary page: What does it show?

[Squark]

Neither Microsoft Vulnerable Driver Blocklist nor Memory access protection / Kernel DMA Protection should play a role IMO.

Start msinfo32 and check the System Summary page: What does it show?

Here's what I have:

Code: Select all

OS Name	Microsoft Windows 11 Home
Version	10.0.22621 Build 22621
Other OS Description 	Not Available
OS Manufacturer	Microsoft Corporation
System Name	JASMINE
System Manufacturer	LENOVO
System Model	21BVCTO1WW
System Type	x64-based PC
System SKU	LENOVO_MT_21BV_BU_Think_FM_ThinkPad T16 Gen 1
Processor	12th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-1260P, 2100 Mhz, 12 Core(s), 16 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date	LENOVO N3MET12W (1.11 ), 2/9/2023
SMBIOS Version	3.4
Embedded Controller Version	1.08
BIOS Mode	UEFI
BaseBoard Manufacturer	LENOVO
BaseBoard Product	21BVCTO1WW
BaseBoard Version	SDK0T76463 WIN
Platform Role	Mobile
Secure Boot State	On
PCR7 Configuration	Elevation Required to View
Windows Directory	C:\Windows
System Directory	C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device	\Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale	United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer	Version = "10.0.22621.1413"
User Name	Jasmine\squark
Time Zone	Hawaiian Standard Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM)	16.0 GB
Total Physical Memory	15.7 GB
Available Physical Memory	8.13 GB
Total Virtual Memory	18.1 GB
Available Virtual Memory	9.16 GB
Page File Space	2.38 GB
Page File	C:\pagefile.sys
Kernel DMA Protection	On
Virtualization-based security	Running
Virtualization-based security Required Security Properties	
Virtualization-based security Available Security Properties	Base Virtualization Support, Secure Boot, DMA Protection, UEFI Code Readonly, SMM Security Mitigations 1.0, Mode Based Execution Control, APIC Virtualization
Virtualization-based security Services Configured	Secure Launch
Virtualization-based security Services Running	
Windows Defender Application Control policy	Enforced
Windows Defender Application Control user mode policy	Off
Device Encryption Support	Elevation Required to View
A hypervisor has been detected. Features required for Hyper-V will not be displayed.	

[scottgus1]

I suppose there's the possibility of DeviceGuard or CredentialGuard still being on, but I'm not sure how to check for those.

There's a link about DeviceGuard in the tutorial. And about either, don't get into tech-support-hand-hold mode, warm up the old Google-fu.

[fth0]

The msinfo32 output shows that VBS is running, but none of the usual VBS services (this is where you'd see e.g. Credential Guard). Are you sure that you're not running an application based on VBS (e.g. Windows Sandbox)? Perhaps some AV software?

If you'd export and provide a few subtrees of the Windows registry, I'd take a look at those, too:

Code: Select all

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\DeviceGuard
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CI

[Squark]

I can't imagine what applications I have that would use these services (does Windows' built-in remote desktop connection count?), and my antivirus is the Windows Defender default.

I'm not sure what you mean by exporting the registry, but do these screenshots help?

deviceguard.png (23.02 KiB) Viewed 1408 times

lsa.png (120.46 KiB) Viewed 1408 times

CI.png (17.24 KiB) Viewed 1408 times

[fth0]

I'm not sure what you mean by exporting the registry

Right-click on "DeviceGuard" in the left pane, choose export and give the export file the name "DeviceGuard.reg". This will create a small file with the whole registry subtree starting with "DeviceGuard" as its root. Do the same for "Lsa" and "CI", put the .reg files in a zip file and attach that to a post. The registry settings will give further details than the msinfo32 output you already provided.