Virtualbox automatically updates and reboots the host

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Windows hosts.
Peaky92
Posts: 7
Joined: 12. Feb 2019, 13:56

Re: Virtualbox automatically updates and reboots the host

Post by Peaky92 »

We actually came to this conclusion the first time this occurred.

Our company is provided laptops by an external IT company and they have software for remote access capabilities. I was only aware this was for remote support but never thought they could push for updates like this.

When we contacted them about it the first time it occurred they were very confident (like yourselves) that it was nothing to do with them or their software.

I've sent them off another email so I'll see what they come back to me with and keep you updated.

Thanks for the response.
mpack
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Re: Virtualbox automatically updates and reboots the host

Post by mpack »

If the IT company is anything like the ones we use at my work, then they're aware of every piece of software on your PC and whether you have a license or not. Updates will occasionally be pushed if it claims to be a security update, but I guess they could push anything if it's on a list of things to do. Just like us they could hardly do it without knowing though.
Peaky92
Posts: 7
Joined: 12. Feb 2019, 13:56

Re: Virtualbox automatically updates and reboots the host

Post by Peaky92 »

Update from IT Company:

So they do perform a weekly update on third party software, including VirtualBox, but are also very confident that it does not perform a reboot after. They provided screenshots on the post update options, were "Suppress the Reboot" was selected and assured me this doesn't allow a computer reboot.

They also mentioned JRE 8 (Java) was updated at the same time as virtualbox and came to their conclusion that it must be Oracle software related causing this.

I'm aware that virtualbox does not need to reboot after an update (does this apply to Java too?) but is it possible that there's a trigger, like an auto update from a third party application, which could force a reboot by virtualbox or java?
socratis
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Re: Virtualbox automatically updates and reboots the host

Post by socratis »

Peaky92 wrote:is it possible that there's a trigger, like an auto update from a third party application
How about asking the IT company? They're the ones that are supposed to keep a tab on what you have installed. *I* most certainly cannot know what software you have installed on *your* computer.
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Martin
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Re: Virtualbox automatically updates and reboots the host

Post by Martin »

The Windows system log should have a line showing the "initiator" of the reboot.
mpack
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Re: Virtualbox automatically updates and reboots the host

Post by mpack »

Peaky92 wrote: So they do perform a weekly update on third party software, including VirtualBox, but are also very confident that it does not perform a reboot after.
We seem to have gone from the IT company saying "definitely not us" to "ok, some of it was us". The final piece has a very easily guessable cause: more than one software package was updated, so something else required the reboot.

In any case we now seem to be way beyond the accusation that VirtualBox was updating itself behind your back.
Peaky92
Posts: 7
Joined: 12. Feb 2019, 13:56

Re: Virtualbox automatically updates and reboots the host

Post by Peaky92 »

Martin, thanks for pointing me there, came across this in the windows log files:
"The Windows Installer initiated a system restart to complete or continue the configuration of 'Oracle VM VirtualBox 6.0.4'."
So should windows installer have prompted me that it was rebooting or is that something VirtualBox should have done? If so for either scenario, is there a way of correcting this?

I'll also pass this on to the IT company to see why their "Suppress the Reboot" option in this scenario didn't work.
How about asking the IT company?
Well I did! They said either VirtualBox or Java seemed to be the cause of what triggered the reboot. I was asking whether there's a trigger within VirtualBox which could initiate a reboot as a result of being updated by third party. The IT company's software aside, other software installed is irrelevant as nothing else updated which couldn't have caused a reboot.
socratis
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Re: Virtualbox automatically updates and reboots the host

Post by socratis »

Peaky92 wrote:So should windows installer have prompted me that it was rebooting or is that something VirtualBox should have done? If so for either scenario, is there a way of correcting this?
Maybe I didn't stress this enough last time, let me see if I can get this across better this time...

VirtualBox upgrades do NOT require a reboot.

I don't know what they're telling you, but they're wrong. I've done upgrades/downgrades thousands of times over the last 9 years. Not a single time did I have to reboot.

This issue was discussed on IRC with the developers. As a key developer put it:
socratis : I change at least 4 VirtualBox versions daily. At least. If there was a
           reboot, my productivity would lim->0.
socratis : If there's a policy in place that forces VirtualBox updates, that's one
           thing. If that policy involves a reboot, just to make sure that everything is
           peachy, that's another. But VirtualBox itself doesn't.
socratis : If it were, that would be the day that I'd stop changing versions.
Developer: driver install can always end up needing a reboot. normally it doesn't.
Developer: if vbox installs would need a reboot then our automated tests would be
           benchmarking the reboot time instead of doing something useful. our testboxes do
           loads of vbox installs per day, and if any of them requires a reboot it's
           considered a test failure (unfortunately usually a sticky one, as the next install
           will also fail in the same way). after a
Developer: while we're rebooting such boxes, but that happens every few months.
So, only if there's a policy in place by the one doing the update that the computer needs to reboot, just to be safe, then and only then a VirtualBox update would cause your computer to reboot; the policy, not VirtualBox.

BTW, FYI, Java doesn't require a reboot either. The only thing that Jave requires after an update, is the same that Flash and/or Silverlight (or any other plugin) require; a browser restart. And if you're using a Java app, an app restart.
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Peaky92
Posts: 7
Joined: 12. Feb 2019, 13:56

Re: Virtualbox automatically updates and reboots the host

Post by Peaky92 »

But you're contradicting yourself, first you say...
VirtualBox upgrades do NOT require a reboot.
Then the developer says...
Developer: driver install can always end up needing a reboot. normally it doesn't.
VirtualBox doesn't require an update, I know, but it is possible if a driver install is done.

In my case, taken from the windows log files:
"A service was installed in the system.

Service Name: VirtualBox Service
Service File Name: \SystemRoot\system32\DRIVERS\VBoxDrv.sys
Service Type: kernel mode driver
Service Start Type: system start
Service Account: "

So a virtualbox driver install did occur before the reboot initiation:
"The process msiexec.exe has initiated the restart of computer P420060 on behalf of user NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM for the following reason: No title for this reason could be found
Reason Code: 0x80030002
Shut-down Type: restart
Comment: The Windows Installer initiated a system restart to complete or continue the configuration of 'Oracle VM VirtualBox 6.0.4'."
So, only if there's a policy in place by the one doing the update that the computer needs to reboot, just to be safe, then and only then a VirtualBox update would cause your computer to reboot; the policy, not VirtualBox.
I'll run this by the IT company, thanks.

I don't think I've ever come across a moderator so arrogant before in a forum, it's very unprofessional. Just trying to have civil discussion here. I'm simply stating the facts on what I have experienced, I haven't actually put blame on VirtualBox. I'm just trying to resolve a strange scenario in which VirtualBox is centred around. I came into this with 2 questions:
1) VirtualBox auto-updated.
SOLVED: Update policy run by the software the IT company provided.
2) Unprompted reboot (which seems linked to the update).
Possible cause a) Policy by IT company (which they strongly deny), b) VirtualBox installer (which you strongly deny) C) ?
socratis
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Re: Virtualbox automatically updates and reboots the host

Post by socratis »

You missed the part where it says that if a reboot is required that's considered a failure of the test that needs to be addressed, because reboots are not required or needed...
Peaky92 wrote:I don't think I've ever come across a moderator so arrogant before in a forum, it's very unprofessional
If trying to convince me that I'm seeing or imagining things, and you don't want to understand, it's not arrogance, it's frustration. You don't seem to want to listen. You have power users, moderators, and the developers most of all saying that there's no provision for auto-updates and/or a reboot. You insist otherwise. After we "fished out" that someone else was doing the updates!

Fine, I'm done here...
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Mark_Hobba
Posts: 2
Joined: 1. Mar 2019, 14:15

WARNING forced silent update to 6.0 restarts PC with ZERO warning!

Post by Mark_Hobba »

VirtualBox just did a silent forced update to 6.0 and then restarted my PC with absolutely no warning. I was in the middle of writing an email and the first sign of anything was Windows restarting. Hadn't even done anything in it today, it was just sitting in the background with a VM loaded but paused.

It also happened to all my teammates here that had VirtualBox open, yet I can't see anyone talking about it online yet so firstly this post is a warning. We all had version 5.2(something) before the update was forced on us.

What hacks me off the most is restarting my PC with zero permission or notice, but to add insult to injury it is now broken and none of us can start any of our VMs. Attempting to start a VM gives the error:
Error -101 in supR3HardenedWinReSpawn! (enmWhat=3)
NtCreateFile(\Device\VBoxDrvStub) failed: 0xc0000034 STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_NOT_FOUND

Does anyone know a way to block it's ability to force a restart?
socratis
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Re: WARNING forced silent update to 6.0 restarts PC with ZERO warning!

Post by socratis »

Mark_Hobba wrote:VirtualBox just did a silent forced update to 6.0 and then restarted my PC with absolutely no warning.
VirtualBox does no such thing, there's no provision in the code for "silent, forced, updates", or any updates without the user interaction. The only thing that it does, is to check for a newer version and notify you. *IF* you have that enabled. Then you have to initiate the download manually.
Mark_Hobba wrote:yet I can't see anyone talking about it online yet so firstly this post is a warning
There is an already existing thread dealing with this, with all the necessary explanations given, that's why I'm merging your post with that thread. Read it from the beginning. This next quote is more than a dead giveaway that there's something centralized doing the updates, and not VirtualBox:
Mark_Hobba wrote:It also happened to all my teammates here
Mark_Hobba wrote:Does anyone know a way to block it's ability to force a restart?
Yes. Change whoever or whatever is centrally managing your computers.
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.
Mark_Hobba
Posts: 2
Joined: 1. Mar 2019, 14:15

Re: Virtualbox automatically updates and reboots the host

Post by Mark_Hobba »

Thanks @socratis, I searched the forum here for "restarts" before posting but didn't think to search for "reboots" :(
mpack
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Re: Virtualbox automatically updates and reboots the host

Post by mpack »

I can see this is going to turn into another endlessly uninformed "me too" thread. VirtualBox is open source. If you think there's provision in the code for forced updates and reboots of the host then by all means point out in the source code where that happens. Short of that, the discussion has already played out above.
Gimlee
Posts: 1
Joined: 16. Mar 2019, 00:11

Virtualbox update without a query?

Post by Gimlee »

I've been running Virtualbox 5.2.4 for over a year. I'm fine with it. Windows 7 host.

Friday evening? It automatically updated me to 6.0.4. I went in and verified "check for updates automatically" was turned off. Uninstalled 6.0.4 and reinstalled 5.2.4.

Tonight? Same thing. It updated automatically. Am I missing something here? Am I getting pushed an update without asking for one? Can the service be blocked? Has anyone experienced this with this product before?
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