Minimum information needed for assistance.

Forums rules and VirtualBox FAQs
Post Reply
Perryg
Site Moderator
Posts: 34369
Joined: 6. Sep 2008, 22:55
Primary OS: Linux other
VBox Version: OSE self-compiled
Guest OSses: *NIX

Minimum information needed for assistance.

Post by Perryg »

These are the minimal requirements needed to be able to help you find your problem/issue.
  • The version of VirtualBox you are using, what version of the Extension Pack in Virtualbox on the host you have installed (if any), and Guest Additions (in the guest).
  • Host & Guest make and version including 32 or 64 bit, and the amount of memory available to both.
  • VM log file (as an attachment) See your VirtualBox users guide for how to locate this if using command line or right click the guest in the VirtualBox main manager and select show log. Then choose save.
    *Note: Windows as host users with version newer than 4.3.12 need to post the VBoxStartup.log or VBoxHardening.log


Some simple commands to show the information needed if asked to provide them.

Code: Select all

VBoxManage list [--long|-l] vms|runningvms|ostypes|hostdvds|hostfloppies|
                            bridgedifs|hostonlyifs|dhcpservers|hostinfo|
                            hostcpuids|hddbackends|hdds|dvds|floppies|
                            usbhost|usbfilters|systemproperties|extpacks

Example: VBoxManage list extpacks
This will generate the guests settings if you are asked to provide them. If the guests name contains spaces wrap them with " " (quotes) See Example2

Code: Select all

VBoxManage showvminfo       <uuid>|<name> [--details]
                            [--machinereadable]

Example1: VBoxManage showvminfo Win-XP --details
Example2: VBoxManage showvminfo "Win XP" --details
Note: On Windows hosts you need to be in the folder that has VBoxManage.exe for it to work.

(edit: slight tweaks to add Extension Pack info, by scottgus1)
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Minimum information needed for assistance.

Post by mpack »

When posting a guest log file, please make sure to post it as an attachment, don't just paste text. Ideally the attachment should be .ZIPped, that way you will never encounter the attachment size limit.
Perryg
Site Moderator
Posts: 34369
Joined: 6. Sep 2008, 22:55
Primary OS: Linux other
VBox Version: OSE self-compiled
Guest OSses: *NIX

Re: Minimum information needed for assistance.

Post by Perryg »

More useful information for Linux users (Host or Guest)

Most of the time you can see what went wrong by reading the VirtualBox install logs.

For the host side look at /var/log/vbox-install.log and /var/log/Xorg.0.log
Same concept for the Linux guest except the logs are called vboxadd-install.log and vboxadd-install-x11.log
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Minimum information needed for assistance.

Post by mpack »

Yes, we know that the error dialog tells you to submit a screenshot, but please only do so if the image contains useful information - or if the image is blank, then just say so and skip posting it.

Also, not everyone can read all image formats, so if you do post an image please use JPEG or PNG. Ideally the latter as it won't blur the picture.

Note that the forum currently has a 128KB attachment size limit for pictures, so please trim off areas of the screenshot that we don't need to see to understand your problem.
Post Reply