VirtualBox fails to launch as user

[gac]

I have been using VirtualBox 2.1.4 for some weeks now on a Fedora 10 host. On restarting the machine this morning it failed to launch VirtualBox as my normal user. There were no error messages when I tried to launch from terminal - just hung. However, VirtualBox DOES launch as root from a terminal and will run the Windows XP-SP3 VM I had been using as an ordinary user yesterday. I assume then that since it all works as root and not as a user that there is a permissions problem? SELinux is disabled on my system. I am not aware of making any changes to the system in the last 24 hours and it all worked as my normal user yesterday.

Tried reinstalling VB. No change.

Can someone tell me how to troubleshoot this issue please. Although I have used fedora for quite a long time, I am still a newbie in my view.

[heytimc]

I too am using v2.1.4 on Fedora Core 10. The hang is actually a FUTEX_WAIT on the VBoxSVC process when run as a user.

[shanff]

I'm seeing the same thing this morning, VirtualBox 2.1.4 on a Fedora 10 box. The only software updated between when it was working and when it wasn't working was java-1.6.0. I've tried removing that and starting VirtualBox but am seeing the same issues. I'm was able to start it up under root so I was thinking it was permissions or possible SELinux, but I've got SEL set to Permissive and there are no errors to be found.

[heytimc]

I have had some luck!

chown :vboxusers /dev/vboxdrv
service vboxdrv restart

Did the job; despite the fact that it seemed to be already group owned by vboxusers?

[joseadanof]

Im experiencing same error.

Worst is that you dont have access to an error screen or kinda.

I tried to set permissions like last reply but didnt work.

Thanks in advance.







http://www.creativanetwork.net

[JoeLeaver]

Same problem for me, here F10 also.

A couple of interesting things:

It seems to be only for my user, runs fine as root, even runs under sudo.
VBoxManage startvm "<VM>" works fine, and starts up the vms

This also, crazily enough, works:

ssh joe@localhost -X
VirtualBox

So it's working as my user through X forwarding, but not in local X session?

[joseadanof]

JoeLeaver, i try to execute this commando as root and didnt work.

[root@jortiz ~]# ssh root@localhost -X
ssh: connect to host localhost port 22: Connection refused
[root@jortiz ~]# clear

[root@jortiz ~]# VBoxManage startvm "jortizwin"
VirtualBox Command Line Management Interface Version 2.1.4
(C) 2005-2009 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
All rights reserved.

[!] FAILED calling a->virtualBox->FindMachine(Bstr(a->argv[0]), machine.asOutParam()) at line 2692!
[!] Primary RC = VBOX_E_OBJECT_NOT_FOUND (0x80BB0001) - Object corresponding to the supplied arguments does not exist
[!] Full error info present: true , basic error info present: true
[!] Result Code = VBOX_E_OBJECT_NOT_FOUND (0x80BB0001) - Object corresponding to the supplied arguments does not exist
[!] Text = Could not find a registered machine named 'jortizwin'
[!] Component = VirtualBox, Interface: IVirtualBox, {339abca2-f47a-4302-87f5-7bc324e6bbde}
[!] Callee = IVirtualBox, {339abca2-f47a-4302-87f5-7bc324e6bbde}
[root@jortiz ~]#


I think it says to me there is no such VM, but it is false, at /home/jortiz/.VirtualBox/Machines/jortizwin there all VM files.

[JoeLeaver]

joseadanof, to make this work you need sshd running, and you want to ssh into youruser@localhost

Virtualbox looks for its config files in ~.VirtualBox/ , so your VMs are unique to your user. Starting your vm as root won't work.

[shanff]

I was also able to get it to run by the less than elegant way of killing gvfs-fuse-daemon . I'm not sure what else I'm killing at the same time, but it works in a pinch. The status on that process should also be futex_wait.

I'll try re-chowning the file noted above and see if that works.

[realjose]

I'm experiencing exactly the same problem, using virtualbox on a fedora 10.

GUI won't start as a regular user, but starts as root.
I can start the virtual machine as a user running vBoxManage.

I tried the mentioned chmod tick, but that didn't help. I noticed the first time I start the GUI as a user, I get a crash report from imsettings-applet. As root, i ran the command imsettings-reload. Next I tried to start the GUI as user, and it worked!

Honestly, I don't have a clue what happened, or why it worked, but maybe it helps others as well. Smarter people might find out what happens ..

Hopes this helps

[shanff]

Found this while researching. Apparently it's a bug with Redhat/Fedora. libX11 was upgraded to 1.1.5x and broke a few things.

"I downgraded to libX11-1.1.4-6.fc10.i386.rpm by downloading the rpm from here:

http://koji.fedoraproject.org/koji/buil ... ldID=70105

and then performed the following command:

`rpm -Uvh --oldpackage --replacepkgs libX11*.rpm` "

[Sasquatch]

JoeLeaver, i try to execute this commando as root and didnt work.

[root@jortiz ~]# ssh root@localhost -X
ssh: connect to host localhost port 22: Connection refused

It's refused because Root logon for SSH is disabled, or you don't have the OpenSSH server. It's also possible that your root user doesn't have a password and you switch to root with sudo.

[JoeF]

Hello ya'all. Ok, so I figure this must be about where I'm at as well. I have Fedora10 and I'm trying to start VBox like everyone else. My biggest draw back is that I can barely follow what you guys are doing here. I've tired the above postings but come up with the following error:
[Joe@localhost ~]$ su
Password:
[root@localhost Joe]# chown :vboxusers /dev/vboxdrv
[root@localhost Joe]# service vboxdrv restart
Stopping VirtualBox kernel module [ OK ]
Starting VirtualBox kernel module [ OK ]
[root@localhost Joe]# dir
broadcom-wl-4.80.53.0 Desktop Download Pictures Templates
broadcom-wl-4.80.53.0.tar.bz2 Documents Music Public Videos
[root@localhost Joe]# cd /
[root@localhost /]# dir
bin dev home lost+found mnt proc sbin srv tmp var
boot etc lib media opt root selinux sys usr
[root@localhost /]# VBoxManage startvm
VirtualBox Command Line Management Interface Version 2.1.4
(C) 2005-2009 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
All rights reserved.

Usage:

VBoxManage startvm <uuid>|<name>
[-type gui|vrdp]


Syntax error: Not enough parameters


Now the one thing I can add is that I have never had Vbox working on Fedora at all. I downloaded and installed the vbox rpm file and vbox shows up in my applications menu but it won't do anything. Doesn't even give me an error code. I'm coming from XP and Vista where I have used it a lot. I'm also still new to Fedora but now after dabling with it for 2 years in and out, I have moved to this as my main OS. So be gentle. Jill is running and I'm trying to keep up. Can any one help here?

[joseadanof]

I just started up from command line as root, type:
VirtualBox

Then you will have VboxManager Gui Screen that you are familiar like XP and Vista versions, create VDI y VMs and thats all.

I copied my VM from my user to root VBox folder and it works perfect.

Hoping a better solution to this situation.

Anyone of you have test X11 issue that shanff post? does it work?

[gac]

I found too the the problem was with libX11. Several applications suddenly stopped working including wine and VBox (VBox still worked as root user though). Followed this advice and all was fine after that (I got my update not from the url below, but from fedora 10 testing):
"You can download the libX11-1.1.4-6 packages from here. You may need libX11-devel-1.1.4-6 as well if you have libX11-devel installed

http://koji.fedoraproject.org/koji/b...?buildID=70105

Then force a downgrade of the two packages:
rpm -Uvh --oldpackage libX11-1.1.4-6.fc10.i386.rpm libX11-devel-1.1.4-6.fc10.i386.rpm "

Be sure not to upgrade libX11 with your next update until they have definitely fixed it.