Linux Kernel 5.4 and VirtualBox Puzzle

I've been puzzling over WHY my VirtualBox doesn't work under Linux kernel 5.4 ever since 5.4-RC1 came out.  Last week, Slackware -current made 5.4 the default kernel so I hoped all was well - NOPE!  So I compiled it myself adding in the modules that have always allowed everything to work up until 5.3.x.  That didn't work either.  Bummer.

So I did a bit of research (5 seconds of googling) and it seems there was a lot going on with VirtualBox and Linux kernel 5.4.  First there was this:

Linux 5.4 kernel will no longer make interfaces available so that arbitrary kernel modules may modify page attributes to turn the executable bit on/off. Virtualbox currently is one of such kernel modules doing that.

 Then, it seems, in 5.4-RC7 they added a special "shared folder" area for Virtualbox which was later removed. 

So, at this time, it seems VirtualBox and Linux kernel 5.4 are not going to play well together until a special new VirtualBox 6.1 candidate is released (designed specifically to work with VirtualBox).  So far, I cannot find this release candidate (5 seconds of googling).

That's ok, I have my box set to always my special vanilla 5.3.x (5.3.15 at the time of this writing).  I just hope this continues to get updates so I don't have to drop back to the 4.19.x LTS kernel.

If you see a release candidate for VirtualBox 6.1 post a response.  I'll do the same (so we're racing).

Slackware14.2-current, VirtualBox and new kernels

I keep blowing up my Slackbuild VirtualBox setup with every new kernel update.  Usually, I can just re-run the Slackbuilds for virtualbox-kernel and virtualbox (with a re-boot in between) and I'm fine. Not today. Tried all kinds of things. Then got weird. I was running the Slackbuild for VirtualBox 5.0.40. I decided to just skip package management and go straight to the source (hey, I'm a Slacker). So, I went to the Oracle Virtualbox site and found this link and then, from the command line ran the following:


curl -O http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/5.2.2/VirtualBox-5.2.2-119230-Linux_amd64.run
sh VirtualBox-5.2.2-119230-Linux_amd64.run

Lots of things works, lots of things complained about symbolic links already existing (step 1 of this script attempted to remove my Slackbuild VirtualBox with, I'd say, partial success), and then it ended on "unable to start kernel drivers". Not a good sign I thought. Just for luck, another reboot. And then, I re-ran "rc.vboxdrv start" AND IT WORKED! So now I'm running 5.2.2!!

So, I fire up an ALL NEW Oracle VirtualBox with lotsa Oracle branding (hmmm... didn't remember all of that). I attempt to start my Windoze VM - no go. It complains about USB 2.0 support not being there and suggests I try installing extensions.

Implementation of the USB 2.0 controller not found!

Because the USB 2.0 controller state is part of the saved VM state, the VM cannot be started. To fix this problem, either install the 'Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack' or disable USB 2.0 support in the VM settings

I re-run extensions. Still no go. So, I retro my VM's USB support from 2.0 to 1.1 (trying to think how often I use USB with a VM anyways?) AND IT WORKED! 


Ok, not the slickest solution in the world. The installer did something with Python bindings, from what I could tell, installed some things, fixed some things, possibly broke my USB 2.0 support but otherwise bailed me out.

So, if you're desperate - you're welcome.