Additional host-only network settings lost after host restart

[Bruno Girin]

Binary package hint: virtualbox-ose

When configuring an additional host-only network in VirtualBox, the settings are lost after a restart of the host system (but not after a restart of the VirtualBox application).

Steps to reproduce:
1. Open VirtualBox OSE
2. Go to File -> Preferences
3. Select Network
4. Click on the "Add" button
5. Configure the new network with DHCP disabled, IPv4: 192.168.57.1, netmask 255.255.255.0, name vboxnet1
6. Configure a virtual machine to use vboxnet1 for one of its network interfaces
7. Start the virtual machine: should start normally
8. Stop the virtual machine
9. Close Virtual Box
10. Restart VirtualBox
11. Start the virtual machine: should start normally again
12. Stop the virtual machine
13. Stop Virtual Box
14. Restart the host
15. Start VirtualBox
16. Start the virtual machine that uses vboxnet1
17. The virtual machine fails to start due to a missing network
18. Go to File -> Preferences
19. Select Network
20. vboxnet1 is no longer listed in the network preferences
21. Open a terminal and type: cat ~/.VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml
22. vboxnet1 is listed in the config file even though it does not appear in the GUI

Expected result:
In step 17, the virtual machine that uses vboxnet1 should start normally and in step 20 vboxnet1 should be listed in the list of networks.

Actual result
In step 17, the virtual machine that uses vboxnet1 cannot start and in step 20 vboxnet1 is no longer listed in the list of networks and needs to be re-created. Just clicking on the "Add" button seems to do the trick and the network details are populated as they were before: whether this is due to me choosing default values or the GUI actually re-reading the config file for that network, I don't know.

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: i386
Date: Wed Jan 20 14:25:07 2010
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.10
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release i386 (20091028.5)
Package: virtualbox-ose-qt 3.0.8-dfsg-1ubuntu1
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.31-17.54-generic
SourcePackage: virtualbox-ose
Uname: Linux 2.6.31-17-generic i686
VirtualBoxOse.DpkgList:
 ii virtualbox-guest-additions 3.0.8-1 guest additions iso image for VirtualBox
 ii virtualbox-ose 3.0.8-dfsg-1ubuntu1 x86 virtualization solution - base binaries
 ii virtualbox-ose-qt 3.0.8-dfsg-1ubuntu1 x86 virtualization solution - Qt based user interface
 ii virtualbox-ose-source 3.0.8-dfsg-1ubuntu1 x86 virtualization solution - kernel module source

[Bruno Girin (brunogirin)]

The problem still occurs on Lucid beta (VB 3.1.6). I also got confirmation by email from someone who uses CentOS that the same problem occurs there too. I will therefore file the bug upstream and link it back here.

[rusivi2 (rusivi2-deactivatedaccount)]

Thank you for posting this bug.

What is your host & what is your guest?

As well, Ubuntu & virtualbox-ose have had numerous updates. Please update and repost detailed error report.