Guest Not Booting

[scottgus1]

The error didn't happen the first time I ran the script yesterday so would it be just because it's already registered and it'll be safe to remove the registervm line from the script after the first time?

Registering a guest that has already been registered will cause the error you show in your batch file screenshot. Modify your batch file to account for this requirement.

Running the VM without a script has the same problem.

In what way are you "running the vm"? Are you trying to register the guest manually? If so that will result in the same error your batch file screenshot showed, in a Windows popup message box.

[madurham]

The error didn't happen the first time I ran the script yesterday so would it be just because it's already registered and it'll be safe to remove the registervm line from the script after the first time?

Registering a guest that has already been registered will cause the error you show in your batch file screenshot. Modify your batch file to account for this requirement.

Running the VM without a script has the same problem.

In what way are you "running the vm"? Are you trying to register the guest manually? If so that will result in the same error your batch file screenshot showed, in a Windows popup message box.

Once it's been registered I just open up VBox and double click the VM (It's status is aborted). On a PC that hasn't had the VM registered I double clicked the .vbox file. In both cases the window opens and immediately closes with no error messages exactly the same as in the OP.

[madurham]

I take the silence as everyone being as stumped as I am?

[scottgus1]

Life got busy, actually. I'd recommend this as a test: Clear out the Virtualbox guests on one host that you would use, but that is having the problem now. No guests showing on that host Virtualbox GUI, no media showing in the Virtual Media manager. Completely empty Virtualbox. Reboot the host, just for fun.

Now, copy the guest folder from your repository to the host either through the network or via usb sneakernet, NOT with the script. Use the tutorial Moving a VM as instructions. Register that guest and try to run it. If anything goes wrong, post the startup/hardening and guest logs. If nothing goes wrong then there's a glitch in your script somewhere. (This does happen, I write these kinds of scripts all the time & there's always a tweak or two to make.)

[madurham]

After doing as you suggested, I receive an error message, finally. Exactly the same problem occurs though.

Code: Select all

Failed to open a session for the virtual machine Linux v2.

No error info.

Result Code: RPC_S_SERVER_UNAVAILABLE 0x800706BA (0x800706BA)
Component: ProgressProxy
Interface: IProgress {c20238e4-3221-4d3f-8891-81ce92d9f913}

I've seen this before when closing the manager window before the VM has fully loaded. But the manager was open the whole time.

[madurham]

Just thought I'd attach the logs from that VM if it contains anything useful to anyone?

[scottgus1]

I'm not all that certain about your having "exactly the same problem" each time you run the guest. Your first post reports this: "while still black the window closes again without presenting any error messages". The second error is: "Trying to open a VM config that has the same UUID as an existing virtual machine."
The third error is "RPC_S_SERVER_UNAVAILABLE". Three very different problems.

Googling about on RPC_S_SERVER_UNAVAILABLE brings up hints of a saved state not being able to restore, and a Microsoft Windows host problem that happens to hit Virtualbox. Google: "RPC_S_SERVER_UNAVAILABLE site:forums.virtualbox.org". Is the guest you're copying in a saved state when you copy it?

I don't see any errors that don't get resolved in the logs you posted. Were these logs specifically from the session that crashed with the RPC_S_SERVER_UNAVAILABLE error?

[madurham]

I do seem to be gaining problems instead of losing them.

If they aren't related, and have to be resolved separately, I think the RPC issue should be resolved first as that is the one I am receiving no matter what I do now. It's also the most recent one and we may be able to get back to having 1-2 issues and work from there.

I had a look through a load of the threads on the RPC error. Something to do with DCOM on the host. As I have a Windows 7 VM that works on the host without any issues I don't want to wade into learning how DCOM works. I don't think it'll be relevant.
1. I uninstalled 4.3.30, rebooted, installed 4.3.32 (as administrator), installed 4.3.32 extension pack, rebooted. Then I deleted the VM folder, re-copied the files back from the network share, double-clicked the .vbox file. VBox window came to the front and the VM state was Powered off; Which is an improvement on Aborted. Running the VM gives me the RPC error still.
2. Discard the saved state - but that's greyed out for me.
3. Delete a reg key "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Rpc\Internet" - that doesn't exist on my host.

I also toyed with renaming .vbox and renaming .vbox-prev to just .vbox and running that. This gives the same outcome as above: black window, immediately disappears and the RPC error.
I've attached the logs from that PC after all of this.

[scottgus1]

OK, just let me get a couple things straight on this info.

1. The Linux guest you're copying from the network is in a fully shut down state, not "saved state"? Could you please post the .vbox file from the network guest?

2. On the host that gives the RPC error with the copied Linux guest, you have a Windows 7 guest that runs just fine?

I have a troubleshooting thought: Get the same install media that installed the Linux guest on the network, set up a new guest on the RPC-erroring host that exactly matches the settings for the network Linux guest, and run the installer in the new guest. Do whatever needs to be done to get the new guest to be as close to the same installation state as the network guest. If the new guest boots and runs fine, then the problem causing the RPC error is really in the network guest somehow, not the host PC.

[madurham]

OK, just let me get a couple things straight on this info.

1. The Linux guest you're copying from the network is in a fully shut down state, not "saved state"? Could you please post the .vbox file from the network guest?

2. On the host that gives the RPC error with the copied Linux guest, you have a Windows 7 guest that runs just fine?

I have a troubleshooting thought: Get the same install media that installed the Linux guest on the network, set up a new guest on the RPC-erring host that exactly matches the settings for the network Linux guest, and run the installer in the new guest. Do whatever needs to be done to get the new guest to be as close to the same installation state as the network guest. If the new guest boots and runs fine, then the problem causing the RPC error is really in the network guest somehow, not the host PC.

The VM files that I am using as a source are the exact files that are used in another room. They work fine, not a single problem. This makes me lean towards an incompatibility between the hardware and something.

1. Yes, it would be shutdown. I always treat it as if it was a physical PC in that respect. Attached the .vbox.
2. Yes. I have a standard Windows 7 guest that works on every PC that the Linux guest doesn't work on.

Used to have a Linux guest working on them. Same OS (Lubuntu 15.04) with a slightly earlier VBox version. I can't remember what version if I'm honest. If anything this issue has taught me to get into the habit of recording every step. Similar set up, immutable drive, disabled NIC etc.

[scottgus1]

OK, I see that your guest has an immutable base drive and a snapshot that resets itself on reboot, but isn't in a saved state. Good. I've never run an immutable auto-reset guest, but I don't see how that setup would cause errors, unless there's something in the base drive that sets the host all wonky.

Try the new fresh install, with the immutable base drive and the auto-reset snapshot and the whole shebang, without copying any files from the network copy, just the settings one by one in the GUI, and see if it boots & runs right.

[madurham]

So I reinstalled VBox 4.3.32 as an administrator and even reinstalled the 4.3.32 extensions on the machine I've been getting RPC errors on and unable to run the VM. I then set to install the Linux as a guest from scratch using the Lubuntu ISO. I created the following just as I had before:
-Name: Linux v2
-Type: Linux
-Version: Ubuntu (64-bit)
-512MB RAM
-8GB VDI (Dynamic)

Inserted Lubuntu.iso
Removed Floppy drive
Started VM
Get the same RPC error:

Code: Select all

Failed to open a session for the virtual machine Linux v2.

No error info.

Result Code: RPC_S_SERVER_UNAVAILABLE 0x800706BA (0x800706BA)
Component: ProgressProxy
Interface: IProgress {c20238e4-3221-4d3f-8891-81ce92d9f913}

Booted Windows 7 VM = Works fine
Shut down Windows 7 VM
Set Linux RAM to 1024MB
Started Linux VM
Get the above RPC error again
Rebooted
Re-enabled the floppy drive
Moved it to top of boot order
Started the VM
Get same RPC error as above

It doesn't even boot to the disk without an error.

I've attached the logs and .vbox files of both guests. 'Computer Science' is the Windows 7 guest.

[scottgus1]

So a fresh install dies, too? Well, sounds like it might not be the guest as such. I'm not certain I'll be able to help much more. I've never gotten the RPC error and the google hits are rare & older.
One vague thought, I seem to remember reading that Linux may do better with PAE turned on? I see it's off in the linux .vbox.

[madurham]

Unfortunately, enabling PAE didn't make a difference.

[scottgus1]

One further guess then I'm out of ideas. Maybe enabling PAE on an already installed Linux OS doesn't clear up the problem, but what about a fresh install with PAE on? Maybe that would work...

You could try posting on the Bugtracker and seeing if the developers can give a hint.

Also, try getting another hard drive on the RPC-erroring host and do a fresh host install. Maybe it's the host OS causing the issue.