virtualbox-guest-utils update caused Synaptic to stop working

[Bart Companies]

- Linux Mint 18.1 Xfce 64-bit
- Oracle VirtualBox v.5.0.40 r115130
- Package: virtualbox-guest-utils
  -- Older version: 5.0.18-dfsg-2build1
  -- Newer version: 5.1.34-dfsg-0ubuntu1.16.04.2

Description of Events:

(a) Immediately after updating the package virtualbox-guest-utils (via Update Manager, configured to show and install only level 1, 2 and 3 packages and with no other packages being updated simmultaneously) a warning window started popping up saying something like "the indicator app has left the panel more than 60 times in the last second" and hitting the reload button had no effect other than reloading the same warning window.

(b) All icons loaded via the indicator app (Update Manager, weather app, qBittorrent and Thunderbird) disappeared from the panel.

(b) The XScreenSaver (v.5.34) stopped loading the sole configured module GLSlideshow slideshow of my photos, showing only a blank black screen, although moving the mouse returned me to my desktop.

(c) The following programs stopped working immediately and could not be started via its respective icons from the Whisker Menu:
    - Synaptic
    - Update Manager
    - Mozilla Firefox
    - Mozilla Thunderbird
    - VirtualBox

(d) A cold reboot of the computer did not solve the issues above and the same warning window started popping up again.

(e) Downgrading the package from the terminal (via the command "sudo apt-get install virtualbox-guest-utils=5.0.18-dfsg-2build1") and cold rebooting the rig returned my computer to full functionality.

P.S.: tried to submit the proper package tag (virtualbox-guest-utils) but it there was an error message stating ""virtualbox-guest-utils" does not exist in Ubuntu. Please choose a different package" so I chose the closest related one "virtualbox" from the pull-down menu on the bug submission form.

[Ubuntu Foundations Team Bug Bot (crichton)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. It seems that your bug report is not filed about a specific source package though, rather it is just filed against Ubuntu in general. It is important that bug reports be filed about source packages so that people interested in the package can find the bugs about it. You can find some hints about determining what package your bug might be about at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/FindRightPackage. You might also ask for help in the #ubuntu-bugs irc channel on Freenode.

To change the source package that this bug is filed about visit https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/1758946/+editstatus and add the package name in the text box next to the word Package.

[This is an automated message. I apologize if it reached you inappropriately; please just reply to this message indicating so.]

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Gianfranco Costamagna (costamagnagianfranco)]

hello, where does Oracle VirtualBox v.5.0.40 r115130 comes from? can you please update it?

[Bart Companies (bart.companies)]

Hi, LocutusOfBorg, how are you?

Regarding your question I downloaded the .deb file directly from Oracle's VirtualBox webpage at https://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/5.0.40/

I originally installed the deb package for Ubuntu 14.04 (https://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/5.0.40/virtualbox-5.0_5.0.40-115130~Ubuntu~trusty_amd64.deb) when I installed Linux Mint Xfce 17 64-bit (some two years when I migrated from Linux Mint Xfce 13) and suceeded in using virtual machines I developed for my own needs (a Windows XP SP3 32-bit, a Windows 7.1 32-bit, a Windows 8 64-bit and a FreeBSD x86-64) as the version available from the Mint repositories failed to launch any of these VM's.

When I moved from Linux Mint 17 to Linux Mint 18.1 Xfce 64-bit (again a fresh installation from scratch) the VirtualBox version available from the repositories failed (again) to launch any of my VM's and so proceeded to install the Ubuntu 16.4 available from Oracle (https://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/5.0.40/virtualbox-5.0_5.0.40-115130~Ubuntu~xenial_amd64.deb) and again was able to run my VM's flawlessly.

So you see Locutus, I can't update my rig to the latest VirtualBox version, either the one from Mint's repositories or the one from Oracle's website.

By the way, the Mint Update Manager was updated yesterday to version 5.2.1.2 and this update automatically triggered the removal of the virtualbox-guest-utils package, but my VM's are still running alright after I rebooted my rig afterwards (and on Linux Mint 17.x and 18.x this package is installed automatically when the OS is installed and were loaded at boot time regardless of VirtualBox being or not installed on that particular system).

Hope this info was helpful. Have a nice day.

[Gianfranco Costamagna (costamagnagianfranco)]

Hello, I pushed vbox 5.1.34 to Ubuntu xenial, can't you just ask mint people to upgrade or use it directly? it should be installable in your mint version.

the guest might have been autoremoved because of new hwe upgrade, maybe you can install virtualbox-guest-utils-hwe on your system?
https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/virtualbox-hwe

[kolokolovorot (vutil)]

It seems that I have the same issue here:

Host: windows 7 x64 VirtualBox 5.2.8
Guest: lubuntu 16.04 amd64
virtualbox-guest-dkms-hwe installed from standard repos (and associated utils-hwe and x11-hwe).

After upgrading guest additions(the above three packages only) from 5.0.40 to 5.1.34 and guest reboot Firefox and some other apps do not start in the guest.

When an affected app is run via a mouse click nothing happens except the mouse pointer changes to hour glass for about ten seconds. When the mouse pointer is in that state I do not see the launched app in the output of `ps` utility.

When run from bash console the affected apps produce no output, just exit.

Apps that do not start:
  firefox, synaptic, galculator

Apps that are ok:
  pcmanfm, leafpad, all qt-based programs

[Gianfranco Costamagna (costamagnagianfranco)]

can you please try this?
- notify-send "VBoxClient: the VirtualBox kernel service is not running. Exiting."
+ notify-send "VBoxClient: the VirtualBox kernel service is not running. Exiting." &

change the notify-send command, adding an "&" at the end, on file
"/etc/X11/Xsession.d/98vboxadd-xclient" around line 26

thanks!

[Bart Companies (bart.companies)]

Hi, LocutusOfBorg

Is your request above (about "notify-send") for me or for user "kolokolovorot"?

If your request is directed to me, please remember that with yesterday's Mint Update Manager update to v.5.2.1.2 the said package "virtualbox-guest-utils" was removed from my system. While running any VM, Task Manager no longer lists this package as a running process and my VM's are performing flawlessly, including all "extras" (such as USB 3 support on the guest side) that were installed via the said package.

[Bart Companies (bart.companies)]

[ANSWER REGARDING COMMENT # 05 FROM LocutusOfBorg]

Hi Locutus

Yes, I was able to install v.5.1.34 and from the deb packages from Oracle's website when I migrated to Mint 17 and later to Mint 18.1. Although the VirtualBox program itself installs and loads alright and I could build a new VM under it, the Virtual Machines I already got simply refuses to starts under any VirtualBox v.5.1 or v.5.2 version (I built these VM's at the time I was still using Linux Mint 13 Xfce some four years ago!). Since I invested a lot of money and specially a lot of time building these VM's, rebuilding them from scratch on VirtualBox v.5.1 or v.5.2 is something I am not contemplating to do right now. I may be forced to rebuild them some years in the future when I migrate to a newer Mint version down the road if the v.5.0 version does not work under that future Mint version (although I think that unlikely).

Thanks anyway for your concern: it is deeply appreciated.

[kolokolovorot (vutil)]

Just added an "&" to line 26 as you requested in "/etc/X11/Xsession.d/98vboxadd-xclient", rebooted, still cannot launch firefox.

[Laima Mikaliukas (mentha)]

After the virtualbox update to guest-utils=5.1.34
on two machines running Linux Mint Sylvia xfce 18.3 64bit
? indicator plugin error was the first symptom of xfce gui executables desktop failure.
DEBUG libindicator-plugin Entry added for io=libapplication.so
DEBUG LIBDBUSMENU-GLIB Generating properties error for: 121
DEBUG LIBDBUSMENU-GLIB Error getting properties on a new menuitem: Error getting properties
etc., etc,...
'Generating properties error for: 121 through 143"?

lost network connections, update manager, synaptic, webbrowser, text editor and terminal

applications wouldn't load from gui's or terminal

I don't use VirtualBox but, this update had crashed my computers.
Probably shouldn't have updated if it was listed as level 2 update in Update Manager.

Thanks to Bart Companies for lead to downgrade fix.
the downgrade:
 "(via the command "sudo apt-get install virtualbox-guest-utils=5.0.18-dfsg-2build1")"
brought the machines back to full functionality.
Otherwise, it's been pretty hard to find, what I believe was the previously installed version
virtualbox-guest-utils=5.0.40-dfsg-0ubuntu1.

[Gianfranco Costamagna (costamagnagianfranco)]

Hello, can you please get in touch with mint people? I don't know what can be this issue, for sure the guest utils should not be a reason for this.
I would like to understand if they have some changes wrt graphic libraries or similar, maybe they have a different GL library or X server?

[Bart Companies (bart.companies)]

Hi, Locutus

I went to the Mint forums and there is already a thread open on the virtualbox-guest-utils package and yes, it seems that the issue was related to a "buggy" virtualbox-guest-utils.

The issue was solved on Mint 18.x by the removal of the said package triggered by updating the Update Manager to v.5.2.1.2.

This buggy package was deemed not necessary for desktop computers running Mint 18.x versions (including running Mint as the host OS in Oracle VirtualBox). A comment on this thread by Clem (Mint's Team Leader) can be found here: https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=266431&p=1449369&hilit=virtualbox+guest+utils#p1449369

For people running Mint 18.x as the guest OS the best fix so far is still to downgrade the package from v.5.1 to the v.5.0 version of this package by running on the Terminal on the guest side the command "sudo apt-get install virtualbox-guest-utils=5.0.18-dfsg-2build1", as simply removing the virtualbox-guest-utils package will also remove the "extra" functionalities such as USB 3 support on the guest OS. This package downgrade is of course only successful in downgrading the package via the above command if the older v.5.0.x version was not manually purged from the cached install packages on the guest OS.

The same command via the Terminal can also be used by people running Mint 18.x without VirtualBox or running Mint 18.x as their guest OS and who affected by this bug and who cannot launch Synaptic and the Update Manager (and thus cannot upgrade the Update Manager to trigger the removal of the buggy package). After downgrading the package and cold rebooting the rig the removal of this buggy package should be triggered after the refresh of the availables updates through the Update Manager, thus solving the issue.

Regarding the cause of the conflicts crashing multiple processes with this buggy package, my impression is that Clem and the rest of the Mint Team did not even want to delve too deep, which I also agree would be counterproductive and a waste of time and brains to try to fix a package which is not required other than people running the Mint 18.x OS as a guest (and for whom downgrading the package is an effective, reliable, simple and fast fix).

[Gianfranco Costamagna (costamagnagianfranco)]

I'm seriously more interested in the Ubuntu 18.04 and virtualbox 5.2, as well as the mint that will result from that combination. Please ask mint people to try re-enabling for the upcoming release, and test in a vm too :)

[Bart Companies (bart.companies)]

I am truly sorry Locutus but I have no interest in pursuing this bug any further: my issues were fully addressed and my rig is back to full functionality (and I more a of "an advanced user" than a developer of OS software and/or apps).

I think you ought to contact them directly. Even if you are not a Linux Mint user, you can still create a user account at the Linux Mint forums and interact with the Mint development teams, especially Clem (Mint's team leader), and ask them to address your specific interests.

Goodbye!

[Karlchen (karlchen)]

Hello, LocutusOfBorg.

In version virtualbox-guest-x11 (5.1.34-dfsg-0ubuntu1.16.04.2) line 26 of the file
/etc/X11/Xsession.d/98vboxadd-xclient
now reads:
   notify-send "VBoxClient: the VirtualBox kernel service is not running. Exiting."

In version virtualbox-guest-x11 (5.0.40-dfsg-0ubuntu1.16.04.2) line 26 of the file
/etc/X11/Xsession.d/98vboxadd-xclient
still read:
   true # "VBoxClient: the VirtualBox kernel service is not running. Exiting."

It is imaginable that it is the notify-send is what makes Linux Mint 18.x malfunction.
Maybe reverting to the old statement
   true # "VBoxClient: the VirtualBox kernel service is not running. Exiting."

would work around the issue.

Sadly, I cannot really test myself at the moment. The latest update of mintupdate has not only uninstalled the 3 virtualbox-guest-* packages, but also made sure they cannot be re-installed at all.
Unless I find a way of reverting this specific package ban I may not be able to try myself at all.

Regards,
Karl

[Gianfranco Costamagna (costamagnagianfranco)]

Sorry but if that line has *never* been "true".

If it is that way (I don't want to say otherwise, because I can't check mint), this is a change that comes from mint developers, something I'm really not interested at all, unless they come to me asking to integrate/fix something.

Feel free to complain to them, asking why they diverged from my packaging without sending bug reports or complains.

for sure, my upload increased the version, so maybe you got your package upgraded because of this

In any case nothing I can fix without rationale for the change or a bug report, closing.

[Karlchen (karlchen)]

Hello, LocutusOfBorg.

I am absolutely certain that you are right in telling that line #8 of file /etc/X11/Xsession.d/98vboxadd-xclient has never read
   true # "VBoxClient: the VirtualBox kernel service is not running.
on Ubuntu 16.04.

Yet, I am absolutely certain, too, that I have checked the file on my Linux Mint 18.1 while version 5.0.40-dfsg-0ubuntu1.16.04.2 was still on the disk and right before it got uninstalled. And the line read as I have quoted.
Plus, I had not tinkered around with any file, installed as part of virtualbox-guest.

So you may be right that this change may have been applied by the Linux Mint makers. Guess they will have had a reason.

Why?
On my Mint 18.1 xfce, by now, the 3 virtualbox-guest packages version 5.1.34-dfsg-0ubuntu1.16.04.2 are present, i.e. they have been installed via Synaptic; and the machine seems to work correctly so far. But 60 min. uptime is not really very long.
It works, because I have reverted line #8 to what I had found in file 98vboxadd-xclient of the previous version.

Seems a bit as if the "early" notify-send invocation may be what triggers some misbehaviour on Mint 18.x. (The same notify-send still works without issues on Mint 17.x by the way.)

I do understand that this looks like a Linux Mint internal issue and that you are not the person who has got to clear it up.

Cheers,
Karl

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for virtualbox (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]