What if Ubuntu 13.10 can't start VirtualBox?

We all know that VirtualBox is a virtual machine that can run on Ubuntu system, but when Ubuntu 13.10 runs, it prompts an error, which causes VirtualBox to fail to start. What should I do if I encounter this problem? The following small series will introduce you to the solution that Ubuntu13.10 can't start VirtualBox.

recently needed for debugging Hadoop in a number of virtual machines, so they install VirtualBox virtual machine on Ubuntu, but ran into problems virtual machine does not start: will pop up on

interface An error dialog with the following error message:

Kernel driver not installed (rc=-1908)

The VirtualBox Linux kernel driver (vboxdrv) is either not loaded or there is a permission problem with /dev/vboxdrv. Re-setup the kernel module by executing

‘/etc/init.d/vboxdrv setup’

as root. Users of Ubuntu, Fedora or Mandriva should install the DKMS package first. This package keeps track of Linux kernel changes and recompiles the vboxdrv kernel module if necessary.

First summarize the system environment: ubuntu desktop 13.10, virtualbox-4.3, kernel: 3.11.0-17

1. Follow this error indication, I will switch to the command line,

sudo /etc/init.d/vboxdrv setup

get the following error message

prompt is still unable to load properly dkms, but it seems the current needs of the kernel source code is compiled, at the same time, suggesting View /var/log/vbox-inuntustall.log log.

2. So, cat /var/log/vbox-install logs

Uninstalling modules from DKMS

removing old DKMS module vboxhost version 4.3.8

------------------------------

Deleting module version: 4.3.8

Complete from the DKMS tree.

------------------------------

Done.

Attempting to install using DKMS

Creating symlink /var/lib/dkms/vboxhost/4.3.8/source ->

/usr/src/vboxhost-4.3. 8

DKMS: add completed.

Failed to install using DKMS, attempting to install without

Makefile:183: *** Error: unable to find the sources of your Current Linux kernel. Specify KERN_DIR=“directory” and run Make again. Stop.

3. Check dkms for normal installation; install virtualbox repeatedly to ensure that the installation is not complete.

sudo apt-get install dkms

The prompt has been installed to the latest version, indicating that it should not be a problem with dkms.

4. Check the kernel version uname -r, get the current kernel version: 3.11.0-17-generic.

5. Searched the network, someone suggested that it may need to be reinstalled The kernel.

sudo apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r)

Note: ${uname -r} is used to represent the current kernel version and cannot be used directly in the command. Here my version is the output from step 4.

6. Follow the previous problem prompts and re-run sudo /etc/init.d/vboxdrv setup

~$ sudo /etc/init.d/vboxdrv setup

Stopping VirtualBox kernel modules . . .done.

Uninstalling old VirtualBox DKMS kernel modules . . .done.

Trying to register the VirtualBox kernel modules using DKMS . . .done.

Starting VirtualBox kernel modules . . .done.

Tip: The virtualbox module has been registered to the kernel normally.

7. Next, you can click the virtualbox's launch button to start the virtual machine in the virtualbox.

8. Reason analysis:

Finally, I tried to analyze it. The reason for this error: the previous virtualbox can work normally. After upgrading ubuntu and kernel version, it is estimated to be broken. The virtualbox and the kernel's previous registration system, the original registration failed in the new kernel, at the same time, the current kernel may be in the upgrade process, there are several unstable situations. Therefore, you need to re-install the kernel, and then register the virtualbox kernel to the current Linux kernel. The above is only a guess. Welcome new ideas and speculations.

The above is the introduction of Ubuntu 13.10 can not start VirtualBox solution, the problem mainly appears in Ubuntu 13.10 version, and is caused by the upgrade of the kernel version.