[Solved] Segfault on launch VirtualBox GUI

[socratis]

Do you think there is any other option than re-install?

I wouldn't risk it. Honesty. I don't know where you are, but go to a store and buy an ext. USB3 HD.

• Plug it in and designate it as your TimeMachine backup.
• I would copy only my files, no apps at all, but a full backup is not a bad idea at this point as well.
• Do a clean install from the recovery partition. Cmd+R at the Mac startup sound to boot from the recovery partition.
• Actually, I would open the Terminal in the installation phase and delete ALL the files in the HD. Or even better, open DiskUtility and chose to erase the disk (even changing the name of the disk).
• Do a re-install of OSX.
• Reboot in your new environment.
• Create a non-admin user and keep on using that. Do not log in as the computer owner. If an app wants your password, think about it 5 times. Seriously, it's not worth it installing a nifty utility that will hose your system.
• Restore your files ONLY.
• Do an "ls -ale@R /" to keep a reference of the state of your computer when freshly installed. You should be comparing it and updating it after each application that needs 1) password, 2) is not a simple "Drag me to the Applications" folder.
• You know that you can have a "/Users/cir7777777/Applications" folder right? It will even have the same icon as the "/Applications" folder . That's where I keep my hardcore utilities that nobody else that uses the system needs or cares about.
• Before starting to install apps, install SuspiciousPackage. You will really appreciate it when you can "peek" at the scripts that each package uses. Keep an eye for a script that changes the CoreImage library, or messes with the system in any way shape or form. You seem like a programmer (based on your installed apps), so that won't be a problem. You're going to be thanking me for years to come
• Also when using the Installer.app and not a ".pkg", press Cmd+I to show all the files that are going to be installed and their locations, at the first steps of the installation, but before you actually start the installation.
• Start installing what you consider "essential apps". Battery monitors and Torrent downloaders are *definitely not* essential at this point. VirtualBox, is.
• Avoid things like Ruby, Python, as much as possible. Stick with the ones that you have already installed.
• After each app installation, check VirtualBox.
• If you have to install HomeBrew and/or MacPorts, choose MacPorts. They both contain the same libraries/packages/apps, it's simply that MacPorts is less invasive. Plus you need to be the owner to update it, something that I don't consider a hurdle, but a blessing. You have to become "owner" (first time password) and then you have to "sudo" (second time password). So you'll have to think about it at least twice...

[frvisser]

I have got the same issue for the second time. Reinstalled my laptop last week, now it is broken again. I also use homebrew and develop some python. I suspect some nasty python library....

[socratis]

I suspect some nasty python library

Did you let the Python people know about it? You should...

[frvisser]

Since it is such a fresh install, I hope I can trace back what is causing it.

Code: Select all

:/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS$ ./VirtualBox ./VirtualBox
Unable to open Fosl library at path /usr/lib/libFosl_dynamic.dylib
Segmentation fault: 11

Code: Select all

VBoxManage: error: Details: code NS_ERROR_FAILURE (0x80004005), component MachineWrap, interface IMachine

Code: Select all

VirtualBox: dlopen("/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxRT.dylib",) failed: dlopen(/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxRT.dylib, 10): Library not loaded: /usr/lib/libFosl_dynamic.dylib
  Referenced from: /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreImage.framework/Versions/A/CoreImage
  Reason: image not found

Thusfar I can reproduce the above.
@cir7777777

it is fair assumption that CoreImage library was replaced by 3rd party application

However, I don't see any any altered files in coreimage. They all date back from my installation on 17th of April.
Might there be something that is keeping libFosl_dynamic.dylib from working?

[frvisser]

And I checked replacing CoreImage and libFosl_dynamic.dylib from installation disk doesn't help either.

[socratis]

Since it is such a fresh install, I hope I can trace back what is causing it.

This is definitely not a fresh install. To recap:

• On a fresh install, there's no '/usr/lib/libFosl_dynamic.dylib'.
• On a fresh install, VirtualBox runs just fine.
• On a botched install, on the other hand, VirtualBox segfaults.

Run the following command (otool -L <library>) which shows the dependencies of a library, in our case 'VBoxRT.dylib'. I'm including my output so you can compare, but please post your output as well. Mind you, I'm on the test builds (5.2.11), so the VirtualBox version *is* expected:

$ otool -L /Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxRT.dylib
/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxRT.dylib:
	/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxRT.dylib (compatibility version 5.2.11, current version 5.2.11)
	/System/Library/Frameworks/IOKit.framework/Versions/A/IOKit (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 275.0.0)
	/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreFoundation.framework/Versions/A/CoreFoundation (compatibility version 150.0.0, current version 855.17.0)
	/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/CoreServices (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 59.0.0)
	/System/Library/Frameworks/Security.framework/Versions/A/Security (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 55471.14.16)
	/System/Library/Frameworks/SystemConfiguration.framework/Versions/A/SystemConfiguration (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 596.15.0)
	/usr/lib/libiconv.2.dylib (compatibility version 7.0.0, current version 7.0.0)
	/usr/lib/libz.1.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.2.5)
	/usr/lib/libc++.1.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 120.0.0)
	/usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1197.1.1)
	/System/Library/Frameworks/CFNetwork.framework/Versions/A/CFNetwork (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 673.3.0)

[frvisser]

I think, i disagree about libFosl_dynamic.dylib. I reinstalled OSX last week 3rd of May and reinstalled a bunch of crap for sure. But Virtualbox is working 100% and '/usr/lib/libFosl_dynamic.dylib' is there.

Output on the new system:

Code: Select all

$ otool -L /Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxRT.dylib 
/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxRT.dylib:
	/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxRT.dylib (compatibility version 5.2.10, current version 5.2.10)
	/System/Library/Frameworks/IOKit.framework/Versions/A/IOKit (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 275.0.0)
	/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreFoundation.framework/Versions/A/CoreFoundation (compatibility version 150.0.0, current version 855.17.0)
	/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/CoreServices (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 59.0.0)
	/System/Library/Frameworks/Security.framework/Versions/A/Security (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 55471.14.16)
	/System/Library/Frameworks/SystemConfiguration.framework/Versions/A/SystemConfiguration (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 596.15.0)
	/usr/lib/libiconv.2.dylib (compatibility version 7.0.0, current version 7.0.0)
	/usr/lib/libz.1.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.2.5)
	/usr/lib/libc++.1.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 120.0.0)
	/usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1197.1.1)
	/System/Library/Frameworks/CFNetwork.framework/Versions/A/CFNetwork (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 673.3.0)

I'll do a reinstall later this week for a clean install and post the same otool from the old installation.

[socratis]

I think, i disagree about libFosl_dynamic.dylib.

I *know* I disagree with you on this one. I'm talking about a fresh installation. You're talking about an installation after you...

reinstalled a bunch of crap for sure.

So, I'm not interested in the "crap" part. Show me a clean installation where "libFosl_dynamic.dylib" is there or required, and I'll apologize...

BTW, your "otool" output does not include a link to the "libFosl_dynamic.dylib", it's identical to a clean system's.

[frvisser]

I'll get to this clean installation later this week.

Anyway, I just checked otool on the system where VirtualBox doesn't start and it read exactly the same as the working system. Thus, it also does not include a link to "libFosl_dynamic.dylib". However, on the broken system, if I run Virtualbox from the terminal it does complain it can't open libFosl_dynamic.dylib

Code: Select all

/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS$ ./VirtualBox
Unable to open Fosl library at path /usr/lib/libFosl_dynamic.dylib
Segmentation fault: 11

[socratis]

However, on the broken system, if I run Virtualbox from the terminal it does complain it can't open libFosl_dynamic.dylib

My advice at this point? Find out which of the "crap" that you install turns your system into a complete and utter FUBAR...

I'm afraid I have to repeat this for the n-th and last time. If you screw up your system, don't expect VirtualBox to work. It's not VirtualBox's fault that you're trying to run it on a botched system.

[Yannlieb]

Sorry to re-activate this thread, but has the ' crap ' been identified ? I have the same error with the same library, and as I didn't launch Virtualbox for a while, I don't see what change could have cause this issue...
I have this library also on my other Macbook, I just installed Virtualbox on it, and realized it does not prevent Virtualbox to run.

[socratis]

has the 'crap' been identified?

Not a chance, you know why? The possibilities are endless. Can't be doing all the combinations of what "a" user has installed in "a" system.

You could help by going reverse-order uninstallation, and/or look in the .pkg files to see what did, when...

[Spartac0]

Marking this as Solved is just not right.
Solved means reproducible and with known causes.
Here this is not reproducible (at least not in a random way) and the reason of this is not known.
Just saying...

[socratis]

Marking this as Solved is just not right.

You should talk to the OP who solved their problem and marked the thread as [Solved]. Who would have thought that solving a problem would actually mark the thread as such...

Solved means reproducible and with known causes.

No, that's not what Solved means. Solved means that if a problem has been solved, the thread can be marked as... solved.

Here this is not reproducible (at least not in a random way) and the reason of this is not known.

In a clean OSX installation, it's not reproducible. In an OSX installation that you've installed a bunch of system-wide, system-modifying software, all bets are off.

[jumkarto]

Hi everyone, assalyamy alyaikum.
Had the same problem on macOS 11.2.1. Downloaded 6.1.18, installed successfully and added new VM, but was crashing on choosing installation file for VM, and `$ VirtualBoxVM --startvm` command was failing with same error `Unable to open Fosl library at path /usr/lib/libFosl_dynamic.dylib Segmentation fault: 11`.
Downloaded previous version of VB 6.1.16, and it helped, working good and without need to reinstall macOS. Alhamdullillah!