Looking for details of a Working New VirtualBox on Mint 18.3

[FriendDavid]

Hello to All, Especially VirtualBox users,

I have Mint Cinnamon running as well as Ubuntu latest (17.XX) with VB installed on both. Had major difficulties getting VB to run on Mint, but now running. Ubuntu fixed lots for me including getting Grub to work to save my systems, Mint corrupted my boot BCD. Ubuntu also was able to run VB early on and provided keys to getting it installed on Mint. Both will not load a VM using ISO's on Multi-boot stick but Ubuntu will load Mint Mate from CD, Mint Cinnamon will not. Mint and Ubuntu do not see USB drive. Read that USB controller had to be activated but do not know how to load the drivers(?) to do that.?? Also read that VB Extension Packs may have to be loaded so I am looking all over the place for anything that will allow me to load and run VMs on Mint Cinnamon. I have maximum space(18TB+) on my personal network but I did a dumb thing of just giving Ubuntu 64GB and ran into not enough space to load Mint Mate as a VM.

I am an American in SE Asia and want to collaborate with world people in knowledge/tech and maximum fitness.

Cheers to U,
FriendDavid

[WharfRat]

If you installed VB from the repo then check that you have these packages installed:

Code: Select all

[bill@XPS] ~ $ dpkg -l|grep virtualbox|awk '{print $2}'
virtualbox
virtualbox-dkms
virtualbox-ext-pack
virtualbox-guest-additions-iso
virtualbox-qt
[bill@XPS] ~ $ 

[pbear]

David, please tell us which version of VBox you're using. For context, I'm using 5.1.30, but used 5.0.40 until recently.

Both will not load a VM using ISO's on Multi-boot stick

As a test, I just tried this on my one of my installations. Not only was I able to load the ISO from a USB drive (hard disk rather than flash, but shouldn't matter in this context), but I'm running that system from a separate USB drive (also hard disk). At a guess, the problem is you're looking in the wrong place. When you're at the point of designating the ISO - which then gets loaded to VBox as a virtual CD - you need to browse your system. Go to Computer: / (root): media (this is where I suspect you went wrong): partition with desired ISO. Try that and report back.

BTW, I've answered the question you asked. A simpler solution would be to copy the ISOs to your hard drive. Also, if you install from USB then remove that drive from the system, VBox will throw an error because it no longer can locate the ISO. The link can be removed, thereby resolving the error message, but be aware of the issue.

Also read that VB Extension Packs may have to be loaded

That's a separate issue. The extension pack is necessary for the guest system (the one you're installing in VBox) to access USB devices on the host. VirtualBox itself operates at the host level and already has access to everything.

Also, if you haven't already, take the time to read the Manual (also available as a pdf). It's very good and very detailed.

[FriendDavid]

I have the latest VB 5.2 as I just downloaded it 2 days ago. As for the "both" that refers to me using it on Linux Mint Cinnamon 18.3 and Ubuntu 16.04.

I just found out that I have downloaded the VB Extensions Pack downloaded but on the wrong system and I have to go back to Oracle to get the Guest Additions so I am going to get them and move them to this PC. This Linux does not address my My Cloud so I cannot send it using that, have to put them on a USB stick.

I have the extension pack but do not know how to load it, can you give me a bit of directions on that?

Thanks, I truly appreciate your help, I had been off looking for how to do this and did not check back as I should have.
David

[catweazel]

I have the extension pack but do not know how to load it, can you give me a bit of directions on that?

Once virtualbox is installed, just double-click the extension pack in your file manager.

[FriendDavid]

Hello again to those who were helping and all new helpers,

I now have all the items from /Virtualbox/5.2.0_RC1 which includes both RC1...vbox-extpack, VBoxGuestAdditions 5.2.0 RC1.iso and vbox for zesty, yekkety and xenial. I also have the manual and was reading on the Installation of these but I am hoping that we can itemize it here so that it will help others as well as myself. I got all the modules at download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/5.2.0_RC1/ so anyone can find it but I am registered and logged into virtualbox.org for what that is worth.

It would seem that I have everything so I look forward to more of your guidance.

Thanks,
David

[FriendDavid]

Hello again,

I downloaded the Extension Packs from Virtualbox.org/virtualbox/5.2.0 but the installation program say they failed as Follows:
Failed to install the Extension Pack /home/david/Downloads/Oracle_VM_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack-5.2.0_RC1.vbox-extpack.

VBoxExtPackRegister returned VERR_VERSION_MISMATCH, pReg=0000000000000000 ErrInfo='VirtualBox version mismatch - expected 5.2 got 5.0'.

Result Code: NS_ERROR_FAILURE (0x80004005)
Component: ExtPackManagerWrap
Interface: IExtPackManager {edba9d10-45d8-b440-1712-46ac0c9bc4c5}
Result Code: NS_ERROR_FAILURE (0x80004005)

I am not sure how this could happen given that this is directly from the VirtualBox org themselves. ??

Should I go ahead with the VB Guest Additions?

Thanks,
David

[catweazel]

The error message is telling you that you've got the wrong version. You need to go back to the site and download the correct version.

[FriendDavid]

Hello,

Thanks and was aware that it was stating wrong version but I am at the site again(download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/5.2.0_RC1/) and cannot find a different version of the ext pack there.

In fact, when it gets ready to install it, it asks me if I want to reinstall it as being Version: 5.2.0_RC1r118201 so I do not know quite how to do anything different to get the "right Ext Pack". ???

Any help is appreciated.

[catweazel]

Virtualbox 5.2.2: http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualb ... _amd64.deb

Ext pack 5.2.2: http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualb ... ox-extpack

[Cosmo.]

I wonder why you use the release candidate for VB? Download the current version and also the matching extension pack. As this is a minor update you install the current VB on top of the existing install.

[FriendDavid]

Thanks,

I removed my versions and used yours and it installed as all dependencies were satisfied.

Now, I want to install the Guest additions and then to make sure that the qt is in the mix as I remember that it was required.

Such a relief to have the units go together at last.
David

[catweazel]

then to make sure that the qt is in the mix as I remember that it was required.

You don't need Qt for virtualbox.

[FriendDavid]

Hello again,

The GuestAdditions.iso is bad also so do send a copy of your link so that I can load/install it. I just did a dpkg to show what was in the VB mix and only GuestAdditions was missing. My knowledge level is very low but gaining quickly. I will put the ISO on a USB to run it unless you know the process for running it direct from the hard disk.

Thanks again,
David

[FriendDavid]

I started a terminal and submitted a dpkg and found that there were 4 times in the virtualbox of things: 1. Virtualbox, virualbox-5-2, virtualbox-dkms and virtualbox-qt. Only GuestAdditions was missing.

the one I have does not past the test of running it, it fell. Please share yours.

[Cosmo.]

The matching guest additions are part of the downloaded VB install. They are directly reachable from inside of the running VMs via the devices menu.

[FriendDavid]

As I was stating, Novice here. How do you get to the devices menu? Remember that it is not on the Vbox manager and that is all that I am seeing, OK?

Thanks in advance. Look at the date that I registered on here, ha ha ha.
David

[Cosmo.]

No, I wrote: devices menu of the running VM (= guest). Note, that guest additions get installed inside of a VM. Don't mix it with the extension pack, which gets installed in VB itself.

Another point regarding the usage of USB devices inside of VMs: Are you in the host member of the group vboxusers? If you don't know open a terminal and enter the command groups. All groups, where you belong to are listed in the output.

[FriendDavid]

I am not in the host member of the vboxusers, just adm cdrom sudo dip plugdev lpadmin and sambashare. How do I get into the group? What becomes available as a result, the device menu?

[FriendDavid]

I am now a member of vboxusers and how do I get to the devices in the running VM?