Ubuntu 16.04: VirtualBox Error: Kernel driver not installed (rc=-1908)
Kernel driver not installed (rc=-1908) The VirtualBox Linux kernel driver (vboxdrv) is either not loaded or there is a permission problem with /dev/vboxdrv. Please install virtualbox-dkms package and load the kernel module by executing ‘modprobe vboxdrv’ as root. If it is available in your distribution, you should install the DKMS package first. This package keeps track of Linux kernel changes and recompiles the vboxdrv kernel module if necessary. where: suplibOsInit what: 3 VERR_VM_DRIVER_NOT_INSTALLED (-1908) — The support driver is not installed. On linux, open returned ENOENT.
I followed the instruction by installing the DKMS package which gave me the message that it’s already installed. Executing
modprobe: FATAL: Module vboxdrv not found in directory /lib/modules/4.15.0-041500rc2-lowlatency sudo apt install --reinstall linux-headers-$(uname -r) virtualbox-dkms dkms Reading package lists. Done Building dependency tree Reading state information. Done Reinstallation of linux-headers-4.15.0-041500rc2-lowlatency is not possible, it cannot be downloaded. The following additional packages will be installed: virtualbox virtualbox-qt Suggested packages: vde2 virtualbox-guest-additions-iso The following NEW packages will be installed: virtualbox virtualbox-dkms virtualbox-qt 0 upgraded, 3 newly installed, 1 reinstalled, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 66.3 kB/22.4 MB of archives. After this operation, 95.3 MB of additional disk space will be used. Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y Get:1 http://ch.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu xenial-updates/main amd64 dkms all 2.2.0.3-2ubuntu11.5 [66.3 kB] Fetched 66.3 kB in 0s (477 kB/s) (Reading database . 531094 files and directories currently installed.) Preparing to unpack . /dkms_2.2.0.3-2ubuntu11.5_all.deb . Unpacking dkms (2.2.0.3-2ubuntu11.5) over (2.2.0.3-2ubuntu11.5) . Selecting previously unselected package virtualbox-dkms. Preparing to unpack . /virtualbox-dkms_5.0.40-dfsg-0ubuntu1.16.04.2_all.deb . Unpacking virtualbox-dkms (5.0.40-dfsg-0ubuntu1.16.04.2) . Selecting previously unselected package virtualbox. Preparing to unpack . /virtualbox_5.0.40-dfsg-0ubuntu1.16.04.2_amd64.deb . Unpacking virtualbox (5.0.40-dfsg-0ubuntu1.16.04.2) . Selecting previously unselected package virtualbox-qt. Preparing to unpack . /virtualbox-qt_5.0.40-dfsg-0ubuntu1.16.04.2_amd64.deb . Unpacking virtualbox-qt (5.0.40-dfsg-0ubuntu1.16.04.2) . Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.5-1) . Processing triggers for systemd (229-4ubuntu21.1) . Processing triggers for ureadahead (0.100.0-19) . Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.22-1ubuntu5.1) . Processing triggers for bamfdaemon (0.5.3~bzr0+16.04.20160824-0ubuntu1) . Rebuilding /usr/share/applications/bamf-2.index. Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.13.3-6ubuntu3.1) . Processing triggers for mime-support (3.59ubuntu1) . Processing triggers for shared-mime-info (1.5-2ubuntu0.1) . Processing triggers for menu (2.1.47ubuntu1) . Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.15-0ubuntu1) . Setting up dkms (2.2.0.3-2ubuntu11.5) . Setting up virtualbox-dkms (5.0.40-dfsg-0ubuntu1.16.04.2) . Loading new virtualbox-5.0.40 DKMS files. First Installation: checking all kernels. Building only for 4.15.0-041500rc2-lowlatency Building initial module for 4.15.0-041500rc2-lowlatency ERROR (dkms apport): kernel package linux-headers-4.15.0-041500rc2-lowlatency is not supported Error! Bad return status for module build on kernel: 4.15.0-041500rc2-lowlatency (x86_64) Consult /var/lib/dkms/virtualbox/5.0.40/build/make.log for more information. Job for virtualbox.service failed because the control process exited with error code. See "systemctl status virtualbox.service" and "journalctl -xe" for details. invoke-rc.d: initscript virtualbox, action "restart" failed. ● virtualbox.service - LSB: VirtualBox Linux kernel module Loaded: loaded (/etc/init.d/virtualbox; bad; vendor preset: enabled) Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Die 2018-02-20 20:50:55 CET; 7ms ago Docs: man:systemd-sysv-generator(8) Process: 10139 ExecStart=/etc/init.d/virtualbox start (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE) Feb 20 20:50:55 matteo-3 systemd[1]: Starting LSB: VirtualBox Linux kernel . Feb 20 20:50:55 matteo-3 virtualbox[10139]: * Loading VirtualBox kernel mod. Feb 20 20:50:55 matteo-3 virtualbox[10139]: * No suitable module for runnin. d Feb 20 20:50:55 matteo-3 virtualbox[10139]: . fail! Feb 20 20:50:55 matteo-3 systemd[1]: virtualbox.service: Control process ex. =1 Feb 20 20:50:55 matteo-3 systemd[1]: Failed to start LSB: VirtualBox Linux . e. Feb 20 20:50:55 matteo-3 systemd[1]: virtualbox.service: Unit entered faile. e. Feb 20 20:50:55 matteo-3 systemd[1]: virtualbox.service: Failed with result. '. Hint: Some lines were ellipsized, use -l to show in full. Setting up virtualbox (5.0.40-dfsg-0ubuntu1.16.04.2) . vboxweb.service is a disabled or a static unit, not starting it. Job for virtualbox.service failed because the control process exited with error code. See "systemctl status virtualbox.service" and "journalctl -xe" for details. invoke-rc.d: initscript virtualbox, action "restart" failed. ● virtualbox.service - LSB: VirtualBox Linux kernel module Loaded: loaded (/etc/init.d/virtualbox; bad; vendor preset: enabled) Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Die 2018-02-20 20:50:57 CET; 7ms ago Docs: man:systemd-sysv-generator(8) Process: 10441 ExecStart=/etc/init.d/virtualbox start (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE) Feb 20 20:50:56 matteo-3 systemd[1]: Starting LSB: VirtualBox Linux kernel . Feb 20 20:50:57 matteo-3 virtualbox[10441]: * Loading VirtualBox kernel mod. Feb 20 20:50:57 matteo-3 virtualbox[10441]: * No suitable module for runnin. d Feb 20 20:50:57 matteo-3 virtualbox[10441]: . fail! Feb 20 20:50:57 matteo-3 systemd[1]: virtualbox.service: Control process ex. =1 Feb 20 20:50:57 matteo-3 systemd[1]: Failed to start LSB: VirtualBox Linux . e. Feb 20 20:50:57 matteo-3 systemd[1]: virtualbox.service: Unit entered faile. e. Feb 20 20:50:57 matteo-3 systemd[1]: virtualbox.service: Failed with result. '. Hint: Some lines were ellipsized, use -l to show in full. Setting up virtualbox-qt (5.0.40-dfsg-0ubuntu1.16.04.2) . Processing triggers for menu (2.1.47ubuntu1) . Building initial module for 4.15.0-041500rc2-lowlatency ERROR (dkms apport): kernel package linux-headers-4.15.0-041500rc2-lowlatency is not supported Error! Bad return status for module build on kernel: 4.15.0-041500rc2-lowlatency (x86_64) Do you have any ideas how to fix my Virtualbox? Is my kernel not supported by VirtualBox? If yes, how can I change to an old/supported one?
How to fix and prevent VirtualBox Kernel driver not installed
It seems this is caused by a kernel update. I actually wasn’t aware that Ubuntu is doing automatic kernel updates. The log /var/log/dpkg.log shows that kernel update was going on right before problems started. sudo dpkg —list | grep linux-image shows images lines with many 4.8, 4.10 and 4.13 versions.
[user:~] $ uname -a Linux io 4.13.0-26-generic #29~16.04.2-Ubuntu SMP Tue Jan 9 22:00:44 UTC 2018 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux [root:~] # /sbin/vboxconfig vboxdrv.sh: Stopping VirtualBox services. depmod: ERROR: could not open directory /lib/modules/4.10.0-27-generic: No such file or directory depmod: FATAL: could not search modules: No such file or directory depmod: ERROR: could not open directory /lib/modules/4.10.0-28-generic: No such file or directory depmod: FATAL: could not search modules: No such file or directory depmod: ERROR: could not open directory /lib/modules/4.10.0-30-generic: No such file or directory depmod: FATAL: could not search modules: No such file or directory depmod: ERROR: could not open directory /lib/modules/4.10.0-32-generic: No such file or directory depmod: FATAL: could not search modules: No such file or directory depmod: ERROR: could not open directory /lib/modules/4.10.0-33-generic: No such file or directory depmod: FATAL: could not search modules: No such file or directory depmod: ERROR: could not open directory /lib/modules/4.10.0-35-generic: No such file or directory depmod: FATAL: could not search modules: No such file or directory depmod: ERROR: could not open directory /lib/modules/4.10.0-37-generic: No such file or directory depmod: FATAL: could not search modules: No such file or directory depmod: ERROR: could not open directory /lib/modules/4.10.0-38-generic: No such file or directory depmod: FATAL: could not search modules: No such file or directory depmod: ERROR: could not open directory /lib/modules/4.10.0-40-generic: No such file or directory depmod: FATAL: could not search modules: No such file or directory depmod: ERROR: could not open directory /lib/modules/4.8.0-41-generic: No such file or directory depmod: FATAL: could not search modules: No such file or directory depmod: ERROR: could not open directory /lib/modules/4.8.0-45-generic: No such file or directory depmod: FATAL: could not search modules: No such file or directory depmod: ERROR: could not open directory /lib/modules/4.8.0-46-generic: No such file or directory depmod: FATAL: could not search modules: No such file or directory depmod: ERROR: could not open directory /lib/modules/4.8.0-49-generic: No such file or directory depmod: FATAL: could not search modules: No such file or directory depmod: ERROR: could not open directory /lib/modules/4.8.0-52-generic: No such file or directory depmod: FATAL: could not search modules: No such file or directory depmod: ERROR: could not open directory /lib/modules/4.8.0-54-generic: No such file or directory depmod: FATAL: could not search modules: No such file or directory depmod: ERROR: could not open directory /lib/modules/4.8.0-56-generic: No such file or directory depmod: FATAL: could not search modules: No such file or directory depmod: ERROR: could not open directory /lib/modules/4.8.0-58-generic: No such file or directory depmod: FATAL: could not search modules: No such file or directory vboxdrv.sh: Building VirtualBox kernel modules. vboxdrv.sh: failed: Look at /var/log/vbox-install.log to find out what went wrong. There were problems setting up VirtualBox. To re-start the set-up process, run /sbin/vboxconfig as root. [root:~] # The install log /var/log/vbox-install.log is too large to post here but it starts with following message
make[1]: warning: -jN forced in submake: disabling jobserver mode. test -e include/generated/autoconf.h -a -e include/config/auto.conf || ( \ echo >&2; \ echo >&2 " ERROR: Kernel configuration is invalid."; \ echo >&2 " include/generated/autoconf.h or include/config/auto.conf are missing.";\ echo >&2 " Run 'make oldconfig && make prepare' on kernel src to fix it."; \ echo >&2 ; There are actually three questions now I think * How do I fix kernel configuration? * How do I fix VirtualBox? Should I remove and reinstall? * How do I prevent these types of issues? Should I disable auto-updates of kernel? 
VirtualBox error: Kernel driver not installed (rc=-1908) (running ubuntu 20.04 on a chromebook through crouton)
When I try to start a virtual machine in VirtualBox, I get the error above. I tried what it asked me to do, but it didn’t work. My kernel version is 4.4.232. Also, here is the error message:
The VirtualBox Linux kernel driver is either not loaded or not set up correctly. Please reinstall virtualbox-dkms package and load the kernel module by executing 'modprobe vboxdrv' as root. If your system has EFI Secure Boot enabled you may also need to sign the kernel modules (vboxdrv, vboxnetflt, vboxnetadp, vboxpci) before you can load them. Please see your Linux system's documentation for more information. where: suplibOsInit what: 3 VERR_VM_DRIVER_NOT_INSTALLED (-1908) - The support driver is not installed. On linux, open returned ENOENT. The virtual machine 'linux 2' has terminated unexpectedly during startup with exit code 1 (0x1). Result Code: NS_ERROR_FAILURE (0x80004005) Component: MachineWrap Interface: IMachine
And yes, I am trying to run Linux within Linux, but I know it’s not that because I have tried multiple different virtual machines. Also, I am running this Ubuntu 20.04 on my chromebook, so if that’s the problem, I’d like a workaround for that. I set it up using crouton on howtogeek.com, if that helps. I have had the same error messages on Ubuntu 16.04 and Ubuntu 18.04, so the version is not the problem. also, I noticed while reinstalling virtualbox the terminal mentions that my kernel version likely belongs to a chroot’s host, so that might be a problem too. If I need a different version of the Linux kernel, I’d like directions to do that because it’s probably different for me since I’m using my chromebook. For anyone who tried running VirtualBox on their chromebook using crouton like I tried and got the same error, from what I’ve read is that on some devices the chrome OS kernel does not support running virtual machines.