Cannot create virtual box VMs

Archived topics about LMDE 1 and LMDE 2
Locked
xircon

Cannot create virtual box VMs

Post by xircon »

I have a core i5 machine. I installed vbox from the repo & website. If I try to create a VM, the whole machine grinds to a halt, have tried Ubuntu/Mageia. Found a bug relating to Macs and sandybridge, but nothing specific to PC - is anyone else having trouble?
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
Aging Technogeek

Re: Cannot create virtual box VMs

Post by Aging Technogeek »

Can you give us a little more detailed description of what is happening?

How do you start the install sequence?

How far does it get before it stops?

Any details you can give will help diagnose your problem.
xircon

Re: Cannot create virtual box VMs

Post by xircon »

OK, will try:

I installed vbox 4.1.8 r75467 (tried the repo version but this came from the vbox website). Downloaded the Debian net install iso and Ubuntu 11.10 iso.

I create a virtual machine, accept the defaults, increase the memory available 1024mb and point it at the iso (lets say Ubuntu).

My machine becomes virtually unusable, the cursor lags, alt-tab eventually lets me change to an active window, but the machine is still unusable.

I get bored after a while (usually around the 2 hour mark) and power off the machine.

Running Sid/Gnome3 on a core i5 with 4gb of memory, reasonably fresh install too.

Have used vbox for years to play around with other distros, never had any problems before (on core duo laptop). Hope that covers everything, shout if you need more.

Steve
Aging Technogeek

Re: Cannot create virtual box VMs

Post by Aging Technogeek »

I had not installed Vbox on Mint 12 so I thought there might be some problem with compatibility. I just downloaded and installed the .deb package for same version you have from the Oracle website. Also downloaded and installed the extension pack. Loaded Ubuntu 11.10 and it installed in about ten minutes.

I just read this line from your last post.
Running Sid/Gnome3 on a core i5 with 4gb of memory, reasonably fresh install too.
I had not noticed this before. Are you running LMDE or pure Debian? I have no experience with Vbox in LMDE and have never used Debian. I cannot say what, if any compatibility problems or installation quirks you may be experiencing. All of my advice was based on running Vbox in Mint 11 and now in Mint 12. I am sorry I did not find this out earlier, it would have saved both of us a great deal of time.
xircon

Re: Cannot create virtual box VMs

Post by xircon »

I did post this in the LMDE forum :) Running LMDE but with Sid/Experimental enabled. It was the only way to get Gnome 3.2.1. Will keep tinkering / Googling, but time for bed :)
Aging Technogeek

Re: Cannot create virtual box VMs

Post by Aging Technogeek »

As usual, I picked this topic from the "New Posts" list and, as usual, I did not check to see where it was originally posted. This does sometimes leave me with egg on my face. Someday I'll learn.
xircon

Re: Cannot create virtual box VMs

Post by xircon »

:)

OK can't sleep. I am trying the Debian Net install iso again. Machine becomes totally unusable retrieving file 465/1227, with high disk activity, lagging cursor and unable to swap windows. Have played with the settings, it is lots better with pae/nx enabled and I have given it two processor cores. But on the positive side I got Ubuntu installed with the same settings. It must be the pae/nx setting, which I didn't think I needed as my machine is x64 and thought pae was for 32bit machines with big memories.

But as per normal it is the Debian VM I want to use. Going to bed again , I give up on Debian net install.
wayne128

Re: Cannot create virtual box VMs

Post by wayne128 »

xircon wrote::)

OK can't sleep. I am trying the Debian Net install iso again. Machine becomes totally unusable retrieving file 465/1227, with high disk activity, lagging cursor and unable to swap windows. Have played with the settings, it is lots better with pae/nx enabled and I have given it two processor cores. But on the positive side I got Ubuntu installed with the same settings. It must be the pae/nx setting, which I didn't think I needed as my machine is x64 and thought pae was for 32bit machines with big memories.

But as per normal it is the Debian VM I want to use. Going to bed again , I give up on Debian net install.

Steve,
I am curious, so , got to try it out.

This is i3 cpu, running LMDE-Sid-gnome3+Mate on 32-bit pae kernel
Got virtualbox installed from Sid repos.
It is version 4.1.8_Debian r75467

wayne@lmde32g ~ $ uname -r
3.1.0-1-686-pae
wayne@lmde32g ~ $ apt-cache policy virtualbox
virtualbox:
Installed: 4.1.8-dfsg-1
Candidate: 4.1.8-dfsg-1

Setup a guess OS for Linux OS, no issue.

Now trying the Debian netinstall iso..., pick default (gnome), around retrieving 720/1072.. still running..
will continue later.

EDIT: continue.
it went on and complete the installation.
play with it, all is well.
But as per normal it is the Debian VM I want to use. Going to bed again , I give up on Debian net install.
So do not give up Debian VM :mrgreen:
xircon

Re: Cannot create virtual box VMs

Post by xircon »

Wayne

How long do you estimate it took?

Did your machine become unusable for long periods of time during the install?

I started the install running at around 23:30 - 23:45, gave up around 01:15 with around two thirds of the files left and the machine unusable, had to cancel the install to answer the email.

Anyway, officially give up!!

Steve
wayne128

Re: Cannot create virtual box VMs

Post by wayne128 »

Steve,
I think it took around 45 minutes// longer than your give-up time :mrgreen:
The machine was still running well while VM was being installed, better than your experience. Something was not too right on your OS I think..

This might not be your case, long time ago I learned Debian netinstall, I found using Debian default server was far too slow,, perhaps due to my location.
It took sometime like 2 hours, I almost gave up..

Then I learned later than choosing a server nearby .
Thus once I found that to be the case, I always use the two most reliable and fast servers.. as you are aware you can choose your Debian server during installation.
JeffShepherd

Re: Cannot create virtual box VMs

Post by JeffShepherd »

xircon,

Your problem sounds the same as the one I had when I was first trying virtualbox. The solution for me was to close Thunderbird so I had no emails coming in, I'm still puzzled as to how receiving an email would cause the creation of a VM to grind to a halt but I guess that is just one of the many wonders of modern technology.
xircon

Re: Cannot create virtual box VMs

Post by xircon »

Well I chose the UK, which at that time of night, should have been fine. The main difference is the architecture, this could be the problem.

Steve

:Edit: No the email didn't do anything, my phone told me I had received an email, but at that point the machine was lagging so much, with high disk usage (indicated by the HD light) that it was impossible to use to answer the email, till I abandoned the install.

:Edit2: There was no obvious reason for the high disk activity, it was downloading from the server, I would expect some activity, but not constant, light on solid activity. All I had open was vbox and chrome.
Locked

Return to “LMDE Archive”