Update from Virtualbox v7.0.6 (to v7.0.8) is not possible; Host-System= Ubuntu 20.04.6

[Thompi]

Hello everyone,
I am using the operating system Ubuntu 20.04.6. ( Host-System ) an Windows10 ( Guest-System ). My current Virtualbox version is v7.0.6. The upgrade to version v7.0.8 ( or a newer version ) is not possible. I have downloaded the correct deb file ( e.g. virtualbox-7.0_7.0.8-156879~Ubuntu~focal_amd64.deb ).
But when I want to activate the deb file with the application installation I only get the option "Remove".
Does anyone have a recommendation for me on how to do the upgrade? Or does someone have a recommendation for me what I have to investigate to find a possible cause for the behaviour ?
I made a 1:1 copy of the entire hard disk and then ran "Remove". After that Virtualbox was actually uninstalled. Fortunately, I was able to restore the entire system through the 1:1 copy. Of course I still have the problem with the Virtualbox update not working. Thanks in advance.

[scottgus1]

Not ignoring this, but I'm no Linux guru, so I'd only be guessing.

A question on this:

I made a 1:1 copy of the entire hard disk and then ran "Remove". After that Virtualbox was actually uninstalled. Fortunately, I was able to restore the entire system through the 1:1 copy. Of course I still have the problem with the Virtualbox update not working. Thanks in advance.

First, kudos on this!

I made a 1:1 copy of the entire hard disk

Backups are always a good idea, and it's awesome you made one!

then ran "Remove". After that Virtualbox was actually uninstalled. {Then I tried to install 7.0.8.} Fortunately, I was able to restore the entire system through the 1:1 copy.

Did you try the emphasized part after the "Remove" and before the restore?

[Thompi]

I have not actually tried to install it. Simply because a new installation is time-consuming. In the past it was always the case that the Ubuntu operating system automatically detected that a previous Virtualbox version was installed on the computer and with this *.deb file only an upgrade was necessary. So everything was fine. All configurations in Virtualbox in the previous version were adopted when upgrading to the new Virtualbox configuration. Just as it is intended from my point of view. In fact, I have been using Virtualbox for a long time. But fortunately I haven't had this behavior in the past. Regards

[scottgus1]

Simply because a new installation is time-consuming.

I don't have a Linux host to try Virtualbox on, but on Windows the Virtualbox install is only a couple minutes max. Can't be much different on a properly working Linux host. And it isn't, because:

In the past it was always the case that the Ubuntu operating system automatically detected that a previous Virtualbox version was installed on the computer and with this *.deb file only an upgrade was necessary.

Virtualbox doesn't "upgrade". It only complete uninstalls, then complete reinstalls. At least official Virtualbox does. So all those fast "upgrades" you've been doing were actually complete uninstall/reinstall cycles, so a regular manual uninstall/reinstall will be fast, too, on Linux.

If the "long time" you've been taking has been including rebuilding all your VMs, that part isn't necessary. The VMs remain behind through an un/reinstall "upgrade" of Virtualbox, just like your picture files remain through an upgrade of Gimp, or your documents and spreadsheets remain when LibreOffice is upgraded.

One thing to point out, though:

the Ubuntu operating system automatically detected that a previous Virtualbox version was installed on the computer and with this *.deb file only an upgrade was necessary

If your package manager was not manually redirected to get Virtualbox from www.virtualbox.org, then it is pulling Ubuntu's fork of Virtualbox, not official Virtualbox, and you'd need to get support on this install problem from Ubuntu. We don't support the forks here.

You can tell if you're using the fork by looking at the first line in a VM's vbox.log. If the Virtualbox version number has a "_Ubuntu" after it, then you're using the fork, not Official, and you'd need to ask Ubuntu to fix their forked Virtualbox.

So, this is the final situation so far:

Did you try the emphasized part after the "Remove" and before the restore?

I have not actually tried to install it.

Seems this is the one part on your test you were missing, and the one part you need.
https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch02. ... linux-host

[Thompi]

Hello, thank you very much for the feedback. I'll take a look at it when I get the chance and provide feedback from my side. Have a nice transition into the new year!