Ubuntu/Xubuntu 16.10 4.8.0 kernel problems

[wroot]

I have a Win7 64-bit host. Since the update to first 4.8.0 kernel option Ubuntu and Xubuntu 16.10 guests started to hang on boot with black screen (and a cursor in the corner). I can only boot them by selecting 4.4.0 or older kernel in the GRUB menu. There were a few 4.8.0 updates since then, but the issue is still there. Is this some 4.8.0 kernel's bug? Should i stop updaring kernel or will the be some solution (or i will run out of fallback options in GRUB and won't be able to load them at all)? Attaching a log of Xubuntu machine.

[Perryg]

16.10 and kernel 4.8.* seem to work fine for me. I would suggest that you first boot into a working kernel and remove the guest additions and then see if it will boot into the 4.8.* kernel. It may be a compatibility issue. If successful then install the matching guest additions and reboot.

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ubuntu@ubuntu-16:~$ uname -r
4.8.0-26-generic
ubuntu@ubuntu-16:~$ cat /etc/debian_version 
stretch/sid
ubuntu@ubuntu-16:~$ cat /etc/issue
Ubuntu 16.10 \n \l

[wroot]

Ok. There is a bit of a mess here.. At some point i have realized that Ubuntu distros are installing/using its own virtualbox-guest-dkms package, so i have stopped manually updating it after updating VirtualBox on the host. So there were some old versions of addins in both my VMs (5.1.6 and 5.0.18 or such). I have booted with 4.4.0 kernel and tried to install from the inserted vbox addins CD, but it fails. In /var/log/vboxadd-install.log i see an error that it can't find sources for the current kernel (because it is already updated to the latest 4.8.0 kernel). When i run the installer from CD it fails, but it still manages to install 5.1.10 addins partially. Because if i run installer again it says that it's uninstalling 5.1.10 and tries to install 5.1.10. How can i uninstall this version of addins completely, so i would be able to boot with 4.8.0 and install them again? apt-get remove/install virtualbox-guest-dkms only installs/removes older versions (5.1.6).

[Perryg]

You have to completely remove all traces of the guest additions that are installed and it would not hurt to reboot the guest. Then you install the matching guest additions by using the device tab and insert guest additions. It may help to install the following since you said it complained about headers before you try to install the guest additions again.

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apt-get install dkms build-essential linux-headers-$(uname -r)

What ever you do refrain from using the software center as it will try to pull in the Ubuntu fork of the guest additions and as you see it will fail.

[wroot]

I have tried to do uninstall via CD - VirtualBoxLinux.run uninstall. It said it has removed 5.1.10. Reboot still hanged with a black screen. I don't know how to remove every piece of addins, so i think i'm going to try clean reinstall of 16.10. That command to install kernel-headers complained about obsolete or missing package for 4.4.0-47-generic.

[Perryg]

Sounds like the guest has real issues. This can be repaired but you probably don't want to go that route so a clean install should be the approach you want. Just remember to not install anything with the software center and use the official guest additions.

[wroot]

No luck with that either. I have completely removed Ubuntu VM from VBox manager and create new one. Attached 32-bit iso and booted from it. When it loads first graphical installation screen (language selection) nothing works. Can't press anything, no reaction. Same was with Xubuntu VM on 4.8.0 before. After a long time it was showing a desktop, but you couldn't do anything. Well, i can still go back to 16.04.1 i guess..

[wroot]

16.04.1 installer works fine. This might be related to my host or video drivers on host, maybe. Something doesn't play along with Ubuntu and 4.8.0 kernel. though i also have Fedora 25 with 4.8.12 (or fallback to 4.8.8 ) kernel and it works fine.

[wroot]

x64 version works fine. I guess it's time to switch from 386 Though it worked fine until 16.10 and 4.8 kernel.

[michaln]

Is this some 4.8.0 kernel's bug?

Yes. The 32-bit 4.8.0 kernels actually has several separate bugs that show up in VirtualBox. All of those should be fixed in the 4.9 kernel and the fixes went into 4.8.x as well, but I couldn't say when that will trickle down to the distro kernels.