Kernel VirtualBox Linux on Chromebook
artemis -
Hello everyone,
I am a beginner in computing.
I am trying to install VirtualBox, which I have done; I am on a Linux operating system (which I installed easily since I'm on a Chromebook) the thing is, when I try to start a virtual machine on Ubuntu, it displays "kernel driver not installed (rc=-1908)."
I have been looking for a solution on several forums, but no matter what I try, nothing works.
SOS.
Best regards,
Diana
7 answers
Hello,
Having a PC running Linux that I never use currently, if I remember correctly there are "Packages" like updates to install or something like that.
After that, you need to wait for someone more certified than me on Ubuntu, Linux, etc...
Hello,
As jns55 mentioned, if you can avoid using a virtual machine, that's better, as the performance will be much better.
If you need to install VirtualBox on Debian, you indeed need to install not only the software (package virtualbox), but also the VirtualBox module (package virtualbox-guest-dkms). The installation procedure, depending on your version of Debian, is documented here.
However, what's not detailed is that nowadays, most of the time, secure boot is enabled, which prevents loading modules produced by DKMS (as is the case here).
You then need to create a key pair, enroll it in the BIOS, and sign the module each time it is built (that is, when installing VirtualBox, and subsequently at each Linux kernel update -- package linux-image-amd64). All of this is explained in this tutorial (only look at the creating the key pair section and the signing the module).
Good luck
Hello mamiemando,
On a a Chromebook, the BIOS is specific to Chrome OS and it is completely locked down. There is an equivalent of secure boot but it is not the same software as on a regular PC since the BIOS is specific. The user does not have access to the machine's BIOS (the usual access keys do not work) and the machine cannot boot from any media that contains anything other than Chrome OS. Everything is really locked down for maximum security.
To have a bit more options, you need to switch the Chromebook to developer mode, which is equivalent to installing another version of the operating system.
To be able to install another OS (Windows, Linux), you need to replace the installed version of the BIOS which is often locked by a screw located on the motherboard. And of course, there is no documentation to find the screw, it's basically a state secret. Similarly, finding a compatible new BIOS is like an obstacle course and drivers for Windows, don’t even get me started.
With the version of Debian that is installed, it can install pretty much any software it wants. The problem is that Debian is delivered raw without configuration, there is just a terminal and that’s it, figure it out! And Google doesn’t say a word about how to configure Debian and leverage Linux software (probably out of fear of overshadowing Chrome OS)
This Debian virtual machine delivered with Chrome OS is particularly well made and lightweight, Linux applications are integrated into Chrome OS, and the graphical display of Linux applications is managed by Chrome OS. When a Linux application is launched, it appears on the Chrome OS desktop and there is hardly any appearance difference from a Chrome application. Only Wayland-compatible applications are supported, X11 applications being considered unsafe (X11 vulnerabilities). You can install them with a sudo apt install but they do not appear in the main menu and cannot be used in sudo mode, so it is not possible to use synaptic to manage packages!
Ok, thanks for the information. But if you can't access the BIOS, do the modules need to be signed? And if so, how do you enroll your signature?
Moreover, since Ubuntu is largely based on Debian, the interest in installing it in a virtual machine seems very limited to me; it would simply be enough to install a reasonable set of packages under Debian to make it similar to Ubuntu or Mint. In my opinion, by installing a desktop environment like Cinnamon, you already achieve a more comfortable result, right?
sudo apt update sudo apt install lightdm task-cinnamon-desktop task-french task-french-desktop
Good luck
Hello,
It is not possible to use another desktop environment: Debian applications appear directly on the Chrome OS desktop as if they were Chrome OS applications. Debian does not have a desktop installed and does not need one. It’s a very clever system because Linux applications are very well integrated and appear in the Chrome OS menu.
See this screenshot and you will understand better. The LibreOffice window is a Debian application and the Chrome browser window is a Chrome OS application. At first glance, they are indistinguishable; both appear in the taskbar. The only visible difference is that the tiling feature available with a Chrome OS window is not available with a Linux window...
https://www.cjoint.com/doc/23_10/MJcoPx4EN1X_Screenshot-2023-10-02-16.30.30.png
And the Chrome OS desktop is very similar to the Cinnamon desktop or the Windows desktop.
Hello,
On a Chromebook, it’s a Debian 11 virtual machine that can be installed from the advanced settings of Chrome OS. Are you saying that you installed VirtualBox on Debian? So you want to run Ubuntu in a virtual machine that runs itself in the Debian virtual machine of Chrome OS?
Are you sure your Chromebook can handle that?
The virtual machine of Chrome OS has a particularity in its operation: the installed Debian doesn't have its own graphical interface; it's Chrome OS that manages the graphical display of the Debian applications, and only Wayland-compatible applications are supported. This might be a clue to your problem.
Otherwise, you would need to remove Chrome OS to install another OS in its place, but for that, you’d have to change the BIOS of the machine, which is itself locked... not easy at all and definitely not for just anyone.
Yes exactly that.
Alright, so what do you recommend? Should I buy another PC?
Considering that I'm only following the lessons from OpenClassrooms and to be honest sometimes things don't work, especially with the mv command, and I don't always find answers. I feel like it's uncommon to code or anything on a Chromebook... lol
I don't necessarily have a lot of means, but if I need to invest in a decent PC dedicated to this, then I will.
Best regards
What software do you need?
With the version of Debian that is currently installed, you can already do quite a bit! Practically everything you would be able to do with Ubuntu once a software center is installed.
Check out this tutorial (it's fresh, just completed) to configure Debian and install the software center.
https://www.cjoint.com/doc/23_09/MIpjYOoghJX_Linux-sur-chromebook.pdf
Once you have enabled file sharing between Linux and Chrome OS, you will see that you no longer need the mv command: you will be able to manage your files from the Chrome OS file manager.
In fact, to be clearer, if I wanted to download VirtualBox and have an Ubuntu operating system, it's because I'm taking the course "Get Started with Linux" on OpenClassrooms. I am following the steps blindly. At one point, it says to download the VirtualBox app, set up an Ubuntu machine, download a GNOME workspace environment (which I don't have, by the way), anyway, it's tiring because I'm trying to learn by following the instructions, but since I'm a beginner, I don't necessarily understand the purpose of what I'm doing and how I could do it without following the given steps. I think that's clearer. Now, why I'm being suggested Linux Ubuntu, I have no idea. After this course, I was planning to start HTML and CSS courses, so this might block me. And here too, I don't know if there is a preferred order.
As you said, I have a terminal, and I managed to download a few apps, but the storage isn't huge, and I feel like I'm missing a lot of elements. You understood everything.
https://openclassrooms.com/fr/courses/7170491-initiez-vous-a-linux/7253116-naviguez-sur-internet
There you go...
Hmm...
It's hard to get a clear idea; I don't have access to the full content of the page (well, yeah, I'm not enrolled in the course)...
What does this training lead to? A diploma? Is it expensive?
They assume you have a Windows PC, hence the idea of installing VirtualBox to be able to install Ubuntu (debatable choice between us)... to discover the different methods of installing software on Linux. That's all nice and good, but did they explain to you how to install a virtual machine with Ubuntu and set it up beforehand? It's far more complicated than just clicking on an icon or typing a command line without really understanding what it means.
To run Ubuntu in a virtual machine, you need a PC that has a bit of muscle; otherwise, it will lag.
You could very well do everything they ask of you in Debian on your Chromebook; the commands are the same, and the software library I have you install in the tutorial is the same as Ubuntu's (except there are fewer applications in it), but you won't have the Gnome interface. After all, Ubuntu is a derivative of Debian, but I think if you want to follow the entire course with hardware other than what they have planned, at some point, you're going to find yourself in difficulty. If, in addition to struggling to grasp the concepts, you have to grapple with the hardware, you won't be putting all the odds in your favor.
This training is free and doesn't lead to much, (I'm considering going to school 42 or another school, eventually I would like to be a pentester or be in pure coding, this will refine itself over time and with experience.)
Yes, I was explained how to download Virtualbox, then launch a virtual machine of Ubuntu and it’s at that moment that I encounter the bug haha,
what annoys me is that I don't have the same dashboard as the recommended gnome (well I don’t know if it changes much in the end).
Okay I see, thanks, I will read your tutorial first.
Yes totally, do you recommend a Mac or any particular PC to avoid having issues in the future...? (I sincerely think about investing a little) (max 600 euros)
The problem with the virtual machine is that you have 2 OS running simultaneously (Windows and Linux), so you need fairly powerful hardware to avoid lagging, which quickly drives up the price.
You also have the option of installing Ubuntu "bare metal," which means on a dedicated partition. There, you don't need a powerful PC since there's no more virtual machine. A PC with 4 GB of RAM and a decent enough processor (even a Celeron) will do the job, as Linux is much less demanding than Windows. If the PC already has Windows installed, you can also consider a dual-boot setup that will allow you to choose the OS at boot time, and installing Ubuntu is really very straightforward.
You can even check out used hardware if you don't want to spend a lot of money.
I tried to install Ubuntu without a virtual machine, but I can't do it.
Still, I go to their official website, I download the package, and when I try to launch it via the terminal, it doesn't work.
What is the problem here, or rather the solution?
What is a dedicated partition?
I'm a bit lost here; I don't understand everything... Just for your information, my computer is an Asus Chromebook with an Intel® Core™ i7-8500Y dual-core 1.5 GHz with Turbo Boost (up to 4.2 GHz) and 4 MB cache.
There is no version for Debian 11 in the Debian repositories.
There is indeed a version for Debian 11 at Oracle, but you only get the virtualbox.deb package when you click on the download link. To obtain the dependencies at the time of installation, you need to add a repository in the sources. However, the average user cannot add sources. It needs to be done as an administrator and it's not that simple.
To do this, you need to edit the file /etc/apt/sources.list.d/cros.list and add the repository as indicated here:
https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads
You first need to install an editor like nano to edit the file with the command
sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list.d/cros.list
to add the line:
https://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian bullseye contrib Then you need to save the file and run sudo apt update to reload the package lists before being able to install the downloaded package!!!! I'm afraid you might be lost there!
The result is absolutely not guaranteed, anyway with only 64 GB of storage, you will probably run out of space.