Virtualbox - Ubuntu kernel 4.4.0-143 bug (Ubuntu 16.04 on Macbook OS)

[devri...@gmail.com]

Out of the blue, my Virtualbox Ubuntu on Macbook started behaving very badly. I got 100% CPU usage and was locked out fro controlling the VBox. So I had to force the computer off hard. 

I searched the web and found this helpful thread with exactly my setup and problem. It says that Ubuntu Kernel 4.4.0-143 must be rolled back to 142.

https://askubuntu.com/questions/985815/vboxclient-seamless-failed-to-start-stage-setting-guest-irq-filter-mask-err

Apparently it is a Ubuntu bug due to kernel patch 143 being unstable, and it is not a VirtualBox bug. What I did was:

1. launch Virtualbox 

2. start  ==>  my Ubuntu VM  and hold down Shift key (on Mac) and should see a Grub selector list

3. from the list - select "Ubuntu - advanced options"

4. I saw 4.4.0-143, and -142, and -141 kernels listed.

5. I selected Kernel 4.4.0-142 Generic

when my Ubuntu booted it now behaves well, and most importantly I did not lose all my work!

If you miss intercepting the boot up, <immediately> go to the shut down menu to Power Down Ubuntu or else the CPUs will start running very high and soon you will lose control of your PC.

The problem is that Ubuntu kernel version was updated without my being aware and caused a this bug, Ubuntu supposedly has a fix for it as of March 19. Now I need to change the kernel to an older on in my Ubuntu VM. I am examining how to do that.

Dave

[bikle101]

Two or three times a year I will encounter a virtualbox-problem similar to what you describe.

My Linux skills are usually too weak to actually "fix" the problem.

I have developed a strong sense of how to work-around broken virtualbox instances.

I offer a general recipe for the situation you describe:

- Boot the instance using an older kernel
- Look for files inside which I want to keep:
  /home/ann/.bashrc etc
- Copy those files to a folder on my laptop or google-drive
- Look for software I wrote
- Ensure that software has been pushed into github-repo(s)
- Shutdown the instance
- Download a ubuntu 16-desktop iso file from ubuntu.com
- in the virtualbox gui I press the new-blue button
- I install a new copy of ubutnu16 [ initial account: ann ]
- After installation, I get the os fully updated using the gearbox app.
- I restore old ann files from my laptop using scp
- I git clone any of my software I have in github which I want

Another thing I will sometimes try is to mount the old-instance filesystem on the new-instance.

If I cannot boot off that old filesystem, I usually can mount it and then see any folders and files which were in the old ann account.

-Dan

[Dave Devries]

Thanks Dan, i like and agree with your method below. I observe that so many online enthusiasts fail because "support" responders advise them to perform deep knowledge kernel work. I propose this topic of Linux and Git Management is a mandatory basic 6 week workshop for any would-be data scientist.

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