Debian 5.0 guest kernel Unsupported by VBox Guest additions

[SicoBulo]

Hello! I'm Using a Debian 5.0 Lenny (downloaded the ISO image from the official Debian website) guest with linux kernel 2.6.26.2-686 in a Ubuntu 10.04 host with VBox 3.2.4, everything in installation went ok but in time I wanted to install the VBox guest additions, the error was that I have a very old kernel in my guest that Vbox adds could support<-- related to OpenGL. and well the installation continued but the additions were disabled by the same Installation program. I will attach the vbox installation log file for the error and my question is: Should I upgrade the kernel in my Debian Guest, and How can I do it?

And the thing is too that the performance with the desktop enviroment inside Debian is awful slow and choppy... I want to think that is due to the lack of the Guest Additions...

[Sasquatch]

It appears that the log isn't complete, or the GA didn't install completely. Please try to install the Additions again. There is no reason for it to fail or stop installing just because you run kernel 2.6.26. Are you sure that you have all the required packages (build-essential, kernel-headers, etc.)?

[SicoBulo]

I am sure of it! I have read the Linux Guest Installations howTo, followed everything as said there, and then trying to reinstall the GA's showed me a low OpenGL support for the kernel that I have. I will attach a screenshot of the error.

[dmcgraw]

Hello! I'm Using a Debian 5.0 Lenny (downloaded the ISO image from the official Debian website) guest with linux kernel 2.6.26.2-686 in a Ubuntu 10.04 host with VBox 3.4.6

The latest released version of VirtualBox is 3.2.4. You said you are running 3.4.6. Exactly what version of VB are you running?

[SicoBulo]

My mistake my firend!! I am Using the 3.2.4 r62467 PUEL version

[Perryg]

you are going to need to post the complete log file (as an attachment) The only thing that you will not get is the 3D effects but everything else works.

[Sasquatch]

Like my fellow mod said, only 3D won't work. It's clearly stated in the message, let me quote it again:

Your guest system does not seem to have sufficient OpenGL support to enable accelerated 3D effects (this requires Linux 2.6.27 or later in the guest system). This Guest additions feature will be disabled.

The most important part of the GA appears to be working: higher resolutions. If it wasn't working, then you would not have that big screen as you posted in the shot.

[SicoBulo]

Here's the log again, I don't know how to notice if it is incomplete (or complete), I just copied and paste the file from the /var/log directory of my guest, As I did in the last one I posted.

Still the performance of the desktop environment (in my guest) is slow and choppy (the window decorations, menus takes a time to load, some programs takes much time to load; e.g. Epiphany and icewaesel)... I made everything as recommended by default when I created the VM, I don't know what is wrong... But there is another thing that I forgot to mention... every time I run it, the system has a kernel error (I found here in forums a post related to that, I will read it, don't worry), but the system appears to work fine going appart of the slow performance that I mention.

Edited at june 24 2010 17:13 (my time)

I attach the VM log file, as you said my firend. I had four of this, I post the first of all.

[Perryg]

Not the vboxadd-install log the guest log file. It is located from the main VirtualBox program and click on Machine then show log and then click save.

[SicoBulo]

To my friend Sasquatch:

As you said about Guest Additions improvement in higher resolutions... the thing that I can see that Guest additions improve in a Debian guest is the Integrated mouse and the way that the screen resolutions works when the window size is changed. Before the guest additions the only resolution that I had was a resolution with a squarish proportion that took all my 1400*900 resolution of my screen, in other words; I had to use the scroll bars in order to see the menu panel from the upper part and to see the window manager from the bottom part of the screen and so the mouse integration worked sometimes buggy, the mouse output were released in certain parts of the screen but not the boundaries, so to manage the elements on the boundaries turned difficult. After Guest Additions every time I adjust the window size of the guest, the resolution also adjusts; the mouse integration works naturally and I can switch even on Full screen mode and "Unity" mode (I said "Unity" as in VMware this mode (guest windows on host desktop) is known, because I don't know how "Modo Fluido" is know in English inside the VBox enviroment)

I say this my friend because in time I tested windows xp before the guest additions, it didn't had the mouse integration by default, and Debian does, I don't know if this is by the Debian Version that I have as guest.

So that are the improvements that I found after I installed the guest additions plus the better resolution that you mention my friend. Regards.

P.D. thanks for your help!

[SicoBulo]

I still have a problem... Debian is freaking slow... The kernel of this guest have a failure!... I read the related post of it (http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic. ... re#p140178) and didn't found a solution there... I tried to compile a new one, but it doesn't work; gives me an "error 2" after 6 or 9 hours of compiling... My older post was about the improvements of the Vbox guest additions but that doesn't mean my problem is solved... my Debian guest is still awful slow even when I installed the Vbox additions, so I don't know what's the problem... It is because of the kernel failure? or why?? even I cannot compile a new one so, what I am doing wrong?