System hang with Virtualbox & kernel 4.13.0-32-generic

[Rod Smith]

Some (maybe all) kernels in the 4.13.0 series are hanging with Virtualbox on my Ubuntu 16.04 laptop. When I try to launch a Virtualbox VM, the VM's window appears, clears to black, and then the mouse freezes. I do NOT see any BIOS/EFI information or boot loader in the VM; the hang occurs before those messages appear. (I've tried this with the VM set for both BIOS and EFI booting with no difference.) The host computer also stops responding to pings or anything else; the only solution seems to be to do a cold reset. I've tested this on a different computer running the same kernel and the latest Ubuntu 18.04 alpha and had no problems there. Here's some data from the affected computer:

$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 16.04.3 LTS
Release: 16.04

$ cat /proc/version_signature
Ubuntu 4.13.0-32.35~16.04.1-generic 4.13.13

$ dpkg -s virtualbox | grep Version
Version: 5.0.40-dfsg-0ubuntu1.16.04.2

This problem does NOT occur with earlier kernels, such as those in the 4.4.0 series.
---
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.15
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: rodsmith 2661 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: Unity
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-05-02 (1382 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140417)
MachineType: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD. 740U5M
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: \vmlinuz-4.13.0-32-generic.efi.signed ro root=/dev/mapper/hostname-trusty_crypt quiet splash initrd=\initrd.img-4.13.0-32-generic
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.13.0-32.35~16.04.1-generic 4.13.13
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.13.0-32-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.13.0-32-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.157.15
Tags: xenial
Uname: Linux 4.13.0-32-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to xenial on 2016-09-03 (526 days ago)
UserGroups: adm cdrom dialout dip disk libvirtd lpadmin plugdev sambashare sbuild sudo vboxusers
_MarkForUpload: True
dmi.bios.date: 12/06/2016
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: P02AFZ.015.161206.KS
dmi.board.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.board.name: NP740U5M-X01US
dmi.board.vendor: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
dmi.board.version: SGL8815A0I-C01-G001-S0001+10.0.14393
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 31
dmi.chassis.vendor: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrP02AFZ.015.161206.KS:bd12/06/2016:svnSAMSUNGELECTRONICSCO.,LTD.:pn740U5M:pvrP02AFZ:rvnSAMSUNGELECTRONICSCO.,LTD.:rnNP740U5M-X01US:rvrSGL8815A0I-C01-G001-S0001+10.0.14393:cvnSAMSUNGELECTRONICSCO.,LTD.:ct31:cvrN/A:
dmi.product.family: SAMSUNG ATIV
dmi.product.name: 740U5M
dmi.product.version: P02AFZ
dmi.sys.vendor: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. While running an Ubuntu kernel (not a mainline or third-party kernel) please enter the following command in a terminal window:

apport-collect 1748901

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

[Rod Smith (rodsmith)]

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[Rod Smith (rodsmith)]

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[Rod Smith (rodsmith)]

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[Rod Smith (rodsmith)]

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[Rod Smith (rodsmith)]

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[Rod Smith (rodsmith)]

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[Rod Smith (rodsmith)]

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[Rod Smith (rodsmith)]

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[Rod Smith (rodsmith)]

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[Rod Smith (rodsmith)]

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[Rod Smith (rodsmith)]

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[Rod Smith (rodsmith)]

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[Rod Smith (rodsmith)]

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[Rod Smith (rodsmith)]

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[Rod Smith (rodsmith)]

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[Rod Smith (rodsmith)]

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[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v4.16 kernel[0].

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.16-rc1/

[Rod Smith (rodsmith)]

Joseph, I'm having problems doing that because of the VirtualBox kernel modules, which don't want to compile for the 4.16 kernel. Here's what I get why I try to re-install dkms and virtualbox-dkms:

$ sudo apt-get install dkms virtualbox-dkms
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  linux-headers-4.13.0-26 linux-headers-4.13.0-26-generic
  linux-image-4.13.0-26-generic linux-image-extra-4.13.0-26-generic
  linux-signed-image-4.13.0-26-generic
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  dkms virtualbox-dkms
0 upgraded, 2 newly installed, 0 to remove and 11 not upgraded.
Need to get 690 kB of archives.
After this operation, 5,319 kB of additional disk space will be used.
Get:1 http://nessus.rodsbooks.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 dkms all 2.2.0.3-2ubuntu11.5 [66.3 kB]
Get:2 http://nessus.rodsbooks.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/multiverse amd64 virtualbox-dkms all 5.0.40-dfsg-0ubuntu1.16.04.2 [624 kB]
Fetched 690 kB in 0s (1,499 kB/s)
Selecting previously unselected package dkms.
(Reading database ... 550655 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../dkms_2.2.0.3-2ubuntu11.5_all.deb ...
Unpacking dkms (2.2.0.3-2ubuntu11.5) ...
Selecting previously unselected package virtualbox-dkms.
Preparing to unpack .../virtualbox-dkms_5.0.40-dfsg-0ubuntu1.16.04.2_all.deb ...
Unpacking virtualbox-dkms (5.0.40-dfsg-0ubuntu1.16.04.2) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.5-1) ...
Setting up dkms (2.2.0.3-2ubuntu11.5) ...
Setting up virtualbox-dkms (5.0.40-dfsg-0ubuntu1.16.04.2) ...
Loading new virtualbox-5.0.40 DKMS files...
First Installation: checking all kernels...
Building only for 4.16.0-041600rc1-generic
Building initial module for 4.16.0-041600rc1-generic
ERROR (dkms apport): kernel package linux-headers-4.16.0-041600rc1-generic is not supported
Error! Bad return status for module build on kernel: 4.16.0-041600rc1-generic (x86_64)
Consult /var/lib/dkms/virtualbox/5.0.40/build/make.log for more information.
Job for virtualbox.service failed because the control process exited with error code. See "systemctl status virtualbox.service" and "journalctl -xe" for details.
invoke-rc.d: initscript virtualbox, action "restart" failed.
● virtualbox.service - LSB: VirtualBox Linux kernel module
   Loaded: loaded (/etc/init.d/virtualbox; bad; vendor preset: enabled)
   Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Tue 2018-02-13 13:30:45 EST; 3ms ago
     Docs: man:systemd-sysv-generator(8)
  Process: 9835 ExecStart=/etc/init.d/virtualbox start (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)

Feb 13 13:30:45 louiswu systemd[1]: Starting LSB: VirtualBox Linux kernel m.....
Feb 13 13:30:45 louiswu virtualbox[9835]: * Loading VirtualBox kernel modul....
Feb 13 13:30:45 louiswu virtualbox[9835]: * No suitable module for running ...d
Feb 13 13:30:45 louiswu virtualbox[9835]: ...fail!
Feb 13 13:30:45 louiswu systemd[1]: virtualbox.service: Control process exi...=1
Feb 13 13:30:45 louiswu systemd[1]: Failed to start LSB: VirtualBox Linux k...e.
Feb 13 13:30:45 louiswu syst...

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

It sounds like the latest mainline kernel might not be testable then. It might be good to test the latest bionic kernel:

https://launchpad.net/~canonical-kernel-team/+archive/ubuntu/bootstrap/+build/14347009

If it does not fix the bug, we can try bisecting the 4.13 kernel to see what commit introduced this.

[Rod Smith (rodsmith)]

Sorry it's taken me so long to get back to you; the affected system is my main work computer, so I can't just go rebooting it constantly, and I've been busy with other things.

In any event, I'm afraid I haven't had much luck with these newer kernels. The bottom line is that to get the VirtualBox modules installed, I need the linux-headers-{version}-generic package, and for these newer kernels, that package depends on libssl1.1 or greater; but the 16.04 I'm using ships with libssl1.0, and I'm unwilling to upgrade that package and risk far greater (and worse) problems or a return to the old "dependency hell" issues of the 1990s.

If I get the chance, I may try installing bionic on a removable drive and try to reproduce the problem in that way.

[mampe71 (sr71)]

If you change the value of GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT from "quiet splash" to "" Ubuntu will boot.
When it hangs during boot you can press left Shift key during boot - in the boot menu press "e" and
remove the values quiet splash (at the end of the file pre last line). THen Ctrl-X and Ubuntu will boot.
Then you have to modify the parameter GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT to "" in /etc/default/grub and do an sudo update-grub afterwards.