[kwlug-disc] VirtualBox Guest Additions in Ubuntu VM doesn't work

[B. S.]

I haven't specifically run into this with vbox, but many do with video 
drivers when trying to use the nvidia proprietary drivers instead of 
nouveau. [Which IIRC is no longer possible with 16.04 [15.10?] - seems 
to me I read something about Canonical preventing such, going forwards?)

The term you want is 'blacklisting', and involves the files in 
/etc/modprobe.d. If you search those terms with those of what you're 
doing, I suspect you'll be able to zero in on exact specific steps 
you're looking for.

I would have thought, though, if you apt-get purge vboxsf(?), things 
would sort themselves out for you by themselves.

I do consistently run into a problem similar to what you describe, using 
vbox out of the repositories. virtualbox 5.0 keeps updating, breaking 
the Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack each time. PITA.

Each update you have to go in to vbox as root and get and install the 
extension again. (You can exit out of the root instance immediately.) 
Until you do, running vbox as non-root will continuously complain and 
fall over. Once you do, the complaints stop. Quite irritating.


On 10/20/2016 06:06 AM, William Park via kwlug-disc wrote:
> (cross-posted to GTALUG, so some will get duplicate)
>
> Question for Ubuntu users...
>
> VirtualBox Guest Additions installed by default on Ubuntu/Kubuntu VM is
> 5.0.18, ie.
>      modinfo vboxsf
>
> Now, when I try to upgrade to latest 5.1.8, the install script
> (VBoxLinuxAdditions.run inside VBoxGuestAdditions.iso) finishes OK, but
> the version is still 5.0.18.  Looking at kernel drivers, it seems that I
> have 2 versions of drivers:
>      kernel/ubuntu/vbox/...	--> from Ubuntu kernel
>      misc/...			--> newly compiled
>
> When I removed the default kernel drivers, then it uses the newly
> compiled 5.1.8 drivers. (which is what I want)
>
> What is Ubuntu-way of removing kernel drivers, or specifying which
> driver should be loaded?
>