Black screen with pointer after recent update (Centos 7 with VirtualBox)

[AndyK74i]

Hello,

I am very new to Linux environment and it was generally my first attempt to install and do some exercise in linux for training and self-education. However, I completely stuck with this problem and can not anything further so, really appreciate any help and advice .

I initially install and configure CentOS 7 from complete image and the version of installation was 3.10.0-862.el7.x86_64. It was working fine except of some issues with Virtual Box Guest addition (incorrect kernel-header version etc.) but, i manage to solve it and was happy with that for ~1 month. ~3-4 days ago I saw notification for available upgrades to the new kernel and other modules so, i decide to do and upgrade through yum to version: 3.10.0-957.1.3.el7.x86_64. Upgrade worked fine but, when I reboot system i stuck with black screen and mouse pointer that i can move.

I can do Ctrl-Alt-F2 and login to terminal but, when i try to do starx from terminal it completely stuck without even pointer and no possibility to go back to terminal anymore.
I can still run previous version of the installation (3.10.0-862.el7.x86_64) and from that version if I remove kernel-devel (that is required for Virtual Box guest addition) I can reboot to upgraded version (not consistent). if i remove kernel-devel from command line of upgraded version i still stuck in the black screen.
I kill completely VM and create a new one and install similar configuration without Virtual Machine guest addition (need it to actually extend desktop to my screen and support my resolutions) - fine. When I run and update again to newest version of CenOS 7 and reboot - get same black screen with movable mouise pointer.
Based on some advise from from similar issues i tried to reinstall gnome and nVidia drivers but it didn't help.
I tried to have a look diagnostics messages during the book but there everything looks good up to the point of black screen when all messages are disappeared. Honestly I am not sure how to have a look boot system log to figure out what can be a problem.

So, I am really out of ideas what can be done to fix this problem and really appreciate any help.

Thanks in advance.

[toracat]

Can you ssh into the system? You can then check 'dmesg', or look at /var/log/Xorg.0.log for X-related issues.

Please note that CentOS 7.6 has a known issue with the current version (5.2.22) of GuestAdditions. You need 5.2.23 that is available from Testbuilds.

There is also a problem with the mouse due to a bug in the 7.6 kernel. The details and some workarounds can be found in this VBox forum thread.

[AndyK74i]

Thanks for recommendations.

I can ssh to the VM OS but, when i look at Xorg.0.log i can not see any errors or failure there. herewith for example tail for all messages there:

Code: Select all

 Auth name: MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 ID: 800
[    27.156] AUDIT: Fri Jan  4 09:48:41 2019: 3751: client 1 disconnected
[    27.191] AUDIT: Fri Jan  4 09:48:41 2019: 3751: client 1 connected from local host ( uid=0 gid=0 pid=3700 )
  Auth name: MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 ID: 800
[    27.453] AUDIT: Fri Jan  4 09:48:41 2019: 3751: client 2 connected from local host ( uid=42 gid=42 pid=4221 )
  Auth name: MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 ID: 800
[    27.525] AUDIT: Fri Jan  4 09:48:41 2019: 3751: client 3 connected from local host ( uid=42 gid=42 pid=4245 )
  Auth name: MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 ID: 800
[    27.556] AUDIT: Fri Jan  4 09:48:41 2019: 3751: client 4 connected from local host ( uid=42 gid=42 pid=4256 )
  Auth name: MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 ID: 800
[    27.652] AUDIT: Fri Jan  4 09:48:41 2019: 3751: client 5 connected from local host ( uid=42 gid=42 pid=4256 )
  Auth name: MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 ID: 800
[    27.653] AUDIT: Fri Jan  4 09:48:41 2019: 3751: client 5 disconnected
[    27.662] AUDIT: Fri Jan  4 09:48:41 2019: 3751: client 5 connected from local host ( uid=42 gid=42 pid=4269 )
  Auth name: MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 ID: 800
[    27.664] AUDIT: Fri Jan  4 09:48:41 2019: 3751: client 5 disconnected
[    27.681] AUDIT: Fri Jan  4 09:48:41 2019: 3751: client 5 connected from local host ( uid=42 gid=42 pid=4269 )
  Auth name: MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 ID: 800
[    27.682] AUDIT: Fri Jan  4 09:48:41 2019: 3751: client 5 disconnected
[    27.690] AUDIT: Fri Jan  4 09:48:41 2019: 3751: client 5 connected from local host ( uid=42 gid=42 pid=4281 )
  Auth name: MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 ID: 800
[    27.694] AUDIT: Fri Jan  4 09:48:41 2019: 3751: client 6 connected from local host ( uid=42 gid=42 pid=4282 )
  Auth name: MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 ID: 800
[    27.695] AUDIT: Fri Jan  4 09:48:41 2019: 3751: client 6 disconnected
[    27.697] AUDIT: Fri Jan  4 09:48:41 2019: 3751: client 6 connected from local host ( uid=42 gid=42 pid=4282 )
  Auth name: MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 ID: 800

if I have a look 'dmesg' message i can not see any "Failures" there also but, i can see following lines in the output:

Code: Select all

[   24.258231] 00:00:00.001322 main     Executable: /opt/VBoxGuestAdditions-5.2.22/sbin/VBoxService
00:00:00.001326 main     Process ID: 3471
00:00:00.001328 main     Package type: LINUX_64BITS_GENERIC
[   24.262554] 00:00:00.005766 main     5.2.22 r126460 started. Verbose level = 0
[   27.613351] tun: Universal TUN/TAP device driver, 1.6

Does it mean that it try to run "Executable ...." during the startup? Can it be an issue of the problem?

Appreciate any help.

[toracat]

I have seen the following suggestion posted by a vbox dev on their forum:

Take the VRAM to the max of 128 MB (VM Settings » Display » Screen). And since you're at it, enable 3D acceleration.

It may be worth a try.

[AndyK74i]

Thanks a lot.

I manage to fix an issue with help from other topic by installing to ElREPO rep kernel:

https://www.tecmint.com/install-upgrade ... -centos-7/

It is working good but, I stuck with VBoxGuess addition now because it is not installing with this kernel looks like.

Code: Select all

Verifying archive integrity... All good.
Uncompressing VirtualBox 5.2.22 Guest Additions for Linux........
VirtualBox Guest Additions installer
Removing installed version 5.2.22 of VirtualBox Guest Additions...
Copying additional installer modules ...
Installing additional modules ...
VirtualBox Guest Additions: Building the VirtualBox Guest Additions kernel modules.  This may take a while.

VirtualBox Guest Additions: Look at /var/log/vboxadd-setup.log to find out what went wrong
VirtualBox Guest Additions: Starting.
VirtualBox Guest Additions: Building the VirtualBox Guest Additions kernel modules.  This may take a while.

VirtualBox Guest Additions: Look at /var/log/vboxadd-setup.log to find out what went wrong

I look at information from error log:
/var/log/vboxadd-setup.log

it refer to:

Code: Select all

......
gWriteDebugger-r0drv-linux.o != "scripts/mod/empty.o" ]; then ./scripts/recordmcount  "/tmp/vbox.0/r0drv/linux/RTLogWriteDebugger-r0drv-linux.o"; fi; fi;
  if [ "-pg -mfentry" = "-pg -mfentry" ]; then if [ /tmp/vbox.0/r0drv/linux/timer-r0drv-linux.o != "scripts/mod/empty.o" ]; then ./scripts/recordmcount  "/tmp/vbox.0/r0drv/linux/timer-r0drv-linux.o"; fi; fi;
make[1]: *** [_module_/tmp/vbox.0] Error 2
make: *** [vboxguest] Error 2
modprobe vboxguest failed

I suspect it may be related that VboxGuest addition can not find proper kernel reference for header and other packages. I tried to use suggested solution to refer to particular kernel version:

Code: Select all

KERN_DIR=/usr/src/kernels/`uname -r`/build
export KERN_DIR
cd /media/VirtualBoxGuestAdditions

# 32-bit and 64-bit systems run following
./VBoxLinuxAdditions.run

but, still get same error during VBoxGuest addition installation as mentioned above in the log.
Any ideas?

[toracat]

Try using version 5.2.23 (or later) for the GuestAdditions. It is currently available from TestBuilds.

As for the kernel, make sure you have the -devel package whose version matches the running kernel.