modprobe: ERROR: could not insert 'vboxvideo': Invalid argument

[rossmpersonal]

I am running a CentOS 7 guest on a macOS 10.11.6 host. uname -r returns:
3.10.0-514.26.2.el7.x86_64


I just upgraded to VirtualBox 5.1.24 r117012 (Qt5.6.2). I also upgrade to extension pack 5.1.24r117012. I then upgraded my guest additions to the latest version on the CentOS guest.

After upgrading, running rcvboxadd setup as root yields results in:

chcon: can't apply partial context to unlabeled file ‘/usr/lib64/VBoxGuestAdditions/mount.vboxsf’
vboxadd.sh: Starting the VirtualBox Guest Additions.

modprobe: ERROR: could not insert 'vboxvideo': Invalid argument
You may need to restart the Window System (or just restart the guest system)
to enable the Guest Additions.

chcon: can't apply partial context to unlabeled file ‘/var/lib/VBoxGuestAdditions/lib/libGL.so.1’

The chcon errors are expected as I have SELinux disabled.

What potentially concerns me is the modprobe: ERROR: could not insert 'vboxvideo': Invalid argument line.

1. Should I be concerned?
2. If I should be concerned, please point me in the right direction for solving this problem or walk me through troubleshooting this as I am a newbie?

Please let me know if you need more information. I am sorry if I am asking a duplicate question.

[Perryg]

Did you reboot the guest, and does it seem to be working? If not then post the guests log file ( as an attachment ).

Note: you should not need to run rcvboxadd setup following an install since the install preforms the binary rebuild just like the setup does.

[rossmpersonal]

I rebooted the guest many times and got the same result after running rcvboxadd setup each time. Which log files do you need me to attach (because their are some log files I cannot post and there are some logs that I may have to redact.)?

Everything seems to be functionally working as far as I can tell. I just want to make sure there is not something that did not go right during the upgrade or is not configured right or something else is wrong below the surface.

[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.

Note: there really should not be a reason to redact the log file. It should not contain any state secrets.

[rossmpersonal]

Log file is attached. Please let me know if you need more information. Thank you.

[Perryg]

The log shows a working guest and as you said the guest seems to be working properly. You can run " glxinfo | grep OpenGL" in the guests terminal to see of chromium/humper is being used. That will indicated the guest is using the 3D acceleration feature. I don't know the real reason for the failed modprobe at this point but recompiling and trying to remount could be an issue that can only be resolved with a reboot. It depends on if the OS is using systemd or init.

[rossmpersonal]

Code: Select all

glxinfo | grep OpenGL

OpenGL vendor string: Humper
OpenGL renderer string: Chromium
OpenGL version string: 2.1 Chromium 1.9
OpenGL shading language version string: 1.20
OpenGL extensions:

The OS is using systemd .

Where can I find good instructions for recompiling and trying to remount as you suggested above as I am a newbie?

[Perryg]

Where can I find good instructions for recompiling and trying to remount as you suggested above as I am a newbie?

Ah well there's the rub. Basic help would come from the distro you are using as far as any compile training. It is a basic Linux thing after all but most folks don't use or learn how to do this any more.
I would say for your part the guest seems to be working as it should and just carry on from there.

[rossmpersonal]

Saying I am newbie is a slight exaggeration. I am a virtual box newbie but I code, compile, and build software all the time. Are you suggest that I build virtual box guest additions from source?

[Perryg]

No not at all. I am saying that the actual running rcvboxadd setup and the failed modprobe must be a ruse. As you can see the module must be running or the vboxvideo and the associating 3D acceleration "GL" must be loaded or you would not be seeing a working guest with acceleration. I do have a centos-7 guest and it does not have this issue so it must be something in your guest and the way it is working. If I were going to troubleshoot this I would install another clean guest and install the guest additions and see if it works the same as the original. The only thing I can think of at the moment that might cause the modprobe to fail is what I said earlier systemd vs. init. You might be able to track this down further with the guests syslog and dmesg. Also see if the modules are actually loaded
"ps -awx | grep V"

Edit: Here is what happens when I run rcvboxadd setup on a CentOS-7 guest. As you see it says it needs to be rebooted for the modules to be replaced, but does not fail with a modprobe issue.

Code: Select all

[centos@localhost ~]$ sudo rcvboxadd setup
VirtualBox Guest Additions: Building the VirtualBox Guest Additions kernel modules.
VirtualBox Guest Additions: Running kernel modules will not be replaced until the system is restarted
VirtualBox Guest Additions: Starting.
You may need to restart the Window System (or just restart the guest system)
to enable the Guest Additions.