Message "Running in software rendering mode"

[Viridian]

Attempting to get Mint Cinnamon 18.1 running under VBox 5.1.12 r112440, with "Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack 5.1.12r112440 (matching version). This is running on a Win7-64 laptop, with P8700 CPU, and graphics chipset: Mobile Intel 4 series express chipset family.

The message "Running in software rendering mode", along with comments about speed penalty, comes up shortly after Cinnamon boots, presumably because the correct video drivers can't be loaded. This seems to be a common problem, but I've seen various causes and fixes, none of which seem to relate.

Mint's driver manager shows the graphics drivers as:
Innotek Systemberatung GmbH: VirtualBox Graphics Adapter
virtualbox-guest-x11, Version 5.0.24-dfsg-0ubuntu1.16.04.1
x86 virtualization solution - X11 guest utilities

and Innotek (same): Guest Service, etc.

Anyone know of a fix, or an appropriate driver?

[socratis]

You've got to be careful with the terminology. There are two distinct things:

• The Extension Pack (ExtPack) get installed on the host and it has to match the VirtualBox version. It provides functionality such as USB2-3, Webcam, VRDP, PXE, Encryption.
• The Guest Additions (GAs) get installed on the guest and it would be good to match the VirtualBox version. It provides functionality such as shared folders, shared clipboard, drag and drop, pointer sharing, enhanced graphics support.

Look in the manual, Ch. 4. Guest Additions, on how to do it for your specific guest.

BTW, you'll never see your physical graphics card in your guest, only the virtual one.

[Perryg]

virtualbox-guest-x11, Version 5.0.24-dfsg-0ubuntu1.16.04.1

Those packages are from the distro and not VirtualBox direct. Purge the pre-installed guest additions and install the ones that come with your VirtualBox install.

[Viridian]

Thanks for both replies. i'm relatively new to Vbox, so the tips on terminology are helpful.

But so far, no good: I tried to install via the running Mint image's Devices->Insert Guest Additions CD Image. On restart, now I'm getting an exception from VBox when the Mint image loads: "Instruction referenced memory at 0x....".

I had already spent time configuring Mint, so I hope I don't need to uninstall everything and start over.
I'm not familiar with the uninstall process for Guest Additions either. I've read that it entails going back to Mint's Devices->... menu again, but I encounter the fault first. If I leave the exception error box up and try to proceed, I get "Unable to insert the virtual optical disk" "Could not mount the media..." "(VERR_PDM_MEDIA_LOCKED)"

What fun. :-<

[Viridian]

PS: To clarify, the Win7 exception occurs only after Mint's login appears. Right after I log in, the exception occurs.

I'd love to recover the current VDI, if there's any way to backtrack.

In case it's significant, the log file's last entries show entries for OpenGL before flatline:

Code: Select all

GL_NV_conditional_render GL_EXT_texture_swizzle GL_ARB_draw_instanced 
00:01:52.996508 OpenGL Warning: FBO status(0x8cdd) isn't complete
00:01:52.996551 OpenGL Warning: FBO status(0x8cdd) isn't complete
00:01:53.016610 OpenGL Info: Render SPU: GL_VENDOR:   Intel
00:01:53.016631 OpenGL Info: Render SPU: GL_RENDERER: Mobile Intel(R) 4 Series Express Chipset Family
00:01:53.016639 OpenGL Info: Render SPU: GL_VERSION:  2.1.0 - Build 8.15.10.1968
00:01:53.016646 OpenGL Info: Render SPU: GL_EXTENSIONS: GL_EXT_blend_minmax GL_EXT_blend_subtract GL_EXT_blend_color GL_EXT_abgr GL_EXT_texture3D GL_EXT_clip_volume_hint GL_EXT_compiled_vertex_array GL_SGIS_texture_edge_clamp GL_SGIS_generate_mipmap GL_EXT_draw_range_elements GL_SGIS_texture_lod GL_EXT_rescale_normal GL_EXT_packed_pixels GL_EXT_separate_specular_color GL_ARB_multitexture GL_EXT_texture_env_combine GL_EXT_bgra GL_EXT_blend_func_separate GL_EXT_secondary_color GL_EXT_fog_coord GL_EXT_texture_env_add GL_ARB_texture_cube_map GL_ARB_transpose_matrix GL_ARB_texture_env_add GL_IBM_texture_mirrored_repeat GL_EXT_multi_draw_arrays GL_NV_blend_square GL_ARB_texture_compression GL_3DFX_texture_compression_FXT1 GL_EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic GL_ARB_texture_border_clamp GL_ARB_point_parameters GL_ARB_texture_env_combine GL_ARB_texture_env_dot3 GL_ARB_texture_env_crossbar GL_EXT_texture_compression_s3tc GL_ARB_shadow GL_ARB_window_pos GL_EXT_shadow_funcs GL_EXT_stencil_wrap GL_ARB_vertex_program GL_EXT_texture_rectangle GL_ARB_fragment_program GL_EXT_stencil_two_side GL_ATI_separate_stencil GL_ARB_vertex_buffer_object GL_EXT_texture_lod_bias GL_ARB_occlusion_query GL_ARB_fragment_shader GL_ARB_shader_objects GL_ARB_shading_language_100 GL_ARB_texture_non_power_of_two GL_ARB_vertex_shader GL_NV_texgen_reflection GL_ARB_point_sprite GL_EXT_blend_equation_separate GL_ARB_depth_texture GL_ARB_texture_rectangle GL_ARB_draw_buffers GL_ARB_pixel_buffer_object GL_WIN_swap_hint GL_EXT_framebuffer_object GL_EXT_texture_sRGB GL_ARB_color_buffer_float GL_ARB_half_float_pixel GL_ARB_texture_float GL_NV_conditional_render GL_EXT_texture_swizzle GL_ARB_draw_instanced 
00:02:05.866503 VMMDev: vmmDevHeartbeatFlatlinedTimer: Guest seems to be unresponsive. Last heartbeat received 4 seconds ago
00:02:06.045432 VMMDev: GuestHeartBeat: Guest is alive (gone 4 178 986 733 ns)
00:02:20.490286 VMMDev: vmmDevHeartbeatFlatlinedTimer: Guest seems to be unresponsive. Last heartbeat received 4 seconds ago
00:02:20.733748 VMMDev: GuestHeartBeat: Guest is alive (gone 4 245 404 265 ns)

[Perryg]

Post the guests log file ( as an attachment ). Right click on the guest in the Main Manager then click show log. Save and post as an attachment. Compress if it is too large to post.

Also I need to see the guests /var/log/vboxadd-install.log and /var/log/xorg.0.log As attachments

Note: the Could not mount the media..." "(VERR_PDM_MEDIA_LOCKED) means there is something already in the CD/DVD virtual drive and can not be removed. Eject what ever it is and then use the device tab again.

[Viridian]

Hi Perry,

I was able to get to the /var/log folder by disabling 3D acceleration. That is apparently what causes the fatal exception.

The three log files are each under a meg, so I'll try to attach them directly. More power to you if you can decode all of that!

Indeed there was an image 'stuck' in the drive.
Message follows:
----------------------------
Could not unmount the currently mounted media/drive (VERR_PDM_MEDIA_LOCKED).

Result Code:
E_FAIL (0x80004005)
Component:
ConsoleWrap
Interface:
IConsole {872da645-4a9b-1727-bee2-5585105b9eed}
Callee:
IMachine {b2547866-a0a1-4391-8b86-6952d82efaa0}

---------------------------
I was able to locate and mount the iso, but executing the 'autorun' did not seem to fix anything. Still got the exception when 3D was re-enabled.

[Viridian]

Had to compress the vboxadd-install.log file... Attached.

[Perryg]

This part is causing all kinds of issues in your log file.

Code: Select all

00:00:28.199099 supR3HardenedErrorV: supR3HardenedScreenImage/LdrLoadDll: rc=VERR_LDRVI_UNSUPPORTED_ARCH fImage=1 fProtect=0x0 fAccess=0x0 \Device\HarddiskVolume1\Program Files\Dell\QuickSet\dadkeyb.dll: WinVerifyTrust failed with hrc=CERT_E_EXPIRED on '\Device\HarddiskVolume1\Program Files\Dell\QuickSet\dadkeyb.dll'
00:00:28.199425 supR3HardenedErrorV: supR3HardenedMonitor_LdrLoadDll: rejecting 'C:\Program Files\Dell\QuickSet\dadkeyb.dll' (C:\Program Files\Dell\QuickSet\dadkeyb.dll): rcNt=0xc0000190
00:00:28.222055 supR3HardenedErrorV: supR3HardenedScreenImage/LdrLoadDll: cached rc=VERR_LDRVI_UNSUPPORTED_ARCH fImage=1 fProtect=0x0 fAccess=0x0 cHits=1 \Device\HarddiskVolume1\Program Files\Dell\QuickSet\dadkeyb.dll
00:00:28.222192 supR3HardenedErrorV: supR3HardenedMonitor_LdrLoadDll: rejecting 'C:\Program Files\Dell\QuickSet\dadkeyb.dll' (C:\Program Files\Dell\QuickSet\dadkeyb.dll): rcNt=0xc0000190

It gets repeated several times and could be the cause of your issue. Unsigned dll or wrong arch files are dangerous and you should find out what this file is associated with and get signed files or remove if possible ( be sure to check if it is necessary for your host to run ).

I can not find an issue with the Linux guest via the logs so I am moving this to Windows host for now so you can get better support since I don't do windows.

[Viridian]

This part is causing all kinds of issues in your log file.
00:00:28.222192 supR3HardenedErrorV: supR3HardenedMonitor_LdrLoadDll:
rejecting 'C:\Program Files\Dell\QuickSet\dadkeyb.dll'
Unsigned dll or wrong arch files are dangerous and you should find out what this file is associated with and get signed files or remove if possible ( be sure to check if it is necessary for your host to run ).

I can not find an issue with the Linux guest via the logs so I am moving this to Windows host for now so you can get better support since I don't do windows.

Well, that's just weird. Impressive that you even spotted that. But it's a standard Dell file for managing laptop hotkeys and such. I've run a couple different virus checkers on that system, and nothing was flagged. I wonder why it could cause a problem here, and how it could indirectly cause a memory access exception that relates to 3D graphics support.

Anyway, I do appreciate the effort, Perry.

[socratis]

I've run a couple different virus checkers on that system, and nothing was flagged.

It's not that it's got a virus, it's the fact that it is not properly signed and tries to inject itself in every process.

I wonder why it could cause a problem here, and how it could indirectly cause a memory access exception that relates to 3D graphics support.

Because it tries to inject itself, it's not properly signed, it gets rejected and other processes that rely on it, suddenly do not have access to it.

[Perryg]

Actually from what I understand it is not that it is unsigned but the certificate has expired. If so then you should see how to update the dll or see if it can be removed without causing harm.

• WinVerifyTrust failed with hrc=CERT_E_EXPIRED

[Viridian]

That all makes sense (re expired certificate).

Unfortunately, no change after I removed the file though. Still triggers a memory access exception when 3D is enabled. Same ending to the log re OPENGL. Is this caused by Guest Additions?

[Viridian]

So... Do I need to start over and hope that this does not occur again? It does appear that a video driver or OpenGL are the source of the problems, but I'm not sure of any other way to fix this.

If so, is it best to uninstall everything including VBox? (Perhaps that would eliminate the chance of any remnants contaminating the new install?)

Also, is there a recommended sequence for installation? I may have installed the VBox Extension pack -after- setting up the Cinnamon image--though I'm not sure that would matter.

Thanks to all who have advised on this. I know very little about Virtual Box, and this is all new terrain.

[Perryg]

Usually re-installing VirtualBox does not do anything except waste time, but I don't know if that is your case since I do not do Windows. I do know that the main issues are either host graphics drivers or the guest additions in the guest. Mint installs their own version ( fork ) by default and those usually are not compatible with a normal install of VirtualBox. Which means they need to be completely purged before your install the official version or you will have problems. Since I have not actually touched this machine all I can suggest is you purge the additions from the guest ( use synaptic and find all traces ), reboot the guest to clean out all mods and try to install again using the proper directions ( found in your user manual ).