Error Loading module vboxsf - VirtualBox 3.2.4

[sp]

Hi,

I am trying to share folder from my host (PCLinuxOS 2010) to guest (sidux) with Virtualbox. After I create a share to my documents folder in my home, I tried mounting it in the guest OS. But I got the error:

/sbin/mount.vboxsf: mounting failed with the error: No such device.

After googling, I found that the module vboxsf (earlier versions had vboxvfs module) needs to be loaded (if it does not get loaded automatically) for sharing of folders between host os and guest os. On attempting to load the module, I get:

# modprobe vboxsf
FATAL: Error inserting vboxsf (/lib/modules/2.6.33.5-pclos1.pae/kernel/3rdparty/vbox/vboxsf.ko.gz): Unknown symbol in module, or unknown parameter (see dmesg)

The output of dmesg is:

vboxguest: exports duplicate symbol RTMemExecFree (owned by vboxdrv)
vboxsf: Unknown symbol VBoxGuestIDCCall
vboxsf: Unknown symbol VBoxGuestIDCOpen
vboxsf: Unknown symbol VBoxGuestIDCClose

I think there is a problem in loading module vboxguest too:

# modprobe vboxguest
FATAL: Error inserting vboxguest (/lib/modules/2.6.33.5-pclos1.pae/kernel/3rdparty/vbox/vboxguest.ko.gz): Invalid module format

I don't know if the problem is with the vboxguest module or with the vboxsf module. Thinking that something might have gone wrong while installing virtualbox package I removed virtualbox completely, rebooted, reinstalled virtualbox and all its related packages, then rebooted, but still the same error.

Currently, I using the 2.6.33.5-pclos1.pae kernel. I tried using the original kernel that came with PCLinuxOS 2010.1 (2.6.32.12-pclos1.bfs), but the same problem.

Has anybody else experienced this type of problem? Can somebody verify this?

Regards,
Rajen.

[kjpetrie]

Which machine are you trying to load the modules in? Guest or host? vboxdrv goes on the host, vboxsf and vboxguest on the guest, as part of the Guest Additions.

[sp]

Which machine are you trying to load the modules in? Guest or host? vboxdrv goes on the host, vboxsf and vboxguest on the guest, as part of the Guest Additions.

I think kernel modules have to be loaded only on the host. After the modules are loaded on the host the folder which we want to share with the guest is then required to be mounted from the guest os. The guest os doesn't have, nor does it require, to load the kernel modules inside the guest.

Has anybody tried folder sharing on Virtualbox with the 3.2.4-pclos  release? Could somebody try and confirm the issue?

Regards,
Rajen.

[kjpetrie]

Then you have misunderstood. The host module opens a back door (Virtualbox describe it as "a trojan, albeit a friendly one") which allows VirtualBox to access the host systems at a sufficiently deep level to allow virtual machines to run. The guest additions provide modules which enable the guest to access the facilities VirtualBox provides to the guest, such as display resizing, shared folders, seamless mode and mouse integration. These modules run in the guest.

You cannot load host and guest modules on the same machine at the same time because they clash, as you have already discovered.

[rubentje1991]

I use VirtualBox 3.2.4 in PCLinuxOS 2010 to run a virtual Windows...

When I share a folder to that virtual machine, it's visible in that Windows as a Network Drive/Location..... and there it does work. (read/write to linux filesystem without any problems.... the host handles the data-flow)

Not yet tried with a Linux-distribution....

[sp]

You cannot load host and guest modules on the same machine at the same time because they clash, as you have already discovered.

So, how to load those kernel modules in the guest machine? Could you give some pointers?

Earlier, before I installed PCLinuxOS, I was using openSUSE 11.2 and at that time I downloaded PCLinux ISO file and first tried it in virtualbox on openSUSE. I clearly remember being able to share folders with the host openSUSE system and the guest PCLinuxOS system, without having to load any modules anywhere. On that system too, I was using the OSE version of virtual box. Probably that is why I can't figure out why I am not able to share folders on PCLinuxOS host. But then why didn't I have to load any modules in the guest PCLinuxOS ?

TIA,
Rajen.

[kjpetrie]

Have you installed the guest additions? You have to download them as an ISO from the oracle website for version 3.2.4, point the virtual machine's "optical drive" at the image file and then open a terminal, cd to the directory where the ISO is mounted, su to root and type "sh ./VBoxLinuxAdditions-x86.run".

See chapter 4 of the VirtualBox manual, also available from the Oracle website, for more information.

The reason you didn't have to do this when you had a pclos Virtual Machine is that pclos comes with the modules pre-installed.

[sp]

Have you installed the guest additions? You have to download them as an ISO from the oracle website for version 3.2.4, point the virtual machine's "optical drive" at the image file and then open a terminal, cd to the directory where the ISO is mounted, su to root and type "sh ./VBoxLinuxAdditions-x86.run".

See chapter 4 of the VirtualBox manual, also available from the Oracle website, for more information.

The reason you didn't have to do this when you had a pclos Virtual Machine is that pclos comes with the modules pre-installed.

If we need to download the guest additions then what is "virtualbox-guest-additions-3.2.4-1pclos2010"? I thought this is the rpm for guest additions. Anyway, I will try again after downloading the guest additions file. BTW, the vboxsf module does not load even when I have not yet started the Virtualbox program, even though the other modules (vboxnetadp, vboxnetflt & vboxdrv) get loaded at boot time.

Regards,
Rajen.

[Old-Polack]

Have you installed the guest additions? You have to download them as an ISO from the oracle website for version 3.2.4, point the virtual machine's "optical drive" at the image file and then open a terminal, cd to the directory where the ISO is mounted, su to root and type "sh ./VBoxLinuxAdditions-x86.run".

See chapter 4 of the VirtualBox manual, also available from the Oracle website, for more information.

The reason you didn't have to do this when you had a pclos Virtual Machine is that pclos comes with the modules pre-installed.

If we need to download the guest additions then what is "virtualbox-guest-additions-3.2.4-1pclos2010"? I thought this is the rpm for guest additions. Anyway, I will try again after downloading the guest additions file. BTW, the vboxsf module does not load even when I have not yet started the Virtualbox program, even though the other modules (vboxnetadp, vboxnetflt & vboxdrv) get loaded at boot time.

Regards,
Rajen.

The guest-additions.iso is part of the VBox download. All you need to do is choose to have it loaded in the virtual CD-ROM, before starting the specific VM.



When the OS for that VM is up and running, click Devices --> Install Guest Additions at the bottom of the menu.

 

If the VM is a Windows version, it will run like any other Windows application installation. If it's a Linux VM, you have to navigate to the mount point directory for the CD-ROM, and do as kjpetrie said to run the installation application.

[kjpetrie]

O-P, he's using the OSE. That doesn't include the Guest Additions ISO or the manual. They have to be downloaded separately as they are not open-source.

[Old-Polack]

O-P, he's using the OSE. That doesn't include the Guest Additions ISO or the manual. They have to be downloaded separately as they are not open-source.

Actually he may or may not. He specified the OSE version as being the one used on his SUSE installation, but didn't specify the version used on his PCLinuxOS installation. If it is the OSE version, then you are correct, but if he used the new getvirtualbox package from the repo, he could have the PUEL version. He said;

Has anybody tried folder sharing on Virtualbox with the 3.2.4-pclos  release?

which could be either, as both use that designation for the respective packages. It would help if he was more specific in his description.

Either way he'll need the guest-additions .iso, it's just a matter of whether he already has it or not. The method of installation will still be the same.

[sp]

Okay, just to clear out things, I am using the ose package/version. I was not aware that there are two different packages/versions for Virtualbox. BTW, what does PUEL mean?

Is the PUEL version any different/better then the OSE version except for USB support? If I download PUEL version will the guest addition iso, manual, etc. will be included in the package?

Regards,
Rajen.

[Old-Polack]

Okay, just to clear out things, I am using the ose package/version. I was not aware that there are two different packages/versions for Virtualbox. BTW, what does PUEL mean?

Is the PUEL version any different/better then the OSE version except for USB support? If I download PUEL version will the guest addition iso, manual, etc. will be included in the package?

Regards,
Rajen.

PUEL = Personal Use Evaluation License ... it's free to use for personal use; a paid for license is required for commercial use.

As to your other question, in a word, yes. Mostly it's the USB support that makes the difference, but the included .iso and User Manual are pluses too. I need the USB support for my printer/scanner, as there are no Linux drivers for it, but there are excellent drivers under Windows. I scan in Windows and put the scan output in a shared folder, so I can work with them in Linux. It works quite nicely that way.

The getvirtualbox package is a script that shows up in your menu, that when activated, downloads the PUEL version, installs the application, then creates the proper user group and adds the users to it so the USB function works properly. After adding the guest additions, one needs to log out of the VM, as in total shut down, and reboot the host system as well. On reboot, everything should work properly. One will need to do this each time a new VM is created before the USB part will be functional. You will also have to specify which USB items the guest should use, in the configuration part of each VM, before starting the VM. I've done a walk through, with pictures, to show that setup.

http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,73111.msg612134.html#msg612134