Virtualbox when opened does not report that the extension pack is outdated

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Linux hosts.
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Josemari
Posts: 10
Joined: 23. Oct 2015, 17:05

Virtualbox when opened does not report that the extension pack is outdated

Post by Josemari »

I have VirtualBox 7.0.4 installed from additional repositories on Linux MInt 21.
Before version 7.0, when I updated VirtualBox through the update manager, when I opened it, it reported that the Extension Pack was out of date, and asked if I wanted to download the new version.
Now it doesn't warn. And if I go to File > Check for updates, it warns, but if I accept to download the update, it indicates in the right panel (notification center) that there has been an error: "During certificate download: Unknown reason".
Some help?
gilesc
Posts: 16
Joined: 19. May 2011, 12:42
Primary OS: Ubuntu other
VBox Version: OSE Debian
Guest OSses: Linux, Windows

Re: Virtualbox when opened does not report that the extension pack is outdated

Post by gilesc »

I had something similar.

I manually downloaded it from the virtualbox site and ran:

sudo vboxmanage extpack install --replace <vbox-extpack filename>

Seems to have installed.
Josemari
Posts: 10
Joined: 23. Oct 2015, 17:05

Re: Virtualbox when opened does not report that the extension pack is outdated

Post by Josemari »

That's what I did too. And the guest additions also give problems.

Now, in addition to the input to insert the CD in the 'Devices' menu of the virtual machine window, there is another one that is used to update them when it detects that there is a previous version. Well, both give an error in the middle of the installation and cause the virtual machine to close and remain in an 'aborted' state. Then if it is turned on again it does not detect that the new version is installed. I had to uninstall the old version and install the new one. In my case I have Linux Mint 21 as a host and Windows 10 as a guest.

Could it be that the new version Virtualbox 7.0 is not debugged enough?. Because they seem to me moderately important failures.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Virtualbox when opened does not report that the extension pack is outdated

Post by mpack »

Josemari wrote: Could it be that the new version Virtualbox 7.0 is not debugged enough?
Certainly, that's why you are helping to debug it some more right now. One day it will become a stable release and be ready for paying customers.
okcrum
Posts: 22
Joined: 16. Sep 2022, 21:00
Primary OS: Ubuntu other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Solaris, OpenIndiana

Re: Virtualbox when opened does not report that the extension pack is outdated

Post by okcrum »

Josemari wrote:That's what I did too. And the guest additions also give problems.

Now, in addition to the input to insert the CD in the 'Devices' menu of the virtual machine window, there is another one that is used to update them when it detects that there is a previous version. Well, both give an error in the middle of the installation and cause the virtual machine to close and remain in an 'aborted' state. Then if it is turned on again it does not detect that the new version is installed. I had to uninstall the old version and install the new one. In my case I have Linux Mint 21 as a host and Windows 10 as a guest.

Could it be that the new version Virtualbox 7.0 is not debugged enough?. Because they seem to me moderately important failures.
I've found that if the version of Guest Additions that Windows reports doesn't match the one reported by hovering the mouse over the toolbar icon (as a result of a failed install), I must use Windows uninstall on that version first, then reinstall to upgraded GA version. This may apply in your case.

EDIT: You may also want to run dism/sfc on the Windows guest to make sure no bits of the system got mangled in the original GA install abort...
Josemari
Posts: 10
Joined: 23. Oct 2015, 17:05

Re: Virtualbox when opened does not report that the extension pack is outdated

Post by Josemari »

That's what I did and apparently everything was fine. I now have the latest version (7.0.4) on all three SWs (VirtualBox, Extension Pack and Guest Additions).

But on the work computer that has 3 monitors, only one of them works. In the virtual machine menu View > Virtual screen 2 and 3 the option 'Enable' appears available, but when I try to activate it nothing happens. In the end, what I have done on this computer is to downgrade everything to version 7.0.2, and everything works perfectly.
Josemari
Posts: 10
Joined: 23. Oct 2015, 17:05

Re: Virtualbox when opened does not report that the extension pack is outdated

Post by Josemari »

mpack wrote:
Josemari wrote: Could it be that the new version Virtualbox 7.0 is not debugged enough?
Certainly, that's why you are helping to debug it some more right now. One day it will become a stable release and be ready for paying customers.
I'm not sure if this is ironic or serious :wink:
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Virtualbox when opened does not report that the extension pack is outdated

Post by scottgus1 »

A little of both, I'd wager. 7.0 just came out of beta a few weeks ago. Typically it takes several even-number releases before a good all-around stable release comes. 7.0.10-ish maybe.

Meanwhile, use the 'If it ain't broke' paradigm on hosts whose VMs have to stay running.
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