Ubuntu VM then Admin Console greyscreens virtualbox-ose 3.2.8 through 4.0.4

[penalvch]

Binary package hint: virtualbox-ose

1) lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 10.10
Release: 10.10

2) apt-cache policy virtualbox-ose
virtualbox-ose:
  Installed: 3.2.8-dfsg-2ubuntu1
  Candidate: 3.2.8-dfsg-2ubuntu1
  Version table:
 *** 3.2.8-dfsg-2ubuntu1 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick/universe i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

3) What is expected to happen is when one launches VirtualBox-OSE via Applications -> Accessories -> VirtualBox OSE, it does so without greyscreening.

4) What happens instead is immediately after launching, it greyscreens. This started to consistently occur after attempting to close a Lucid VM, right before the GUI popup giving the opportunity to close, shutdown, or send shutdown signal showed, the VM greyscreened. Then I clicked the X on the top left and Force Quit the VM. Then the VirtualBox main window greyscreened. Then I clicked it's X on the top left, then Force Quit it. Now every time afterwards VirtualBox-OSE greyscreens upon launch.

WORKAROUND: Use virt-manager.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
Package: virtualbox-ose 3.2.8-dfsg-2ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-22.34-generic 2.6.35.4
Uname: Linux 2.6.35-22-generic i686
Architecture: i386
Date: Thu Oct 14 00:03:29 2010
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Beta i386 (20100901.1)
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: virtualbox-ose

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Update, after restarting the host, VirtualBox-OSE launched without greyscreening and the VM launched without problems. This phenomenon seems rare and not consistently reproducible.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Compiled virtualbox-ose 3.2.10 through 4.0.2 from source, occurred in each release. Ruled out virtualbox-ose-guest-x11 as this was not installed in any of the guests when this occurred. The greyscreen occurred immediately after clicking "Machine" on the top left of a Ubuntu VM. Once this occurs, the GUI admin console subsequently greyscreens. After which I either have to kill all virtualbox-ose processes or restart.

HOST:
lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 10.10
Release: 10.10

GUEST:
lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 10.10
Release: 10.10

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Reproduced via VirtualBox OSE 4.0.4 PPA at the Terminal:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:debfx/virtualbox && sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get -y upgrade && sudo apt-get -y install virtualbox-ose && sudo VBoxManage convertfromraw /var/lib/libvirt/images/ubuntu1104.img ubuntu1104.vdi && sudo chmod ugoa=+rwxXst ubuntu1104.vdi

Added the virtual disk via the GUI, happened again. Going back to virt-manager until next release then will retest.

lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 10.10
Release: 10.10

apt-cache policy virtualbox-ose
virtualbox-ose:
  Installed: 4.0.4-dfsg-1ubuntu1~maverick1~ppa1
  Candidate: 4.0.4-dfsg-1ubuntu1~maverick1~ppa1
  Version table:
 *** 4.0.4-dfsg-1ubuntu1~maverick1~ppa1 0
        500 http://ppa.launchpad.net/debfx/virtualbox/ubuntu/ maverick/main i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     3.2.8-dfsg-2ubuntu1 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick/universe i386 Packages

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Upgraded to Ubuntu 11.04 and it has not happened since. This issue is considered closed.

 lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 11.04
Release: 11.04

apt-cache policy virtualbox-ose
virtualbox-ose:
  Installed: 4.0.4-dfsg-1ubuntu4.1
  Candidate: 4.0.4-dfsg-1ubuntu4.1
  Version table:
 *** 4.0.4-dfsg-1ubuntu4.1 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty-updates/universe i386 Packages
        500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty-security/universe i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     4.0.4-dfsg-1ubuntu4 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ natty/universe i386 Packages