Ubuntu virtualbox stuck at initializing screen

Question

So my Ubuntu VirtualBox was working fine.. until I decided to try to up its performance by changing a couple of settings. Things I changed:

Base memory: 1468Mb ---> 2048Mb

Processors used: 1 ---> 2

Video memory: 16Mb ---> 18 Mb

After I tried these changes, my Ubuntu VirtualBox keeps getting stuck on the startup screen. Right before it gets there, though, a "SMBbus base address not initialized" text message appears.

So now, even when I go back to the original settings - and even lower ones - it gets stuck on the same screen over and over again.

I have a lot of stuff set up on VirtualBox and really don't want to go over that again. So I really need ideas on what I can try doing so my Ubuntu VM actually boots.

I tried pressing Esc and all the other things suggested here: Ubuntu doesn't boot (stuck on splash)

But nothing seems to work. Please let me know if you have any ideas

EDIT: Okay, I reinstalled everything, went through all the trouble to get the main files I needed working, and everything worked fine yesterday. Today I turned it back on, without changing anything, and now the SAME problem is going on.

Are there other ways that I can successfully run Linux on my Windows 8? I really need this.

Solution 1

I also was stuck at the same boot screen. I tried changing settings including

1. Including more storage space
2. Upgrading/Downgrading CPU cores
3. Enabling/Disabling 3D acceleration
4. Increasing/Decreasing Video Memory

I was still stuck at splash screen after an ubuntu update.

Then I found a solution

What I tried is changing Graphics controller (select VM) -> settings -> Display -> Graphics Controller, Mine was at VMSVGA I changed it from VMSVGA to VBoxVGA, also I tried changing to VBoxSVGA, both worked. Now everything is working fine.

Note that everything was set at default value and vbox is running at minimum requirement of ubuntu. Hope this helps someone!

Some links I referred. May some of this helps if not mine :-)

• https://askubuntu.com/questions/1030181/ubuntu-18-04-lts-freezes-while-in-boot-in-wndows-virtual-box-solution
• https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2394232
• https://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=82764

Solution 2

Are you totally sure that you changed the number of available CPUs back to 1? I have seen Virtual Box totally flip out or degrade performance significantly when the numbers of CPUs are increased.

Comments

[dbrown0708]

I'm not sure what's up with your VM, but if you're desperate to get the data of your VM, you can. You should be able to add the existing disk image as a non-boot disk in a different VM. Also ... always make snapshots of your VMs before you make change; that way you can easily revert to a working state.

[triplebig]

that's the thing, I remembered where my settings were, and even after putting it back to where it was originally, it still didn't boot.

[triplebig]

edited the OP for update

[triplebig]

Yes, it's back at 1 =/

[Steve Reeder]

Do you have any USB devices configured to work thru your VM in the Vbox settings?

[triplebig]

In the USB tab, the "Enable USB controller" is checked, and there is nothing under USB Device Filters. Is this what you were asking?

[Steve Reeder]

well, sort of. I was thinking you might have had a USB device you were using with the VM configured in that panel. One thing I would try is to make a copy of the VM, create a new VM and link the image to the image you copied to the new VM and see if that fixes the issue.

[triplebig]

Do I "Clone" it from VBox, or just copy the .vdi file?

[Steve Reeder]

copy the VDI, the clone function in vbox is sort of strange and the idea is to make sure the config file for the VM is brand new with default settings to see if that resolves your issue.

[triplebig]

Did not work, same problem :(

[pablorenato]

I changed CPU from 2 back to 1 & it works now thanks

[Raphael Royer-Rivard]

You are a life saver my friend