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VirtualBox "no workie" after kernel upgrade

May 27, 2008

Ubuntu released a new kernel version recently without also releasing a matching VirtualBox kernel module. Like me, you probably got an error message like:

VBox status code: -1908 (VERR_VM_DRIVER_NOT_INSTALLED).

A pain, but easy enough to work around, here's how:

Clean out the exiting "Ubuntu" version of VirtualBox:

dpkg -r virtualbox-ose-modules-2.6.24-16-generic \
        virtualbox-ose-modules-generic \
        virtualbox-ose

dpkg -P virtualbox-ose-modules-2.6.24-16-generic \
        virtualbox-ose-modules-generic \
        virtualbox-ose

Download the current version of VirtualBox from here:

http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

Install it:

sudo dpkg -i virtualbox_1.6.0-30421_Ubuntu_hardy_i386.deb

This method compiles a new kernel module for you during the install. You'll have to reinstall it every time you upgrade your kernel, so keep the .deb around.

> which VirtualBox
/usr/bin/VirtualBox

Works great for me :)

Tags: ubuntu, kernel, virtualbox

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Works!

By: ralph <ralph dot soika at gmx dot net>

Posted: 1 year ago

Thanks a lot! this works also for me

You have to recompile vbox kernel module after each kernel upgrade.

By: vamsee <cooldudevamsee at gmail dot com>

Posted: 1 year ago

sudo /etc/init.d/vboxdrv setup

There's no need to download anything

By: Honza <jan dot nekvasil at gmail dot com>

Posted: 1 year ago

Invoking "sudo dpkg-reconfigure virtualbox" is pretty enough.

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