VirtualBox 6.0 Guest running Slackware 14.2 no text console display
by Erik_FL from LinuxQuestions.org on (#4Z19F)
I'm not having much success getting a VirtualBox 6.0.16 Windows 7 host to display the text console for a Slackware 14.2 64-bit Guest after the "vboxvideo" module is loaded.
I figured I would ask the question here and also share my work around.
I'm not running the latest major VirtualBox version 6.1 because I've found that the latest version is often broken. I just recently moved from the last 5.x version to 6.0 and thought it was working well until I ran into the text console problem.
The VirtualBox Guest Additions have undergone a major change from 5.x to 6.0. Among other things, the "vboxvideo" driver is now loaded during kernel initialization to support the frame buffer.
The problem is that the frame buffer support in "vboxvideo" seems to be broken. The text console display is only updated sometimes when you switch between screens, but never when you are actually viewing the text console and typing.
Most of the time that isn't important, since a terminal emulator application can be used. It is a big problem when trying to boot into single user mode or multi-user text mode.
My work around was to prevent the "vboxvideo" module from being loaded by the kernel when the framebuffer device is detected.
I created a file named "/etc/modprobe.d/vboxvideo.conf" containing the line to blacklist vboxvideo.
Code:blacklist vboxvideoThere might be a better way to do that, but it works.
Next, I changed the initialization for run level 3 to stop VirtualBox services rather than start them.
I renamed the following files in "/etc/rc.d/rc3.d".
Code:S10vboxadd
S35vboxadd-serviceRenaming them to begin with "K" makes them stop the services instead of starting the services.
Code:K10vboxadd
K35vboxadd-serviceThe drawback to this workaround is that the VirtualBox shared folders and shared clipboard are not available except when using run level 4.
I've found that it's better to work around problems rather than switching versions of VirtualBox because that usually just trades one set of problems for a different set. When I have time, I may try some of the 6.1 versions to see how well they work for me.
If anyone knows a way to get the text console to work properly or a better work around, please post it.
Also, if you are running some version of VirtualBox 6.1, I'm interested in hearing how well it works for you and how you are using it. I mostly run a Windows 7 64-bit host OS with a Windows XP 32-bit or Windows 7 64-bit guest. I sometimes run a Slackware Linux 64-bit guest.
I figured I would ask the question here and also share my work around.
I'm not running the latest major VirtualBox version 6.1 because I've found that the latest version is often broken. I just recently moved from the last 5.x version to 6.0 and thought it was working well until I ran into the text console problem.
The VirtualBox Guest Additions have undergone a major change from 5.x to 6.0. Among other things, the "vboxvideo" driver is now loaded during kernel initialization to support the frame buffer.
The problem is that the frame buffer support in "vboxvideo" seems to be broken. The text console display is only updated sometimes when you switch between screens, but never when you are actually viewing the text console and typing.
Most of the time that isn't important, since a terminal emulator application can be used. It is a big problem when trying to boot into single user mode or multi-user text mode.
My work around was to prevent the "vboxvideo" module from being loaded by the kernel when the framebuffer device is detected.
I created a file named "/etc/modprobe.d/vboxvideo.conf" containing the line to blacklist vboxvideo.
Code:blacklist vboxvideoThere might be a better way to do that, but it works.
Next, I changed the initialization for run level 3 to stop VirtualBox services rather than start them.
I renamed the following files in "/etc/rc.d/rc3.d".
Code:S10vboxadd
S35vboxadd-serviceRenaming them to begin with "K" makes them stop the services instead of starting the services.
Code:K10vboxadd
K35vboxadd-serviceThe drawback to this workaround is that the VirtualBox shared folders and shared clipboard are not available except when using run level 4.
I've found that it's better to work around problems rather than switching versions of VirtualBox because that usually just trades one set of problems for a different set. When I have time, I may try some of the 6.1 versions to see how well they work for me.
If anyone knows a way to get the text console to work properly or a better work around, please post it.
Also, if you are running some version of VirtualBox 6.1, I'm interested in hearing how well it works for you and how you are using it. I mostly run a Windows 7 64-bit host OS with a Windows XP 32-bit or Windows 7 64-bit guest. I sometimes run a Slackware Linux 64-bit guest.