Invalid machine name or UUID!

[nivlem]

Hi all,


i have been using vrtual box for my Linux Lenny VM for some time now. for the most part it was on a windows host but i moved to a linux host about a year ago. Debain lenny is my host aswell as the guest.
Up until now i have been using the GUI to boot my VM as i am usually infront of the HOST so no need for remotely starting it.

My host is now located in another area in my house and i often SSH into the host box for other things and i recently learnt that you can use a remote command to boot VM's. VBoxHeadless will apparently boot my VM across the terminal/SSH.

i have one VM and its called Debian

The issue i have is no matter what i try i get a message saying Invalid machine name or UUID!

i have tried various attempts like:

Code: Select all

sudo VBoxHeadless --startvm Debian
sudo VBoxHeadless -s .VirtualBox/HardDisks/Debian.vdi

Here is the output i get:

Code: Select all

Myuser@MyHost:~$ sudo VBoxHeadless --startvm Debian
Oracle VM VirtualBox Headless Interface 4.0.2
(C) 2008-2011 Oracle Corporation
All rights reserved.

Invalid machine name or UUID!

Please note the VM works fine if i manually start it from the GUI on the host. SSH services work fine and i have no other knowne issues.
I am obviously missing something obvious here but i cannot for the life of me work out what it is!

The VM's were created under the user that i always login as NOT ROOT.

I hope you can help a man going crazy!!!

TIA

Niv

[fixedwheel]

Hi,

Code: Select all

sudo VBoxHeadless --startvm Debian

The VM's were created under the user that i always login as NOT ROOT.

then why use sudo?!

[nivlem]

Sorry i should of said.

When i try without sudo i get what looks like a hang.

Code: Select all

MyUser@MyHost:~$ VBoxHeadless --startvm Debian
Oracle VM VirtualBox Headless Interface 4.0.2
(C) 2008-2011 Oracle Corporation
All rights reserved.

[Green Square here] - The one you see when you ready to type.

It seemed by using sudo i got further albeit it didnt work.

i wasnt sure is running virtual machines was an administritive task, therefore required sudo.


Interestingly while the hang takes place, i have just found that if i try and open another ssh session and perform the same command i get this message:

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MyUser@MyHost:~$ VBoxHeadless -s Debian
Oracle VM VirtualBox Headless Interface 4.0.2
(C) 2008-2011 Oracle Corporation
All rights reserved.

VBoxHeadless: error: The machine 'Debian' is already locked for a session (or being unlocked)
VBoxHeadless: error: Details: code VBOX_E_INVALID_OBJECT_STATE (0x80bb0007), component Machine, interface IMachine, callee nsISupports
Context: "LockMachine(session, LockType_Write)" at line 817 of file VBoxHeadless.cpp

so its trying....


any ideas?

thanks for the help!

[fixedwheel]

When i try without sudo i get what looks like a hang.

Code: Select all

MyUser@MyHost:~$ VBoxHeadless --startvm Debian
Oracle VM VirtualBox Headless Interface 4.0.2
(C) 2008-2011 Oracle Corporation
All rights reserved.

[Green Square here] - The one you see when you ready to type.

looks like up and running: now you should get the guests console with any RDP client remotely, see manual => http://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch07.html#vboxheadless

[nivlem]

I think maybe i am missing something.

i was hoping to simply start my VM (debian 5) box remotely via ssh (termninal). Rather than going to the physical box and using the GUI of virtualbox to start the VM.

My VM has my web site on it so when running i can simply hit my test web site from a browser on any computer on my LAN. http://192.168.1.70.

Where i am missing something is i have apparently started my VM in a SSH session, yet it does output anyhting logical to suggest it has started i just get:

Code: Select all

MyUser@MyHost:~$ VBoxHeadless --startvm Debian
Oracle VM VirtualBox Headless Interface 4.0.2
(C) 2008-2011 Oracle Corporation
All rights reserved.

The firsy thing that doesnt seem right is its instantly to the above output, no starting linux output no waiting time, just bang its done. but then do i now access that Debian VM like i can when i start it using the GUI? It doesnt apear so. Can i now access my test web site located on that VM? it doesnt work or respond as it would normally.

If i try and hit the apparent running VM using Windows built in RDP client i cannot get a response by using HOSTIP:3389.


Any ideas where i am going wrong as there seems to be a large piece of the puzzle missing....


Thanks

Niv