can't add startup disk on mac osx

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Mac OS X hosts.
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yannemans
Posts: 1
Joined: 10. Feb 2021, 12:49

can't add startup disk on mac osx

Post by yannemans »

hello i am trying to get a ubunto virtualbox but every time i try to add disk in the diskselector it crashes the intire thing how do i solve this
jocha
Posts: 2
Joined: 10. Feb 2021, 19:04

Re: can't add startup disk on mac osx

Post by jocha »

Same problem. I'm a new user of VirtualBox. Crash occurs when attempting to add boot drive by selecting the folder icon on the Add screen. VM is a 64-bit Ubuntu. I see a quick flash of the file selector UI just prior to the crash. OS Crash Report attached below. Let me know if there are any other logs that would be helpful.

VirtualBox 6.1.18 r142142 (Qt5.6.3)
Mac OS 11.2.1 (Big Sur) on MBP (2019 Intel-based)
Attachments
VirtualBoxVM-Error.txt
(89.11 KiB) Downloaded 107 times
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: can't add startup disk on mac osx

Post by scottgus1 »

Not a Mac guru here, but I'd try rolling back to 6.1.16. Maybe it's a new bug.
jocha
Posts: 2
Joined: 10. Feb 2021, 19:04

Re: can't add startup disk on mac osx

Post by jocha »

scottgus1 wrote:Not a Mac guru here, but I'd try rolling back to 6.1.16. Maybe it's a new bug.
Thanks scottgus1, that fixed it!
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: can't add startup disk on mac osx

Post by scottgus1 »

Interesting. A Mac guru may be able to help if there is a way to pin down what went wrong. Meanwhile, glad you're back up and running!
paulmc
Posts: 72
Joined: 28. Aug 2019, 18:43
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mac OS X, Linux, Windows
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Re: can't add startup disk on mac osx

Post by paulmc »

Hi everyone,

TL;DR Edition

There are summary lists of workarounds so far, confirmed as well as speculative, at the end of this post.

Detailed Edition

The attached crash report indicates that a 'null pointer' exception occurred {'KERN_INVALID_ADDRESS at 0x0000000000000000'}, in a call to macOS' lower-level CoreImage (CI) graphics method 'CIKernel _initWithString:andMetalLibrary:usingCruftCompatibility:'. {Edited To Add (ETA) this sentence:} It's especially bizarre that the CI method was attempting to call that null pointer, i.e., the topmost entry in the call-stack is that zero address! The overall call-stack suggests that the system was attempting to draw a control in the file chooser dialog, maybe a button {per the call to the method 'NSThemeDocumentButtonCell'}.

AFAIK from my own experience in software development on various platforms, this kind of error in such a context should only occur under relatively unusual circumstances — {Edited for (hopefully) greater relevance:} e.g.: say the operating system (OS) itself, or a VirtualBox developer, didn't properly set up a pointer to a method or function that's ultimately used by, or 'passed in' to, a CI method {e.g., by forgetting to conditionally do a dynamic-load of some framework or library, etc.}; or, when there's a beta-versioned, corrupted or incomplete installation of graphics drivers or the overall OS; or {a long shot}, a third-party dialog-/window-enhancer utility, or kernel extension, is somehow interacting badly with this file chooser dialog {similarly to how the Intel Power Gadget has been wreaking havoc generally}; and so on.

Anyway, I'm glad that, in this particular case, rolling back VirtualBox resolved the issue! {Thanks, moderator @scottgus1!} Actually, I'm also speculating that it might be worth trying the converse too, i.e., updating VirtualBox to a later test build or hopefully-fixed release?

Another possible workaround, e.g., for an ISO disc-image file, might be to attach it another way, via: 'Settings' > 'Storage' pane => In the 'Storage Devices' list {on the left}, click the 'Empty' blue disc => In the 'Attributes' section {on the right}, click the little blue disc button/menu {adjacent to the 'Optical Drive:' popup menu} => Click the 'Choose a disk file…' menu-item. That should directly bring up the system's standard Open dialog, bypassing any potential problems with VirtualBox's own file chooser dialog. Although of course, if the graphics drivers and/or the overall OS are at fault, then the same type of crash could still occur anyway.

Actually, a similar crash {at least initially reported as a null-pointer call in that same CI method} had occurred in VirtualBox 6.0.x under a macOS 10.4.4 beta version, as discussed in the thread '[Fixed] VBox crashes when starting any VM on 10.14.4 MacBook Pro host' [2019-03-09+]. However, that crash was not in a file chooser dialog, but rather could manifest during any guest's startup and with slightly different errors, e.g., apparently even when the system is just attempting to draw the Apple menu title (?!) {per the later attached crash report's call-stack}. There, the stated solution was to re-install / update macOS on the Mac host via Recovery mode, although it seems there was also an update to VirtualBox too.

{ETA the rest below:}
Moreover, I suspect that this issue is also related to the crash {again at least initially reported (via the first attached crash log) as a null-pointer call in a similar CI method} that's discussed in the thread '[Solved] Segfault on launch VirtualBox GUI' [2018-04-13+]. It covers a similar problem where VirtualBox and/or guest VMs would crash on launch, again apparently even when the system is just attempting to draw the Apple menu title (?!). {There was also vigorous controversy over whether the library '/usr/lib/libFosl_dynamic.dylib' is a legitimate part of CoreImage; actually, it does seem to be so, as of OS X 10.11 'El Capitan' onwards}. There again, the stated solution (by the original poster) was to re-install / update macOS on the Mac host via Recovery mode.

Summary of Confirmed Workarounds so far
  • Roll back VirtualBox to a prior known-working release.
  • On your Mac host, re-install or update macOS, ideally via Recovery mode if possible.
Summary of Speculative Workarounds proposed so far
  • Conversely, try updating VirtualBox to a later test build or release.
  • Try uninstalling any potentially-misbehaving third-party dialog-/window-enhancer utilities, or kernel extensions, etc.
  • Try attaching the ISO disc-image fie via the system's own Open dialog, as outlined above.
Good luck!
Wozem
Posts: 1
Joined: 23. Apr 2021, 13:32

Re: can't add startup disk on mac osx

Post by Wozem »

Hi all, a new VirtualBox user here. I had the same problem, have spent around 6 hours trying and finally resolved the problem thanks to this topic. I'm now running 6.1.16 on host MacOS Big Sur successfully. Thanks a lot.
klaus
Oracle Corporation
Posts: 1110
Joined: 10. May 2007, 14:57

Re: can't add startup disk on mac osx

Post by klaus »

The latest test build likely contains a fix. Not that I have any idea why 6.1.16 (and earlier) wasn't affected, because the fix went into a file which wasn't changed at all in the 6.1.x series so far (the crash needs Bug Sur, because it's Apple changing the behavior somewhere). Maybe the GUI devs can find an indirectly related change which happened after 6.1.16...
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