Installing the latest VirtualBox (4.3.20) on Linux Mint 17

[chrispitude]

Hi folks,

I followed the installation instructions under "Debian-based Linux distributions" at

https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads

I used the "trusty" distribution. After running "sudo apt-get install virtualbox-4.3" I see that VirtualBox 4.3.12-93733 was installed instead of VirtualBox 4.3.20. After searching the forum, I see that I'm not the only one to encounter this.

Next I attempted to install the distribution directly from the following URL:

http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualb ... _amd64.deb

However, this fails with the following:

Code: Select all

Selecting previously unselected package virtualbox-4.3.
(Reading database ... 147596 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../virtualbox-4.3_4.3.20-96996~Ubuntu~raring_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking virtualbox-4.3 (4.3.20-96996~Ubuntu~raring) ...
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of virtualbox-4.3:
 virtualbox-4.3 depends on libcurl3 (>= 7.16.2).

dpkg: error processing package virtualbox-4.3 (--install):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
Processing triggers for ureadahead (0.100.0-16) ...
ureadahead will be reprofiled on next reboot
Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.13-1) ...
Processing triggers for shared-mime-info (1.2-0ubuntu3) ...
Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.10.1-0ubuntu2) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.22-1ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for mime-support (3.54ubuntu1) ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
 virtualbox-4.3

I searched the Internet for a resolution to this, and found http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.p ... 42102.html with the following command that completed the installation:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install -f

I'm a Debian novice so I don't understand why any of this happened, but I wanted to pass along my findings for others. This is a completely vanilla install of Linux Mint 17 Cinnamon, installed earlier this morning.

[Perryg]

Did you run apt-get update before you tried the install?

I would purge the install you have and after you verify that the sources.list has the proper settings in it then do an apt-get install.

[chrispitude]

Did you run apt-get update before you tried the install?

I would purge the install you have and after you verify that the sources.list has the proper settings in it then do an apt-get install.

I did. I reinstalled Linux Mint 17 and captured the transcript (commands executed serially; separated for clarity):

Code: Select all

narf chrispy # cat /etc/apt/sources.list
#deb cdrom:[Linux Mint 17 _Qiana_ - Release amd64 20140624]/ trusty contrib main non-free
deb http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian trusty contrib

Code: Select all

narf chrispy # sudo apt-get update
Get:1 http://download.virtualbox.org trusty InRelease [5,637 B]
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com qiana InRelease
Ign http://extra.linuxmint.com qiana InRelease
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty InRelease
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security InRelease
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates InRelease
Get:2 http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security Release.gpg [933 B]
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty Release.gpg
Ign http://archive.canonical.com trusty InRelease
Get:3 http://packages.linuxmint.com qiana Release.gpg [198 B]
Get:4 http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security Release [62.0 kB]
Get:5 http://extra.linuxmint.com qiana Release.gpg [198 B]
Get:6 http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates Release.gpg [933 B]
Get:7 http://packages.linuxmint.com qiana Release [18.6 kB]
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty Release
Get:8 http://extra.linuxmint.com qiana Release [3,144 B]
Hit http://archive.canonical.com trusty Release.gpg
Get:9 http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates Release [62.0 kB]
Get:10 http://download.virtualbox.org trusty/contrib amd64 Packages [1,326 B]
Get:11 http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/main amd64 Packages [165 kB]
Get:12 http://extra.linuxmint.com qiana/main amd64 Packages [7,906 B]
Hit http://archive.canonical.com trusty Release
Get:13 http://packages.linuxmint.com qiana/main amd64 Packages [30.4 kB]
Get:14 http://extra.linuxmint.com qiana/main i386 Packages [7,890 B]
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty/main amd64 Packages
Hit http://archive.canonical.com trusty/partner amd64 Packages
Get:15 http://download.virtualbox.org trusty/contrib i386 Packages [1,323 B]
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty/restricted amd64 Packages
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty/universe amd64 Packages
Get:16 http://packages.linuxmint.com qiana/upstream amd64 Packages [23.8 kB]
Get:17 http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/restricted amd64 Packages [14 B]
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty/multiverse amd64 Packages
Get:18 http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/universe amd64 Packages [73.0 kB]
Hit http://archive.canonical.com trusty/partner i386 Packages
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty/main i386 Packages
Get:19 http://packages.linuxmint.com qiana/import amd64 Packages [32.5 kB]
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty/restricted i386 Packages
Get:20 http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/multiverse amd64 Packages [1,144 B]
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty/universe i386 Packages
Get:21 http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/main i386 Packages [157 kB]
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty/multiverse i386 Packages
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty/main Translation-en
Get:22 http://packages.linuxmint.com qiana/main i386 Packages [29.7 kB]
Get:23 http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/restricted i386 Packages [14 B]
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty/multiverse Translation-en
Get:24 http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/universe i386 Packages [73.0 kB]
Ign http://archive.canonical.com trusty/partner Translation-en
Get:25 http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/multiverse i386 Packages [1,389 B]
Get:26 http://packages.linuxmint.com qiana/upstream i386 Packages [23.8 kB]
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/main Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty/restricted Translation-en
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/multiverse Translation-en
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/restricted Translation-en
Get:27 http://packages.linuxmint.com qiana/import i386 Packages [32.5 kB]
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty/universe Translation-en
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/universe Translation-en
Get:28 http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/main amd64 Packages [369 kB]
Ign http://download.virtualbox.org trusty/contrib Translation-en_US
Ign http://download.virtualbox.org trusty/contrib Translation-en
Ign http://extra.linuxmint.com qiana/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://extra.linuxmint.com qiana/main Translation-en
Get:29 http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/restricted amd64 Packages [5,820 B]
Get:30 http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/universe amd64 Packages [221 kB]
Get:31 http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/multiverse amd64 Packages [9,359 B]
Get:32 http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/main i386 Packages [361 kB]
Get:33 http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/restricted i386 Packages [5,820 B]
Get:34 http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/universe i386 Packages [221 kB]
Get:35 http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/multiverse i386 Packages [9,567 B]
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/main Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/multiverse Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/restricted Translation-en
Hit http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates/universe Translation-en
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty/multiverse Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty/restricted Translation-en_US
Ign http://archive.ubuntu.com trusty/universe Translation-en_US
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com qiana/import Translation-en_US
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com qiana/import Translation-en
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com qiana/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com qiana/main Translation-en
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com qiana/upstream Translation-en_US
Ign http://packages.linuxmint.com qiana/upstream Translation-en
Fetched 2,018 kB in 3s (528 kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done

Code: Select all

narf chrispy # sudo apt-get install virtualbox-4.3
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  libcurl3 libcurl3:i386
Recommended packages:
  libsdl-ttf2.0-0
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  libcurl3 virtualbox-4.3
The following packages will be upgraded:
  libcurl3:i386
1 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 443 not upgraded.
Need to get 69.6 MB of archives.
After this operation, 156 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main libcurl3 i386 7.35.0-1ubuntu2.2 [174 kB]
Get:2 http://extra.linuxmint.com/ qiana/main virtualbox-4.3 amd64 4.3.12-93733~Ubuntu~raring [69.3 MB]
Get:3 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main libcurl3 amd64 7.35.0-1ubuntu2.2 [172 kB]
Fetched 69.6 MB in 42s (1,651 kB/s)
Preconfiguring packages ...
(Reading database ... 147582 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../libcurl3_7.35.0-1ubuntu2.2_i386.deb ...
Unpacking libcurl3:i386 (7.35.0-1ubuntu2.2) over (7.35.0-1ubuntu2) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libcurl3:amd64.
Preparing to unpack .../libcurl3_7.35.0-1ubuntu2.2_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libcurl3:amd64 (7.35.0-1ubuntu2.2) ...
Selecting previously unselected package virtualbox-4.3.
Preparing to unpack .../virtualbox-4.3_4.3.12-93733~Ubuntu~raring_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking virtualbox-4.3 (4.3.12-93733~Ubuntu~raring) ...
Processing triggers for ureadahead (0.100.0-16) ...
ureadahead will be reprofiled on next reboot
Processing triggers for shared-mime-info (1.2-0ubuntu3) ...
Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.10.1-0ubuntu2) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.22-1ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for mime-support (3.54ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.13-1) ...
Setting up libcurl3:i386 (7.35.0-1ubuntu2.2) ...
Setting up libcurl3:amd64 (7.35.0-1ubuntu2.2) ...
Setting up virtualbox-4.3 (4.3.12-93733~Ubuntu~raring) ...  <----- NOTE VERSION
Adding group `vboxusers' (GID 124) ...
Done.
Stopping VirtualBox kernel modules ...done.
Uninstalling old VirtualBox DKMS kernel modules ...done.
Trying to register the VirtualBox kernel modules using DKMS ...done.
Starting VirtualBox kernel modules ...done.
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.19-0ubuntu6) ...
Processing triggers for ureadahead (0.100.0-16) ...

[Perryg]

I don't use the VBox repo a lot but when I tested it all I placed in the command was VirtualBox and no version number. IIRC the version number actually would confuse the distro version and the one from VirtualBox since both contain the same program name with one being a VBox fork.

Example: sudo apt-get install VirtualBox

[chrispitude]

Installing "VirtualBox" (wasn't sure if this was case sensitive - is it?) results in an even older version (4.3.10-dfsg-1) being installed:

Code: Select all

narf chrispy # sudo apt-get install VirtualBox
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
  libcurl3 libcurl3:i386 libgsoap4 libvncserver0
Suggested packages:
  libvncserver0-dbg virtualbox-guest-additions-iso vde2
Recommended packages:
  virtualbox-dkms virtualbox-source virtualbox-qt
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  libcurl3 libgsoap4 libvncserver0 virtualbox
The following packages will be upgraded:
  libcurl3:i386
1 upgraded, 4 newly installed, 0 to remove and 443 not upgraded.
Need to get 16.6 MB of archives.
After this operation, 60.8 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main libcurl3 i386 7.35.0-1ubuntu2.2 [174 kB]
Get:2 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main libcurl3 amd64 7.35.0-1ubuntu2.2 [172 kB]
Get:3 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/universe libgsoap4 amd64 2.8.16-2 [525 kB]
Get:4 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main libvncserver0 amd64 0.9.9+dfsg-1ubuntu1.1 [168 kB]
Get:5 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/multiverse virtualbox amd64 4.3.10-dfsg-1 [15.5 MB]
Fetched 16.6 MB in 11s (1,451 kB/s)
(Reading database ... 147582 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../libcurl3_7.35.0-1ubuntu2.2_i386.deb ...
Unpacking libcurl3:i386 (7.35.0-1ubuntu2.2) over (7.35.0-1ubuntu2) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libcurl3:amd64.
Preparing to unpack .../libcurl3_7.35.0-1ubuntu2.2_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libcurl3:amd64 (7.35.0-1ubuntu2.2) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libgsoap4:amd64.
Preparing to unpack .../libgsoap4_2.8.16-2_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libgsoap4:amd64 (2.8.16-2) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libvncserver0:amd64.
Preparing to unpack .../libvncserver0_0.9.9+dfsg-1ubuntu1.1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libvncserver0:amd64 (0.9.9+dfsg-1ubuntu1.1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package virtualbox.
Preparing to unpack .../virtualbox_4.3.10-dfsg-1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking virtualbox (4.3.10-dfsg-1) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.6.7.1-1) ...
Processing triggers for ureadahead (0.100.0-16) ...
ureadahead will be reprofiled on next reboot
Setting up libcurl3:i386 (7.35.0-1ubuntu2.2) ...
Setting up libcurl3:amd64 (7.35.0-1ubuntu2.2) ...
Setting up libgsoap4:amd64 (2.8.16-2) ...
Setting up libvncserver0:amd64 (0.9.9+dfsg-1ubuntu1.1) ...
Setting up virtualbox (4.3.10-dfsg-1) ...
 * Stopping VirtualBox kernel modules                                                                                                                                                                                                  [ OK ]
 * Starting VirtualBox kernel modules                                                                                                                                                                                                          * No suitable module for running kernel found
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       [fail]
invoke-rc.d: initscript virtualbox, action "restart" failed.
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.19-0ubuntu6) ...
Processing triggers for ureadahead (0.100.0-16) ...

Is there a way to see what version of VirtualBox *would* be installed without actually running installation? Right now I am reinstalling the distro each time to avoid any contamination of the experiment, and this is a bit time-consuming. If not, no biggie.

[chrispitude]

Here's a screenshot of the available packages that match "virtualbox" in "Synaptic Package Manager":

vb.png (70.9 KiB) Viewed 10370 times

I don't see 4.3.20 listed. I do see the VirtualBox repository in the "Software Sources" listing:

pm.png (39.37 KiB) Viewed 10370 times

[Perryg]

I just tested this again and it appears that 4.3.12 is the latest build in the repo. Not sure why but you would need to ask the DEVs why this is. Of course you can always download and install the latest version manually. You should report this to https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Bugtracker if the repo is important to you.

[chrispitude]

Thanks Perryg! I'll report this as suggested, and I'll just install manually for now. (I work for a software company, and it's hard to resist the urge to get things fixed - even outside of work!)

Edit: I opened ticket #13660 (VirtualBox repository does not contain 4.3.20 for "trusty ubuntu"): https://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/13660

[chrispitude]

Another update: Linux Mint 17.1 was just released, so I installed it. With this release, "Synaptic Package Manager" now shows VirtualBox 4.3.20 as an available package. And sure enough, installing VirtualBox through "Software Manager" installs Virtualbox 4.3.20! I'm sure it won't be kept tightly up to date with VirtualBox releases by installing it through the distribution instead of from the VirtualBox repository, but that's fine with me. As long as it works, it's fine with me.

[frank]

I closed the bugtracker ticket. There is definitely a 4.3.20 version in the repository at download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian. In the above logs I saw that the 4.3.12 package of virtualbox-4.3 came from extra.linuxmint.com.

[Perryg]

Further testing shows that the issue has something to do with Mint and the funny way they pin the repos. Not sure what but if interested ask the Mint folks what you should do to fix this.