Ubuntu1604.1LTS - Unable to use Host-only networking

[pluvinic]

I've recently installed a clean Ubuntu 11604.1 LTS host, with 5.1.6 1VirtualBox initially, and then subsequently 5.0.26. Appropriate Extension Packs for each version were installed.

On both versions, I can no longer select Host-Only networking - VirtualBox responds with "Invalid Settings" and no network interface is selected in the drop=down.

Has anyone any suggestions as to what I am doing wrong ?

Details:

# uname -a
Linux myhost 4.4.0-38-generic #57-Ubuntu SMP Tue Sep 6 15:42:33 UTC 2016 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

# lsmod | grep vbox
vboxpci 24576 0
vboxnetadp 28672 0
vboxnetflt 28672 0
vboxdrv 454656 3 vboxnetadp,vboxnetflt,vboxpci

[eleaffar]

Try this command :

Code: Select all

 ~ $ ls -al /sys/class/net/
totale 0
drwxr-xr-x  2 root root 0  7 ott 12.15 .
drwxr-xr-x 56 root root 0 29 set 09.46 ..
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root 0  5 ott 14.25 enp0s3 -> ../../devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:03.0/net/enp0s3
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root 0  5 ott 14.25 eth0 -> ../../devices/virtual/net/eth0
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root 0  5 ott 14.25 lo -> ../../devices/virtual/net/lo

It should tell you installed net
Bye

[socratis]

@eleaffar: I'm not a Linux expert, but why would that work exactly? Is it part of the GAs install script?

@pluvinic: Did you install VirtualBox from the Ubuntu repositories (Software Center, apt-get) or from the official VirtualBox site? If you installed from Ubuntu, uninstall it and install the version from https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

[pluvinic]

I am working on a notebook, so most of the time I'm using a wireless connection as my only active interface.

# ls -las /sys/class/net
total 0
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 0 Oct 8 04:53 .
drwxr-xr-x 66 root root 0 Oct 8 04:42 ..
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 0 Oct 8 04:42 enp0s31f6 -> ../../devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1f.6/net/enp0s31f6
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 0 Oct 8 04:42 lo -> ../../devices/virtual/net/lo
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 0 Oct 8 04:42 wlp4s0 -> ../../devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1c.2/0000:04:00.0/net/wlp4s0

[pluvinic]

OK, I removed all traces of previous VirtualBox installation, re-downloaded the .deb from the website (not through apt-get or similar, but rather via a browser.

root@cayuga:/home/plw# dpkg -i Downloads/virtualbox-5.1_5.1.6-110634~Ubuntu~xenial_amd64.deb
Selecting previously unselected package virtualbox-5.1.
(Reading database ... 289253 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../virtualbox-5.1_5.1.6-110634~Ubuntu~xenial_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking virtualbox-5.1 (5.1.6-110634~Ubuntu~xenial) ...
Setting up virtualbox-5.1 (5.1.6-110634~Ubuntu~xenial) ...
addgroup: The group `vboxusers' already exists as a system group. Exiting.
Processing triggers for systemd (229-4ubuntu10) ...
Processing triggers for ureadahead (0.100.0-19) ...
ureadahead will be reprofiled on next reboot
Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.15-0ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for shared-mime-info (1.5-2ubuntu0.1) ...
Unknown media type in type 'all/all'
Unknown media type in type 'all/allfiles'
Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.13.3-6ubuntu3.1) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.22-1ubuntu5) ...
Processing triggers for mime-support (3.59ubuntu1) ...
#

However, still no joy - creating a new vm and choosing Host-Only networking still gives invalid settings, with no network interface shown (or available) in the "Select Interface" drop-down.

Any other ideas ?

[socratis]

Close VirtualBox and make sure no vbox* or virtualbox* processes are running. Check "$HOME/.config/VirtualBox" or "$HOME/.VirtualBox" for a file called "VirtualBox.xml". Rename it to "VirtualBox.xml.old". Restart VirtualBox. This should bring the general preferences back to its original state, including the host-only settings. See if it helps...

[pluvinic]

I tried the suggestions made by socratis - stopped all VirtualBox* and vbox processes, and then removed $HOME/.config/VirtualBox and $HOME/.VirtualBox files.
Alas, no change - I created a new VM, tried to select Host-Only networking, but was unable to select it as there was no network interface selected.

So, again, I'm at a loss.

[socratis]

So, again, I'm at a loss.

That would make two of us. Let's see if anyone else has an idea. I'm not a seasoned Linux user, and I'm afraid I've reached the limits of my knowledge...

[pluvinic]

Just checked another Ubuntu system, again 1604, but this time with VirtuaBox 5.1.2 installed - same issue.

[pluvinic]

More research - I installed a Xubuntu1504 this time, with the current VirtualBox and Extension Pack. It exhibits the same behaviour - I try to select Host-Only networking, and I am told I have 'Invalid Settings' - there's no interface shown in the drop-down, nore are any shown when I try to select it.

[Martin]

Did you create a host-only network in the Vbox preferences first?
By default there is none.

[pluvinic]

Thank you - I had missed that detail (and Boy! do I feel stupid now!)

Thanks for all the assistance, flag this one as PEBKAC.