Error starting guest session

[Plagrö]

Hello,

Sometimes I get the following message (see arrow):

k20221202-205038.png (5.26 KiB) Viewed 1281 times

How to reproduce:
I always use: "Save the state of the virtual machine" to end my VM session.

0. My VM was closed with "Save the state of the virtual machine"
1. I start my VM with a command in my *.sh script.
2. Sometimes the command works. But sometimes it does not work and produces the error posted in the picture. Actually I really do not know exactly when it works and when it does not. It feels like random.

3. When the command does not work and I then shut the VM down normal (Switch off), and start it new, mostly the command runs without error then.

What does this message mean?
What can I do, to prevent this message?
Do I have to start a service? Which one? And why was it terminated?
Has this something to do with "virtual Box extensions pack"?
I don't think, that run "Vboxmanage showvminfo" can help here too. Does it?


VirtualBox version: Version 6.1.30_Debian r148432

Would appreciate some help. Thank you.

[scottgus1]

This error comes from 'Vboxmanage guestcontrol'.

1. I start my VM with a command in my *.sh script.
2. Sometimes the command works.

If "the command" in step 2 is the 'Vboxmanage guestcontrol' command, this could be the same situation as your other topic viewtopic.php?f=7&t=107979&p=528668#p528668 : The VM may be busy starting, and the guestcontrol can't run yet.

Time to sample the 'showvminfo' states in a loop and catch the VM in "Running" state before guestcontrolling.

Another possibility is that the Guest Additions is slow restarting or has crashed. A full reboot of the VM resets full Guest Additions so the other end of 'guestcontrol' can hear the command and respond.

[Plagrö]

Thank you for your valuable hints. I appreciate it.

Please excuse that this post is so long.

This error comes from 'Vboxmanage guestcontrol'.

Yes, I think so. Thank you.

The VM may be busy starting, and the guestcontrol can't run yet.
[...]
Time to sample the 'showvminfo' states in a loop and catch the VM in "Running" state before guestcontrolling.

No. According to "VBoxManage showvminfo "Windows8.1" " it looks like the VM is running. But I have nevertheless this error.

This is "VBoxManage showvminfo "Windows8.1", when I get the 'Vboxmanage guestcontrol error':

Code: Select all

$ VBoxManage showvminfo "Windows8.1"
Name:                        Windows8.1
Groups:                      /
Guest OS:                    Windows 8.1 (32-bit)
UUID:                        ae5eb413-67ca-48ad-97e1-71365b57114e
Config file:                 /home/Plagrö/VirtualBox VMs/Windows8.1/Windows8.1.vbox
Snapshot folder:             /home/Plagrö/VirtualBox VMs/Windows8.1/Snapshots
Log folder:                  /home/Plagrö/VirtualBox VMs/Windows8.1/Logs
Hardware UUID:               ae5eb413-67ca-48ad-97e1-71365b57114e
Memory size:                 2048MB
Page Fusion:                 disabled
VRAM size:                   128MB
CPU exec cap:                100%
HPET:                        disabled
CPUProfile:                  host
Chipset:                     piix3
Firmware:                    BIOS
Number of CPUs:              2
PAE:                         enabled
Long Mode:                   disabled
Triple Fault Reset:          disabled
APIC:                        enabled
X2APIC:                      disabled
Nested VT-x/AMD-V:           disabled
CPUID Portability Level:     0
CPUID overrides:             None
Boot menu mode:              message and menu
Boot Device 1:               Floppy
Boot Device 2:               DVD
Boot Device 3:               HardDisk
Boot Device 4:               Not Assigned
ACPI:                        enabled
IOAPIC:                      enabled
BIOS APIC mode:              APIC
Time offset:                 0ms
RTC:                         local time
Hardware Virtualization:     enabled
Nested Paging:               enabled
Large Pages:                 disabled
VT-x VPID:                   enabled
VT-x Unrestricted Exec.:     enabled
Paravirt. Provider:          Default
Effective Paravirt. Prov.:   HyperV
State:                       running (since 2022-12-03T09:48:21.957000000)
Graphics Controller:         VBoxSVGA
Monitor count:               1
3D Acceleration:             disabled
2D Video Acceleration:       disabled
Teleporter Enabled:          disabled
Teleporter Port:             0
Teleporter Address:          
Teleporter Password:         
Tracing Enabled:             disabled
Allow Tracing to Access VM:  disabled
Tracing Configuration:       
Autostart Enabled:           disabled
Autostart Delay:             0
Default Frontend:            
VM process priority:         default
Storage Controller Name (0):            SATA
Storage Controller Type (0):            IntelAhci
Storage Controller Instance Number (0): 0
Storage Controller Max Port Count (0):  30
Storage Controller Port Count (0):      3
Storage Controller Bootable (0):        on
SATA (0, 0): /home/Plagrö/VirtualBox VMs/Windows8.1/Snapshots/{da7725c3-9b45-48e7-b5a6-fa47117a5d9f}.vdi (UUID: da7725c3-9b45-48e7-b5a6-fa47117a5d9f)
SATA (1, 0): Empty
SATA (2, 0): Empty
NIC 1:                       disabled
NIC 2:                       MAC: 08002771B1CF, Attachment: Host-only Interface 'vboxnet0', Cable connected: on, Trace: off (file: none), Type: 82540EM, Reported speed: 0 Mbps, Boot priority: 0, Promisc Policy: deny, Bandwidth group: none
NIC 3:                       disabled
NIC 4:                       disabled
NIC 5:                       disabled
NIC 6:                       disabled
NIC 7:                       disabled
NIC 8:                       disabled
Pointing Device:             USB Tablet
Keyboard Device:             PS/2 Keyboard
UART 1:                      disabled
UART 2:                      disabled
UART 3:                      disabled
UART 4:                      disabled
LPT 1:                       disabled
LPT 2:                       disabled
Audio:                       enabled (Driver: PulseAudio, Controller: HDA, Codec: STAC9221)
Audio playback:              enabled
Audio capture:               disabled
Clipboard Mode:              Bidirectional
Drag and drop Mode:          disabled
Session name:                GUI/Qt
Video mode:                  1884x1080x32 at 0,0 blank
VRDE:                        disabled
OHCI USB:                    disabled
EHCI USB:                    disabled
xHCI USB:                    enabled

USB Device Filters:

Index:                       0
Active:                      yes
Name:                        HP ENVY 5540 series [0100]
VendorId:                    03f0
ProductId:                   ce11
Revision:                    0100
Manufacturer:                HP
Product:                     ENVY 5540 series
Remote:                      0
Serial Number:               TH58Q1N1SQ0671

Available remote USB devices:

<none>

Currently Attached USB Devices:

<none>

Bandwidth groups:  <none>

Shared folders:

Name: 'AnyText', Host path: '/home/Plagrö/AnyText' (machine mapping), writable, auto-mount, mount-point: 'L:'
Name: 'Any2', Host path: '/home/Plagrö/Any2' (machine mapping), writable, auto-mount, mount-point: 'N:'
Name: 'tmp', Host path: '/tmp' (machine mapping), readonly, auto-mount, mount-point: 'H:'
Name: 'Any3', Host path: '/media/Plagrö/Any3' (machine mapping), writable, auto-mount, mount-point: 'G:'
Name: 'Any4', Host path: '/media/Plagrö/Daten_Toshiba/Any4' (machine mapping), writable, auto-mount, mount-point: 'T:'
Name: 'Any5', Host path: '/home/Plagrö/Any5' (machine mapping), writable, auto-mount, mount-point: 'F:'

VRDE Connection:             not active
Clients so far:              0

Capturing:                   not active
Capture audio:               not active
Capture screens:             0
Capture file:                /home/Plagrö/VirtualBox VMs/Windows8.1/Windows8.1.webm
Capture dimensions:          1024x768
Capture rate:                512kbps
Capture FPS:                 25kbps
Capture options:             

Guest:

Configured memory balloon size: 0MB
OS type:                     Windows81
Additions run level:         3
Additions version:           6.1.30 r148432

Guest Facilities:

Facility "VirtualBox Base Driver": active/running (last update: 2022/12/03 09:32:33 UTC)
Facility "VirtualBox System Service": active/running (last update: 2022/12/03 09:32:35 UTC)
Facility "VirtualBox Desktop Integration": active/running (last update: 2022/12/03 09:32:51 UTC)
Facility "Seamless Mode": active/running (last update: 2022/12/03 09:48:21 UTC)
Facility "Graphics Mode": active/running (last update: 2022/12/03 09:48:21 UTC)

Snapshots:

   Name: vor Veränderung von Aufgabenplaner (UUID: 739696ea-8f5e-4214-9196-68afc9db7c05) *
   Description:
"Disable-ScheduledTask -TaskName \"" + @"\Microsoft\Windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\KernelCeipTask"
"Disable-ScheduledTask -TaskName \"" + @"\Microsoft\Windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\UsbCeip"
"Disable-ScheduledTask -TaskName \"" + @"\Microsoft\Windows\Power Efficiency Diagnostics\AnalyzeSystem"
"Disable-ScheduledTask -TaskName \"" + @"\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\FamilySafetyMonitor"
"Disable-ScheduledTask -TaskName \"" + @"\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\FamilySafetyRefresh"
"Disable-ScheduledTask -TaskName \"" + @"\Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\AitAgent"
"Disable-ScheduledTask -TaskName \"" + @"\Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\ProgramDataUpdater"
"Disable-ScheduledTask -TaskName \"" + @"\Microsoft\Windows\Application Experience\StartupAppTask"
"Disable-ScheduledTask -TaskName \"" + @"\Microsoft\Windows\Autochk\Proxy"
"Disable-ScheduledTask -TaskName \"" + @"\Microsoft\Windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\BthSQM"
"Disable-ScheduledTask -TaskName \"" + @"\Microsoft\Windows\Customer Experience Improvement Program\Consolidator"

http://anleitung.trojaner-board.de/destroy-windows-10-spying

Question 1: I have compared my 'Vboxmanage guestcontrol' output, when all works as expected with the 'Vboxmanage guestcontrol' output when I get the 'Vboxmanage guestcontrol error'. The only difference is the line ...

Code: Select all

Video mode:                  1884x1080x32 at 0,0 blank  ('Vboxmanage guestcontrol' does not work) 

Code: Select all

Video mode:                  1884x1080x32 at 0,0 enabled ('Vboxmanage guestcontrol' works) 

Can it be that this is the culprit?

Another possibility is that the Guest Additions is slow restarting

No. I have tested this. When I wait 15min, it does not solve the issue.

Another possibility is that the Guest Additions has crashed.

Question 2: How can I find out, if the "Guest Additions" have crashed?
Here is a try: When I have a look into my windows guest I can find that the following processes are running:

k20221203-111234.png (15.92 KiB) Viewed 1210 times

k20221203-111228.png (17.79 KiB) Viewed 1210 times

Another possibility is that the Guest Additions has crashed.

Question 3: How can I restart them?



----------

More new Info:

In my first post I have written, that this happens randomly.
Now I guess I have found a rule:

How to reproduce:
0. I boot my VM from scratch.
1. I apply the command 'Vboxmanage guestcontrol' via *.sh script.
2. The command 'Vboxmanage guestcontrol' works as expected.
3. I close my VM with "Save the state of the virtual machine"
4. I bring my Linux host into sleep mode
5. I wake my Linux host up
6. I start my VM via *.sh script
7. The command 'Vboxmanage guestcontrol' does not work. -> Error starting guest session

(It's funny, that I do not get the issue, if I use the sleep-mode when my VM is open/running. It only occurs, if I use "Save the state of the virtual machine", before I apply sleep mode.)

(?)

[scottgus1]

According to "VBoxManage showvminfo "Windows8.1" " it looks like the VM is running. But I have nevertheless this error.
...
This is "VBoxManage showvminfo "Windows8.1", when I get the 'Vboxmanage guestcontrol error':
State: running

OK, so it appears that something else besides VM state is the problem.
FWIW There is a "Restoring" mode registered while the saved-state VM is restoring. This state appears in showvminfo:

Saved > Restoring > Running

Guest control probably cannot run while the VM is restoring. This may be something to test for in your script, though not necessarily the problem you're having now.

*****************

The only difference is the line ...
Video mode:                  1884x1080x32 at 0,0 blank  ('Vboxmanage guestcontrol' does not work)
Video mode:                  1884x1080x32 at 0,0 enabled ('Vboxmanage guestcontrol' works)

I'm not certain why this would indicate a state where guestcontrol may work or not. Guest Additions does require a GUI in the VM to work; perhaps the GUI is not up yet?

How can I find out, if the "Guest Additions" have crashed?
....
How can I restart them?

I'm not sure. I'd check for all processes "Vbox*" when everything is working then see what's missing when guestcontrol errors out. There ought to be some startup key in the VM OS's services that launch Guest Additions. Maybe find that and start it again. In an XP VM with Guest Additions, %systemroot%\system32\Vboxtray.exe is the startup exe. VboxService is registered as a service. I could kill both in the task manager then the Guest Additions stopped working. Double clicking Vboxtray.exe and restarting the VboxService service got the GAs going again. I'm not certain how stable they'll be, though.