another bad experience

[h90]

Installed the updates on Xubuntu.

Result VM Virtual Box didn't run anymore and I had to type a command in Terminal.

Virtual Box run again but on the next start I got several "system program problem detected" with the only option of cancel or Report problem. No way of seeing what the problem is.

If I cancel I have no network connections anymore. Neither USB nor Wifi. If I let the window just open Network is OK.

On the other hand, while USB tethering isn't working anymore, the phone drives are now visible which didn't work before.

What an disaster when you have urgent work to do and send out per email. Not an OS for working.....

[dave_boo]

Result VM Virtual Box didn't run anymore and I had to type a command in Terminal.

Before stating "Not an OS for working" perhaps consider error between seat and keyboard? Not including what you typed on an OS that allows full control doesn't help us help you.

[h90]

Result VM Virtual Box didn't run anymore and I had to type a command in Terminal.

Before stating "Not an OS for working" perhaps consider error between seat and keyboard? Not including what you typed on an OS that allows full control doesn't help us help you.

Maybe I didn't explain clear.

Virtual Box only gave an error when trying to start the virtual machine + told that driver is not in the kernel and what to type in the terminal to have that repaired.

typed that...Virtual Box worked again, but got the network problems instead.

Keyboard worked all the time.

What made it broken was the last update.

[Morakot]

I had to type a command in Terminal.

Best to state verbatim your error message.

VM BOX and wifi? You emulate Windows? What exactly does not work at what point?

Installed the updates on Xubuntu.

You should update weekly if not daily.

Edited August 22, 2015 by Morakot

[h90]

I had to type a command in Terminal.

Best to state verbatim your error message.

VM BOX and wifi? You emulate Windows? What exactly does not work at what point?

Installed the updates on Xubuntu.

You should update weekly if not daily.

OK as it happened

Update (weekly)

Later VM Box can not start the virtual machine (WinXP). Actually at the moment you click on start it VM box tells that driver are missing (not WinXP driver, driver for VM Box). And you should type something in the terminal to have it included in the kernel again. did it with sudo.

VM Box and WinXP is working again.

But when you start Xubuntu you get this:

As soon as you press cancel all network connnections are gone. Wifi or USB everything doesn't exist anymore and can't be restored.

Only trick is to simply let it stay.

On a laptop that is used for work it is a disaster without network I would have to take an airplane and fly back to Bangkok today.

With all their problems I never had something like that with WinXP or Win7

[RichCor]

I think you buried the lead there.

Your issue is that a Xubuntu upgrade left a networking error, and initially affected VirtualBox. Yes, things like this happen. That's why I like having access to technical forums dedicated to the software I use. Sometimes they come in very handy.

You also seem to believe that flying any OS by the seat of your pants is OK and that someone else is supposed to guarantee your system's functionality, even when YOU upgrade the OS with impending usage needed. While some updates are innocuous, others can break your system. There are too many hardware, driver, dependency and installed application variations for Xubuntu to test that an update works with all of them.

The best you can to is to create a FULL IMAGE BACKUP prior to upgrading, then ROLLED BACK if needed.

And just because you've never encountered a similar issue with a Microsoft Update, doesn't mean that that doesn't happen. I've encountered thousands of instances where an update either killed application functionality or created a condition where a driver or application malfunctioned and then silently corrupted all the data it was interacting with.

This is why you have backup implementations is place for critical functions.

What happens if the display dies, drive dies, battery stops charging, mouse stops working, laptop get's stolen, an update creates an issue ... contingencies. Either fix it, get it fixed, or replace it.

It's OK to be frustrated. But unless you're paying for a 24/7 uptime guarantee, I think your expectations aren't in line with the service you've chosen to run.

Find a forum dedicated to that OS and see what they're saying about the update. Any similar complaints, any suggestions.

(I would suggest you remove and then re-install VirtualBox, just to be sure. Oh, Virtualbox creates a virtual network driver that may be playing into this. So removing and reinstalling all instances of the App could rectify the entire issue)

[Morakot]

OP you make it twice as hard, by running Windoze in VMBOX on top of Linux.

Why not have a dual boot if you need two OS. Or even better free yourself and scrap Win XP...

Does your network connection work work under Linux?

[h90]

I think you buried the lead there.

Your issue is that a Xubuntu upgrade left a networking error, and initially affected VirtualBox. Yes, things like this happen. That's why I like having access to technical forums dedicated to the software I use. Sometimes they come in very handy.

You also seem to believe that flying any OS by the seat of your pants is OK and that someone else is supposed to guarantee your system's functionality, even when YOU upgrade the OS with impending usage needed. While some updates are innocuous, others can break your system. There are too many hardware, driver, dependency and installed application variations for Xubuntu to test that an update works with all of them.

The best you can to is to create a FULL IMAGE BACKUP prior to upgrading, then ROLLED BACK if needed.

And just because you've never encountered a similar issue with a Microsoft Update, doesn't mean that that doesn't happen. I've encountered thousands of instances where an update either killed application functionality or created a condition where a driver or application malfunctioned and then silently corrupted all the data it was interacting with.

This is why you have backup implementations is place for critical functions.

What happens if the display dies, drive dies, battery stops charging, mouse stops working, laptop get's stolen, an update creates an issue ... contingencies. Either fix it, get it fixed, or replace it.

It's OK to be frustrated. But unless you're paying for a 24/7 uptime guarantee, I think your expectations aren't in line with the service you've chosen to run.

Find a forum dedicated to that OS and see what they're saying about the update. Any similar complaints, any suggestions.

(I would suggest you remove and then re-install VirtualBox, just to be sure. Oh, Virtualbox creates a virtual network driver that may be playing into this. So removing and reinstalling all instances of the App could rectify the entire issue)

No the update killed the Virtual Box. And repairing the VB killed the network.

No one makes a full backup when the automatic updates come. And even with the backup you still won't know which update killed all.

Running about 10 Windows computer and never had any problems like this.

Had my computer for a while on Linux and an update shot the audio.

Now with the laptop it shot the VB or network.

An OS that needs care and a dedicated forum for it is no OS for an office use it is a failure.

(but it runs well as webserver for us)

[RichCor]

You're blaming the issue on the Xubuntu.

I would wager that the issue you are experiencing is directly related to VirtualBox, and not necessarily the OS, even though it's playing a part.

Oracle's Virtualbox installs it's own network drivers after the fact, necessary to tap into and redirect network data flow for its use.

Any time another program or OS makes changes to the OS network driver setup there exists a potential to break the chain or introduce conflicts and incompatibilities.

So I'm still recommending uninstalling VirtualBox entirely, including it's network mods, verify that your OS now boots and works without issue, then reinstall VirtualBox and let it make it's network modifications once again. It may be necessary to upgrade VirtualBox to be compatible with the recent OS upgrade, but this creates additional challenges with breaking functionality.

As for Full Backups before initiating OS updates, I'm currently doing just that, only because I'm running Windows 10 and their updates have hosed my system on three occasions. I like Win 10 but do not trust its updates. Microsoft wasn't even creating restore points. Bizarre protocol their running. Anyway, now when I run into an issue I just re-image the drive, wait a week for the updated update of the update to be released, and try again. Much easier than troubleshooting these issues while the machine is boot looping, network not working, or only the mouse pointer is being rendered to screen.

[Gumballl]

I have no idea about VirtualBox, but with VMplayer (from VMware), every time that I upgrade my Linux kernel, I must rebuild the drivers used by VMplayer. The application simply prompts me for my admin (sudo) password, and takes care of the rest.

Anytime I update my Linux kernel, I follow it up with a reboot of the system. Then I go through the motions to update VMplayer.

Btw, why is the OP still stuck with Windows XP? And whatever it is that they need to do (Email?), why can't it be done under Linux?

P.S. IMO, running a dual-boot system is much harder than running a virtual machine... mainly due to the inconvenience of having to reboot the system just to use one OS or the other. Virtual machines are the way of the future.

[h90]

I have no idea about VirtualBox, but with VMplayer (from VMware), every time that I upgrade my Linux kernel, I must rebuild the drivers used by VMplayer. The application simply prompts me for my admin (sudo) password, and takes care of the rest.

Anytime I update my Linux kernel, I follow it up with a reboot of the system. Then I go through the motions to update VMplayer.

Btw, why is the OP still stuck with Windows XP? And whatever it is that they need to do (Email?), why can't it be done under Linux?

P.S. IMO, running a dual-boot system is much harder than running a virtual machine... mainly due to the inconvenience of having to reboot the system just to use one OS or the other. Virtual machines are the way of the future.

WinXP: I have software with the oldest designed to run on Win95 (actually DOS and than modified to be able to run in Win95) it can be used up to WinXP but no chance on Win7 and of course no Linux version. They also mess around with the (not existing) parallel and serial ports so not easy to get them running.

I usually just print to pdf and save it in a shared folder where I pick it up in Xubuntu and send it out per email.

I'll try to uninstall the VBox, and install it new.

What I learned is to turn off the automatic updates before going somewhere where the use of the laptop is essential.