[Solved] Guru Mediation Error When Trying to Load Linux Live CDs

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Windows hosts.
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greysondn
Posts: 4
Joined: 17. Sep 2018, 20:44

[Solved] Guru Mediation Error When Trying to Load Linux Live CDs

Post by greysondn »

I'm not realy sure what else to offer. I keep trying to boot linux live CDs and it keeps giving me mediation errors. Most recent - and probably the one in the logs - is the Ubuntu Bionic minimal install disc.

Host data (via HWiNFO64)
Computer:      TOSHIBA Satellite L755
CPU:           Intel Pentium B940 (Sandy Bridge-MB SV, Q0/D2)
               2000 MHz (20.00x100.0) @ 1995 MHz (20.00x99.8)
Motherboard:   Intel Base Board Product Name
BIOS:          1.90, 05/17/2011
Chipset:       Intel HM65 (Cougar Point) [B3]
Memory:        4096 MBytes @ 665 MHz, 9-9-9-24
               - 2048 MB PC10600 DDR3 SDRAM - Samsung M471B5773DH0-CH9
               - 2048 MB PC10600 DDR3 SDRAM - Samsung M471B5773DH0-CH9
Graphics:      Intel Sandy Bridge-MB GT1 - Integrated Graphics Controller [D2/J1/Q0] [Toshiba AIS]
               Intel HD Graphics 2000, 1841080 KB 
Drive:         WDC WD5000BEVT-35A0RT0, 488.4 GB, Serial ATA 3Gb/s
Drive:         Slimtype BD  E  DS4E1S, BD-ROM
Sound:         Intel Cougar Point PCH - High Definition Audio Controller [B2]
Network:       RealTek Semiconductor RTL8188CE Wireless LAN 802.11n PCI-E Network Adapter
Network:       Qualcomm/Atheros AR8152 PCI-E Fast Ethernet Controller
OS:            Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium (x64) Build 7601
Virtualbox About Menu Data
VirtualBox Graphical User Interface
Version 5.2.18 r124319 (Qt5.6.2)

Log File and snapshot
Attached. Snapshot unlikely to be useful as it was just a blank screen, but what can one do, really? There was a hardening log file in the folder and I'm attaching it; I don't recall asking it to harden it but I don't know if it tries to do it automatically or not. If there's anything else I can provide to be helpful, please don't hesitate to let me know.
 Edit: This is now marked solved. In a post below you should find the solution.
Bottom Line
If you're wanting to virtualize ubuntu under Windows and you don't have VT-x available on your machine, consider the 32-bit version of Ubuntu 16.04 using the GA kernel via VBox 5.0.40
 
Attachments
Screenshot taken by Guru Mediation
Screenshot taken by Guru Mediation
VBox.png (1.46 KiB) Viewed 975 times
VBoxHardening.zip
Hardening log file in a zip (?)
(25.04 KiB) Downloaded 5 times
VBox.log.zip
Ordinary log files in a zip
(121 KiB) Downloaded 7 times
Last edited by greysondn on 18. Sep 2018, 04:16, edited 1 time in total.
andyp73
Volunteer
Posts: 1631
Joined: 25. May 2010, 23:48
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Assorted Linux, Windows Server 2012, DOS, Windows 10, BIOS/UEFI emulation

Re: Guru Mediation Error When Trying to Load Linux Live CDs

Post by andyp73 »

VBox.log wrote:
00:00:01.825475 HM: HMR3Init: Falling back to raw-mode: VT-x is not available
Without VT-x support available you won't get too far with the latest versions of VirtualBox as they and the guest operating systems make heavy use of it. Unfortunately, your Intel Pentium B940 CPU doesn't support VT-x. Your best bet is going to be to work backwards through the 5.1.x, 5.0.x and 4.3.x versions to see if you can find one that works.

-Andy.
My crystal ball is currently broken. If you want assistance you are going to have to give me all of the necessary information.
Please don't ask me to do your homework for you, I have more than enough of my own things to do.
greysondn
Posts: 4
Joined: 17. Sep 2018, 20:44

Re: Guru Mediation Error When Trying to Load Linux Live CDs

Post by greysondn »

Using Ubuntu Bionic and loading to install as it was already in a config for me...

Version 5.1.38
Failure, Guru Mediation

Code: Select all

00:00:05.342453 HM: HMR3Init: Falling back to raw-mode: VT-x is not available
Version 5.0.40
Failure, Guru Mediation

Code: Select all

00:00:04.427225 HM: HMR3Init: Falling back to raw-mode: VT-x is not available
Version 4.3.40
Failure, Guru Mediation

Code: Select all

00:00:06.523407 HMR3Init: Falling back to raw-mode: VT-x is not available.
Do you think perhaps the guest is more to blame or should I keep going backwards in time?
 Edit: Downloading Ubuntu 10.04 "Lucid Lynix" x86 Alternate install disc to see if that might work. Specifically this one because I've loaded it before on far, far worse machines, virtualized and not virtualized. 
andyp73
Volunteer
Posts: 1631
Joined: 25. May 2010, 23:48
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Assorted Linux, Windows Server 2012, DOS, Windows 10, BIOS/UEFI emulation

Re: Guru Mediation Error When Trying to Load Linux Live CDs

Post by andyp73 »

Shutdown the guest then try running the following in a command prompt:
VBoxManage modifyvm <vm_name> --hwvirtex off
Then start the guest up and try the install again.

-Andy.
My crystal ball is currently broken. If you want assistance you are going to have to give me all of the necessary information.
Please don't ask me to do your homework for you, I have more than enough of my own things to do.
greysondn
Posts: 4
Joined: 17. Sep 2018, 20:44

Re: Guru Mediation Error When Trying to Load Linux Live CDs

Post by greysondn »

Code: Select all

'VBoxManage' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.
Also, Lucid Lynx did load willingly without complaint. In 4.3.x. I'm going to try loading most recent Virtualbox and see if if suddenly decides working isn't for it.

------------

Update: VBoxManage exists in C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox ; could just cd into it from terminal, run it in terminal by giving the full path, or add path to the PATH variable.

I got this ;)

------------


VT isn't in the "new" log file but it still threw Guru Mediation with Bionic as the boot. From VBox 4.3.x - See attached
Attachments
VBox.zip
(47.13 KiB) Downloaded 5 times
socratis
Site Moderator
Posts: 27330
Joined: 22. Oct 2010, 11:03
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Win(*>98), Linux*, OSX>10.5
Location: Greece

Re: Guru Mediation Error When Trying to Load Linux Live CDs

Post by socratis »

Bionic *will* require VT-x. Try Ubuntu 8.04 instead. Or something even older.
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.
greysondn
Posts: 4
Joined: 17. Sep 2018, 20:44

Re: Guru Mediation Error When Trying to Load Linux Live CDs

Post by greysondn »

So we're at the point of "Don't run Bionic", a tool, and some basic proof I'm not crazy.

It'd be nice to get the linux kernel version responsible for the problem so a general warning could be issued on it, as this was applicable across multiple Linux distros and this is the most likely culprit. (And I do mean Tiny Core, AntiX, and PuppyLinux all had problems of their own. Not even the same family.)

Just a verification, if you needed it, that even with VT-x turned off Bionic won't load. I'll update the first post with some basic data for people who get here via google and then be marking it as solved.

Narrowing down the last version of virtualbox, using Lucid 10.04.04 alternate install ISO booting into "Install" as the test disc

Virtualbox 4.3.40 - works just fine
Virtualbox 5.0.40 - works just fine
Virtualbox 5.1.38 - Won't work, Guru Mediation Errors
Virtualbox 5.2.18 - Won't work, Guru Mediation Errors

So it looks like the most recent version of Virtualbox that will work on this machine will end up being 5.0.40.

Ubuntu is slightly harder, bisection seems best. I'm not going to test every single version of Ubuntu. Ain't nobody got bandwidth for that. But every install CD was tested in VBox 5.0.40

10.04.4 "Lucid Lynx" Alternate Install CD - Works
14.04 "Trusty Tahr" 4.4 HWE "Xenial" Kernel Netinstall CD - Works
16.04 "Xenial Xerus" 4.4 GA Kernel Netinstall CD - Works
16.04 "Xenial Xerus" HWE Kernel Netinstall CD - Won' Work, Guru Mediation errors
18.04.1 "Bionic Beaver" Minimal Install CD - Won't Work, Guru Mediation errors

Bottom Line
If you're wanting to virtualize ubuntu under Windows and you don't have VT-x available on your machine, consider the 32-bit version of Ubuntu 16.04 using the GA kernel via VBox 5.0.40

All the rest
socratis wrote:Bionic *will* require VT-x.
Pretty well established, no harm done
socratis wrote:Try Ubuntu 8.04 instead. Or something even older.
That is an appalling error for a moderator and someone who clearly has contributed so much to the community to make.

Given that I could take a version of Ubuntu that will still be updated (for maintenance updates) until at least the end of the year (and for security even longer than that), or even just a more recent version at 10.04 (which was mentioned and tested as working before your post was made), I feel like this isn't advice to give users with this problem for the best possible outcome. 8.04 is dead since mid-2013. Had you even suggested 14.04 (which EOLs soon if I'm reading the release schedule correctly) I'd have not had a single bad word to say about it.

There are going to be people who will look at your post count and status and assume you have credibility. You owe them far better.
socratis
Site Moderator
Posts: 27330
Joined: 22. Oct 2010, 11:03
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Win(*>98), Linux*, OSX>10.5
Location: Greece

Re: [Solved] Guru Mediation Error When Trying to Load Linux Live CDs

Post by socratis »

Nice detailed analysis of the situation and thank you for marking the thread as [Solved].

But...
greysondn wrote:
socratis wrote:Try Ubuntu 8.04 instead. Or something even older.
That is an appalling error for a moderator and someone who clearly has contributed so much to the community to make.
Appalling? Error? How can a suggestion be an error, and how can a suggestion be appalling? I definitely don't get it... :shock:

You do realize that this is a users' forum and we're all volunteers, right? If you want to make a matrix with what works or doesn't, I'll be glad to turn it into a FAQ, but other that that, expecting someone to know and deal with everyone's requirements/problems is honestly completely unexpected. And characterized as "appalling" on top of that...
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.
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