VNC extension

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Linux hosts.
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camvirt
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Joined: 25. Mar 2019, 01:14

VNC extension

Post by camvirt »

There is a VNC extension inserted in my Virtualbox 6.1.22. I did not install a VNC extension what i it's function?
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mpack
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Re: VNC extension

Post by mpack »

VNC is a third party extension pack for VirtualBox. You rarely see it except on third party forks of the VirtualBox open sources, e.g. the kind you get when you install from the Ubuntu repo instead of from the downloads site here. Since you have a Linux host I'm guessing that's what you did. If you want to discuss what Ubuntu repos install and why then you should ask on an Ubuntu forum.

I am led to wonder why you are again asking a question that was already asked by you in June (and answered, and the answer acknowledged): viewtopic.php?f=3&t=106274.
camvirt
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Re: VNC extension

Post by camvirt »

VNC is not installed on Ubuntu it is installed on mx-21 linux and was not initially installed but I found it installed later and I did not install it.

I have removed the VNC extension and it reappeared.

Also VNC app is used for remote access and control of a device, how is this used in a Virtualbox or where can i find inofmration on available extensions ?
mpack
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Re: VNC extension

Post by mpack »

Demonstrate to me that you have a problem with a genuine install of VirtualBox and we can discuss it further. As I already said, we do not support or discuss third party VirtualBox builds here.
scottgus1
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Re: VNC extension

Post by scottgus1 »

camvirt wrote:I found it installed later and I did not install it.

I have removed the VNC extension and it reappeared.
By reasonable deduction from above and your earlier topic:
mpack wrote:VNC is a third party extension pack for VirtualBox. You rarely see it except on third party forks of the VirtualBox open sources, e.g. the kind you get when you install from the Ubuntu repo
fth0 wrote:If you installed the VirtualBox package from the Linux distribution, yes. If you installed the VirtualBox package from Oracle, no.
You're running the Linux distro's fork of Virtualbox, instead of Official Virtualbox, and the Linux distro is putting it there. QED.

(Your last topic linked above mentioned an Ubuntu host, this topic does not mention a host OS at first. Reasonably it's still Ubuntu until further info arrives.)
camvirt wrote:how is this used in a Virtualbox
Virtualbox allows remote-in to the VM's monitor/keyboard/mouse via MS RDP protocol through the Oracle Extension Pack, or via VNC through the VNC Extension Pack. See the manual, https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch07.html#vrde and https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch09. ... erextpacks. viewforum.php?f=32 has a couple other 3rd-party Extension Packs. Only the Oracle Extension Pack is officially supported.

Since it is strongly deducible that you're using a Linux distro fork of Virtualbox, Mpack's thoughts should be carefully considered. You'd need to ask the distro how to stop the VNC EP from getting installed. Or simply ignore it: It won't get used unless you enable it for a VM and open ports for it in your host firewall.
camvirt
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Re: VNC extension

Post by camvirt »

Thank you for the information. Do you know if it is possible to install an extension through Virtualbox assuming the linux distro is configured to do so ?
scottgus1
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Re: VNC extension

Post by scottgus1 »

camvirt wrote:Do you know if it is possible to install an extension through Virtualbox assuming the linux distro is configured to do so ?
I'm afraid I don't understand the question. It is possible to install the Oracle Extension Pack on either Official or Linux Distro Virtualbox. See https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch02. ... l-ext-pack

I'm not sure how the Linux distro configuration comes into the picture. The Linux distro will do what it is configured to do.
camvirt
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Re: VNC extension

Post by camvirt »

i removed the VNC extension and I do not know how it got reinstalled so I was wondering if through Virtualbox itself could the VNC extension be installed.
multiOS
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Re: VNC extension

Post by multiOS »

Not if you use the official release of VirtualBox as opposed to some 3rd Party compiled version that may invoke alternative installation procedures. The official version can't even auto-install the officially supported Extension Pack, as it comes under a different licence (not completely open source) to the main program.

If those that compile VirtualBox for the Debian/Ubuntu/MX Repositories etc. make a decision to build in the auto-installation of the VNC extension pack, or any other features, in to their distribution then that's entirely their decision. Some, so called, ethical Linux distributions will also remove non-open source elements from their own compiled versions of software.

EDIT: Section 9.2 Other Extension Packs of the VirtualBox User Guide describes a VNC open source extension pack that is available in the VirtualBox Source Code but is experimental, not supported and not 'configured'. It requires User intervention to configure access via a VBoxManage command; and it would presumably then show up in the installed extensions list. So it could be possible some third party builds from the VirtualBox Source Code may also enable that extension pack. See the VirtualBox Guide for further information as it may be necessary to disable the extension pack via a VBoxmanage command rather than attempting to uninstall something that is actually embedded in the Source Code.
scottgus1
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Re: VNC extension

Post by scottgus1 »

camvirt, please pick any VM you have started in the last two days. Right-click the VM in the main Virtualbox window's VM list, choose Show in Explorer/Finder/File Manager. In the "Logs" subfolder, zip the VM's "vbox.log", and post the zip file, using the forum's Upload Attachment tab.
camvirt
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Re: VNC extension

Post by camvirt »

MultiOS is there a method to compare my Virtualbox installation to an original install from oracle?
mpack
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Re: VNC extension

Post by mpack »

Why would we want to compare a genuine installation against an unsupported third party fork?

Please provide the log you have been asked for multiple times. That will confirm instantly that you are using the fork.
camvirt
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Joined: 25. Mar 2019, 01:14

Re: VNC extension

Post by camvirt »

I have submitted the logs in the following post.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=107938&p=528836#p528769
Last edited by scottgus1 on 6. Dec 2022, 15:33, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: change link to point to correct post
scottgus1
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Re: VNC extension

Post by scottgus1 »

From your linked post's log:
00:00:01.719534 VirtualBox VM 6.1.22_Debian r144080 linux.amd64 (Jul 10 2021 22:12:19) release log
'Tis the Debian distro fork of Virtualbox that you're running, laddie.
Linux distros install the VNC Extension Pack. Problem solved. 8)
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