"Kernel Driver not Installed" - Problem with launching any VM on Big Sur

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Mac OS X hosts.
steve363
Posts: 1
Joined: 17. Aug 2021, 16:57

Re: "Kernel Driver not Installed" - Problem with launching any VM on Big Sur

Post by steve363 »

I wasn't able to run VB after upgrading to Big Sur 11.5.2. I tried upgrading VB to version 6.1.26 but I was still getting Kernel Driver Not Installed. I would go to System Preferences > Security and Privacy and would not see the option to grant permission to "Oracle America, Inc".

I was able to fix this problem by following directions to configure Mac SIP to allow kernel extensions and to disable Gatekeeper requiring user consent for kernel extensions.

Startup the Mac in Recovery Mode.

Open the Termial in recover mode and run the commands:
csrutil enable --without kext
spctl kext-consent disable

Restart

I started up VB, clicked Start for my VM to start. Got the Kernal Driver Not Installed error again. Now, when I went to System Preferences > Security and Privacy I saw the option to grant permission to "Oracle America, Inc".

VB said I had to restart so I restarted my Mac again.

I tried to start my VM again and was getting NS_ERROR_FAILURE. I read an article that said to reinstall VB.

I reinstalled VB choosing to uninstall both VB and FUSE. I used the VirtualBox_Uninstall.tool. When I installed VB this time I noticed it said it was installing its kernel extensions.

It said I had to restart so I restarted my Mac again.

I tried to start my VM again and was getting NS_ERROR_FAILURE again. I looked more closely and noticed it was saying USB 3.0 wasn't supported that I had to install a VB extension for that. I just downgraded it to USB 1.1 in the VB settings. It also said 3D acceleration wasn't supported for the Graphics controller. I switched my graphics controller to VBoxSVGA and that error went away. Finally I was able to start my VM on Big Sur.
gpaulissen
Posts: 1
Joined: 8. Nov 2021, 12:21

Re: "Kernel Driver not Installed" - Problem with launching any VM on Big Sur

Post by gpaulissen »

This is how I solved this problem on my Mac Big Sur computer using information from various sources.

The main culprit is that the Oracle Virtual Box needs its developer id to be part of the exception list.

You can do that from Recovery mode using the terminal which can be found in the utilities menu.

But of course there is a bug: that menu does not show always up.

Here the instructions:

1. start the mac in recovery mode (turn on power and press command-R)
2. choose the language which is a fake thing to do but just needed to get the Utilities menu
3. go to the terminal from the utilities menu
4. enter this command:

$ spctl kext-consent add VB5E2TV963

5. verify by:

$ spctl kext-consent list

6. reboot
7. uninstall VirtualBox by using its uninstall tool (you need to give access in System Preferences -> Security & Privacy)
8. reinstall VirtualBox
9. reboot to let the developer extensions be active
larsoner
Posts: 2
Joined: 17. Dec 2020, 16:55

Re: "Kernel Driver not Installed" - Problem with launching any VM on Big Sur

Post by larsoner »

I was able to get things working on Monterey by following:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/651 ... r-66814487
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