[WorksForMe] VirtualBox --startvm no longer working

[caltrop]

what used to work no longer does
this has happened before, some update...?

Code: Select all

VirtualBox --startvm WinXP

but I can start VirtualBox then start WinXP

error message:
Could not find a registered machine named 'WinXP'.

Result Code: VBOX_E_OBJECT_NOT_FOUND (0x80BB0001)
Component: VirtualBoxWrap
Interface: IVirtualBox {0169423f-46b4-cde9-91af-1e9d5b6cd945}

[socratis]

You are trying to run the command as a different user than the user that has registered the VM. Are you trying to run as administrator/root? From the scheduler perhaps?

[caltrop]

I am the sole user of this system.
I am not trying to run as SuperUser.
I have run this command many times in the past.
I can start VirtualBox then start the VM but the command 'VirtualBox --startvm WinXP' no longer works.
This has happened before and I did not know why then nor do I know why now.

[caltrop]

hmmm...

I did modify my name in the group settings recently.
But that is just my name not the USER or GROUP.

I changed it back to what it was and the VBox command 'VirtualBox --startvm WinXP' still does not work.
Neither a launcher or terminal will start a VM. But the VM can be started from 'VirtualBox'

[socratis]

Post the complete, non-obfuscated output of the command "set" from a Command Prompt window. A Command Prompt window that you're going to start by pressing WinKey+R, then enter "cmd".

[caltrop]

Uh... we're in Linux Land.
What do you need from here?

here's the Linux version of 'set'

Code: Select all

XDG_VTNR=7
MATE_DESKTOP_SESSION_ID=this-is-deprecated
SSH_AGENT_PID=1305
XDG_SESSION_ID=c1
XDG_GREETER_DATA_DIR=/var/lib/lightdm-data/caltrop
QT_STYLE_OVERRIDE=gtk
TERM=xterm
SHELL=/bin/bash
VTE_VERSION=4205
QT_LINUX_ACCESSIBILITY_ALWAYS_ON=1
WINDOWID=85983239
GTK_MODULES=gail:atk-bridge
USER=caltrop
LS_COLORS=rs=0:di=01;34:ln=01;36:mh=00:pi=40;33:so=01;35:do=01;35:bd=40;33;01:cd=40;33;01:or=40;31;01:mi=00:su=37;41:sg=30;43:ca=30;41:tw=30;42:ow=34;42:st=37;44:ex=01;32:*.tar=01;31:*.tgz=01;31:*.arc=01;31:*.arj=01;31:*.taz=01;31:*.lha=01;31:*.lz4=01;31:*.lzh=01;31:*.lzma=01;31:*.tlz=01;31:*.txz=01;31:*.tzo=01;31:*.t7z=01;31:*.zip=01;31:*.z=01;31:*.Z=01;31:*.dz=01;31:*.gz=01;31:*.lrz=01;31:*.lz=01;31:*.lzo=01;31:*.xz=01;31:*.bz2=01;31:*.bz=01;31:*.tbz=01;31:*.tbz2=01;31:*.tz=01;31:*.deb=01;31:*.rpm=01;31:*.jar=01;31:*.war=01;31:*.ear=01;31:*.sar=01;31:*.rar=01;31:*.alz=01;31:*.ace=01;31:*.zoo=01;31:*.cpio=01;31:*.7z=01;31:*.rz=01;31:*.cab=01;31:*.jpg=01;35:*.jpeg=01;35:*.gif=01;35:*.bmp=01;35:*.pbm=01;35:*.pgm=01;35:*.ppm=01;35:*.tga=01;35:*.xbm=01;35:*.xpm=01;35:*.tif=01;35:*.tiff=01;35:*.png=01;35:*.svg=01;35:*.svgz=01;35:*.mng=01;35:*.pcx=01;35:*.mov=01;35:*.mpg=01;35:*.mpeg=01;35:*.m2v=01;35:*.mkv=01;35:*.webm=01;35:*.ogm=01;35:*.mp4=01;35:*.m4v=01;35:*.mp4v=01;35:*.vob=01;35:*.qt=01;35:*.nuv=01;35:*.wmv=01;35:*.asf=01;35:*.rm=01;35:*.rmvb=01;35:*.flc=01;35:*.avi=01;35:*.fli=01;35:*.flv=01;35:*.gl=01;35:*.dl=01;35:*.xcf=01;35:*.xwd=01;35:*.yuv=01;35:*.cgm=01;35:*.emf=01;35:*.ogv=01;35:*.ogx=01;35:*.aac=00;36:*.au=00;36:*.flac=00;36:*.m4a=00;36:*.mid=00;36:*.midi=00;36:*.mka=00;36:*.mp3=00;36:*.mpc=00;36:*.ogg=00;36:*.ra=00;36:*.wav=00;36:*.oga=00;36:*.opus=00;36:*.spx=00;36:*.xspf=00;36:
QT_ACCESSIBILITY=1
CLUTTER_BACKEND=x11
XDG_SESSION_PATH=/org/freedesktop/DisplayManager/Session0
XDG_SEAT_PATH=/org/freedesktop/DisplayManager/Seat0
SSH_AUTH_SOCK=/run/user/1000/keyring/ssh
DEFAULTS_PATH=/usr/share/gconf/mate.default.path
SESSION_MANAGER=local/DRAGON:@/tmp/.ICE-unix/1250,unix/DRAGON:/tmp/.ICE-unix/1250
XDG_CONFIG_DIRS=/etc/xdg/xdg-mate:/etc/xdg
PATH=/home/caltrop/bin:/home/caltrop/.local/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games:/usr/local/games
DESKTOP_SESSION=mate
XDG_SESSION_TYPE=x11
PWD=/home/caltrop
LANG=en_US.UTF-8
GDM_LANG=en_US
MANDATORY_PATH=/usr/share/gconf/mate.mandatory.path
TZ=UTC+5
COMPIZ_CONFIG_PROFILE=mate
GDMSESSION=mate
XDG_SEAT=seat0
HOME=/home/caltrop
SHLVL=1
LANGUAGE=en_US
GTK_OVERLAY_SCROLLING=0
XDG_SESSION_DESKTOP=mate
LOGNAME=caltrop
XDG_DATA_DIRS=/usr/share/mate:/usr/local/share/:/usr/share/
DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:abstract=/tmp/dbus-gPafIMSsiG,guid=0b6117c76e554fe79e1246345b6f45d5
LESSOPEN=| /usr/bin/lesspipe %s
XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/1000
DISPLAY=:0
XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=MATE
LESSCLOSE=/usr/bin/lesspipe %s %s
COLORTERM=mate-terminal
XAUTHORITY=/home/caltrop/.Xauthority
_=/usr/bin/printenv

here is the VBox GUI, which is how I have to run things now
and WinXP is indeed there and does run

VBox GUI.png (99.42 KiB) Viewed 2180 times

Ahhh... the fun of fixing computer problems...

[socratis]

Uh... we're in Linux Land.

Uh... how am I supposed to know that exactly? You didn't mention your host's OS, version, revision, family. You should...

What do you need from here?

To see who's launching what. The source of the problem is clear; you're not launching the VirtualBox* process as the same user that has registered the VMs. The "why" is another issue which we have to figure out.

Can you launch a VM (any) from VirtualBox Manager, and shut it down from within the VM? Then right-click on the VM, Show Log. ZIP that log and attach it here. I want to see where the VM launches from and who's doing it.

UPDATE
I don't really like this:

XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/1000

but I'm not a Linux well versed user by any stretch of the imagination...

[caltrop]

latest update

the VBox GUI works as it should
it is the command line or launcher that that fails


I can't have this!

My graphics business, small that it is, runs on WinXP.
The old laptop died & Win10 will not run older stuff so I am left with the virtual world of Linux.
I can NOT afford a complete replacement of ALL my graphics software - THOU$AND$...

I HATE COMPUTERS!!!


this happens at random times after a fresh install of LINUX
this has me perplexed
but when I was running Windows it to baffled at times especially the NEW Win10


here is a summary of what has happened so far
================================================================================
launcher / terminal:
virtualbox --startvm WinXP

-------------------------------------------------------------
Could not find a registered machine named 'WinXP'.

Result Code: VBOX_E_OBJECT_NOT_FOUND (0x80BB0001)
Component: VirtualBoxWrap
Interface: IVirtualBox {0169423f-46b4-cde9-91af-1e9d5b6cd945}
-------------------------------------------------------------

but I can start VirtualBox GUI
then start WinXP

hmmm...

I did modify my name in the group settings recently.
But that is just my name not the USER or GROUP.

I changed it back to what it was and the VBox command 'VirtualBox --startvm WinXP' still does not work.
Neither a launcher or terminal will start a VM. But the VM can be started from 'VirtualBox'

================================================================================
removed VM
no files removed

add VM causes ERROR!

-------------------------------------------------------------
Failed to open virtual machine located in /home/caltrop/VirtualBox VMs/WinXP/WinXP.vbox.

Medium '/home/caltrop/VirtualBox VMs/WinXP/WinXP.vdi' cannot be closed because it is still attached to 1 virtual machines.

Result Code: VBOX_E_OBJECT_IN_USE (0x80BB000C)
Component: MediumWrap
Interface: IMedium {4afe423b-43e0-e9d0-82e8-ceb307940dda}
Callee: IVirtualBox {0169423f-46b4-cde9-91af-1e9d5b6cd945}
Callee RC: VBOX_E_OBJECT_NOT_FOUND (0x80BB0001)
-------------------------------------------------------------

================================================================================
created NEW VM
added existing drive

tried to execute 'virtualbox --startvm WinXP'

-------------------------------------------------------------
There is no virtual machine named WinXP.

Could not find a registered machine named 'WinXP'.

Result Code: VBOX_E_OBJECT_NOT_FOUND (0x80BB0001)
Component: VirtualBoxWrap
Interface: IVirtualBox {0169423f-46b4-cde9-91af-1e9d5b6cd945}
-------------------------------------------------------------

everything still runs in the GUI

then WinXP VM became inaccessable

removed & added it again...

================================================================================

[caltrop]

FIXED IT!

Well, not really but...

uninstalled VBox 5.1.34
installed... could not since there was a new version 5.1.38
so we installed 5.1.38

now things work again, for now...

FYI: I do NOT like the new VBox 5.2, the interface does not follow system theme & it way too Win10 like

[socratis]

FYI: I do NOT like the new VBox 5.2, the interface does not follow system theme & it way too Win10 like

That's too bad for you, because 5.1.x has entered the unsupported status since May/2018. Next time you have a problem expect the first advice to be "Please update to the latest VirtualBox version".

Glad you got it going. Marking as [WorksForMe].