Centos guest hangs before desktop on VB 5.2.34

[Tigger_the_cat]

Hi,
I have a Centos 6.2 guest working on Virtualbox v5.2.34_Ubuntu r133883, on a Linux Mint (LM) OS v19.2 on a Dell Optiplex 9020. I have moved the VM directory including the .vbox and .vdi files to a Dell Optiplex 7010 into exactly the same directory tree also running LM 19.2. I then added the machine to the VB console on the 7010 - pointing the added machine to the vbox/vdi files as required. When I attempt to start this - it hangs at the end of the white progress bar just before the desktop with the VB console saying that it is running (green arrow) - but yet no desktop displayed. Please see attached log and screenshot. (Requested-state 0, Machine state=5).

Notes:
1. The following 6 VB packages are installed on both Optiplex servers:
virtualbox
virtualbox-dkms
virtualbox-ext-pack
virtualbox-guest-additions-iso
virtualbox-qt
virtualbox-source

2. The virtualisation setting is set in the Dell 7010 BIOS. Note: this machine was purchased from my previous employer and was running VB under Windows 7
successfully for 4 years.
3. All directories and files in the VB tree are chmoded to 777 (for now!)
4. I have tried deleting the .vbox-prev (suggestion from elsewhere) file but this does not help
5. The Centos guest has 1024 Mb of physical memory
6. Both Optiplexes are running: LM 19.2 and VB: v5.2.34_Ubuntu r133883
7. The latest updates have been applied to both Optiplex machines

Has anyone any suggestions, as I have run out of ideas? Thanks.

[scottgus1]

I then added the machine to the VB console on the 7010 - pointing the added machine to the vbox/vdi files as required.

If your VM is in the modern format (guest .vbox file, guest disk files, Logs & Snapshots Folders all in the one guest folder) and you move the guest folder to a new host, you should only have to register the .vbox file, and all of the guest's settings and disk connections should come in without you needing to do anything. In other words, the bolded part should not have been necessary. See Moving a VM.

It could therefore be possible that you broke something. Can you move the guest again?

You do get a Guest Additions report:

00:00:13.938610 VMMDev: Guest Additions information report: Version 4.2.16 r86992 '4.2.16'

meaning that the guest OS is starting in some fashion. There doesn't look to my not-so-Linux-experienced eyes anything wrong in the log.

First, confirm that you didn't break something when doing those extra bolded steps. To be doubly sure, delete the guest on the new host, including 'remove all files', and move the guest over again, adhering to the tutorial.

Then try troubleshooting this as if Virtualbox isn't causing the problem, and that your guest was a real PC.

[Tigger_the_cat]

Hi - have tried again using your suggested link with a new copy of the VM folder and using the machine/add tab - which is what I have tried previously several times. All existing files were deleted when the previous machine was removed.

VirtualBox v4.x and Later

The basic procedure for moving VMs created by VirtualBox v4.x and later is to copy the VM folder (with contents) to your preferred location, then use the GUI's Machine|Add menu item to register the .vbox file (found in the VM folder) from its new location.

The same still happens - stuck at end of progress bar for over 5 mins, with no desktop.

The VM is running OK on the Optiplex 9020 with the same Guest Additions - but I am unable to update these with the latest ISO - it just crashes out! Bear in mind that the Optiplex 7010 is an older model.

[scottgus1]

The physical CPU is the only piece of hardware that is not emulated. The guest sees the physical CPU. It could be that the guest OS doesn't like the older CPU? Time to get on Google and troubleshoot this directly in the guest. I doubt Virtualbox has anything that can help you to fix this.

[Tigger_the_cat]

Both of the Optiplexes are using Core i5 technology - just a different generation of Core i5. But this same guest box has been running on various versions of LM since 2008 on a Core 2 Duo!

[Tigger_the_cat]

Thanks for people's help. I have managed to re-install Centos 6.2 and the software it needed to run in a new Virtualbox on LM 19. It now runs - but there is the perennial VB issue of only low screen resolutions being available. Can anyone help with this on this post?

[scottgus1]

For full screen support install the official Guest Additions from the "Insert Guest Additions CD Image" menu option, then see the guest's CD drive.

[Tigger_the_cat]

Hi - I forgot to say that the guest additions CD has been installed and the Guest Additions successfully installed. Please see the attached. I have run it a second time to be sure then restarted the VB and the problem still persists:

1. In Centos System->Preferences->Display gives the best resolution as 1024 x 768 (for a HP Elite Display E231 screen) and the Monitor is shown as "Unknown"
2. In VBOX -> View - the Auto-rsize Guest Display in greyed out.

[scottgus1]

The forum mods like to observe "One Issue One Thread", and we're getting further afield from you original issue.

The CentOS guests I have installed for testing have all been text-only. If yours is text-only, then you may not get screen resizing from the Guest Additions. Might need to set up different screen resolution in the CentOS configs itself.

This is a better subject for Linux Guests, now.

[Tigger_the_cat]

Thanks I will close this - and start the Display issue on the Linux section.