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I tried to copy an Ubuntu VDI/Virtual Box image to another drive. Now when I boot up I get a black screen with a cursor. If I use host & F1 I can log in via TTY but I can't figure how to boot. I have tried reinstalling guest additions and upgrading, but no dice.

I tried the advice here 12.04.3 can start only after press "resume" in rescue mode (every boot) - problem with Nvidia driver and it still isn't starting but now it flashes different sizes before finalizing at a little black screen with a cursor.

When I try manually running x (sudo startx) it gives me an error of...

error setting MTRR (base = 0xe0000000, size = 0x04200000, type=1) No such device or address (6)

Also after setting no splash etc I now see a console error on boot...

enter image description here

From here I can still boot into the tty but X still won't start

When I run sudo X -configure

enter image description here

I created a 16 version from scratch and it worked fine. Updated to 17 and got the same thing happening again.

Jackie
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2 Answers2

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My inelegant solution was...

  1. Create another virtual drive attach it as SATA
  2. Startup failing machine and mount via terminal the new vdi
  3. Copy all files to the new drive
  4. Shutdown bad machine
  5. Create new Ubuntu machine
  6. Mount new drive as well as OS drive
  7. Copy files over to New OS drive

There might be a way to just mount the old broken drive as a second drive, but mine was encrypted and I couldn't get it to work.

I will still give bounty to anyone that can get the old one to actually boot.

George Udosen
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Jackie
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I don't exactly know what you mean by 'new drive' but creating a new OS from a VirtualBox 'VDI' image of file should be done like this:

  1. Have the 'VDI' file ready in any folder

  2. Create a new OS on Virtualbox device using the usual steps, but when at the 'HARD DISK' step choose the option 'Use an existing virtual disk file':

    enter image description here

  3. Select the 'VDI' from step 2.

  4. Set up the Network and choose the 'Bridged Adapter' option:

    enter image description here

  5. Now start the Virtual VM.

Image(s) courtesy of linuxbsdos

Glorfindel
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George Udosen
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  • I am pretty sure I followed these steps short of the network setting given the information above. I will go ahead and try it out but I feel like this has to be an X issue given the above info and the fact it starts and gets packages. I just can't get anything but tty – Jackie Sep 03 '17 at 14:03
  • Sorry this had no affect, I did notice some more info in the console if that helps. – Jackie Sep 03 '17 at 14:10

  • Syntax error: Invalid command 'setvdiuuid'

     – Jackie Sep 03 '17 at 14:20
  • I really think you are barking up the wrong tree I think the graphics card is not passing through the proper permissions – Jackie Sep 03 '17 at 14:20
  • Let me understand you very well you copied a (formerly working VM) and wish to move it to another drive (which I still don't understand what drive means here) but it won't start the display manager? Please correct me if I am wrong in my assumptions! – George Udosen Sep 03 '17 at 14:24
  • So I took a vdi, copied it from one hard drive to another. I created a new image from an existing VDI. Now when it boots I can only get to the tty (although I seem to have some access such as networking) but if I try to run something like startX it flips – Jackie Sep 03 '17 at 14:27
  • Ok, but what has you graphics got to do with it. This should be the same as the old one, I see some where where the UUID had to be changed but let me investigate it and see.. – George Udosen Sep 03 '17 at 14:29
  • I think it is graphics with the driver (driver or X setting gets corrupted). It could be the copy was just a red herring. If there was a problem with the image itself I would assume that I wouldn't be able to boot to tty let alone wget sites – Jackie Sep 03 '17 at 14:43
  • With networking could you re-install the display manager package? – George Udosen Sep 03 '17 at 14:48
  • I thought I tried that already unless I am replacing the wrong packages. – Jackie Sep 03 '17 at 18:13