Arch Linux: Running VirtualBox (VM) without a window manager

Question

In Arch Linux, I would like to run VirtualBox without a window manager.

As a root I can easily do:

xinit /usr/bin/VirtualBox  -- :0 vt1

As a non-root user I get a blank screen. If I open another terminal, kill VirtualBox and read

~/.local/share/xorg/Xorg.0.log  ,

then it does not show any error and is basically the same as the "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" I get as a root.

UPDATE

As noted by Arkadiusz Drabczyk, the problem was with a bug in VB. It works with version 5.2.4-119785.
My final objective is to use VB kind of bare-metal, starting an OS in fullscreen and nothing else, that is:

xinit '/usr/bin/VirtualBox' --startvm "VM name" --fullscreen -- :0 vt1

if you don't need the GUI at all, VBoxHeadless --startvm vmName should do the trick. (... come to think of it, a --startvm WhatVMDoYouWantToStart argument is probably the missing ingredient.) — quixotic
– quixotic, Commented Dec 11, 2017 at 16:02
@quixotic: of course this is for simplicity. Actual command should be something like: xinit /usr/bin/VirtualBox --startvm "vm name" --fullscreen -- :0 vt1 — antonio
– antonio, Commented Dec 11, 2017 at 18:15

Arkadiusz Drabczyk · Accepted Answer · 2017-12-21 12:55:56Z

4

+50

I remember I was able to reproduce your problem with not being able to run Virtualbox as non-root user without window manager with older versions of Virtualbox but it works for me with 5.2.4-119785.

However, as stated in the comments you don't need to graphical interface at all. Virtualbox comes with command line interface, it's my preferred method of interacting with it. Say, to list virtual machines:

$ vboxmanage list vms
"ubuntu" {e7fe8912-5484-4b9d-b5fe-431ae648b2dd}
"slackware64-current" {a00e1925-9cb6-4330-8b04-bbce69b49c67}
"slackware-current" {636b85f2-1e02-497b-9c50-22eb285250a3}
"freebsd" {acb77ca6-b051-400a-92bb-b3b2f1905991}
"openindiana" {bdca01dd-ea5d-4323-9fd2-92665d311bda}
"slackware64-14.1" {f9db3ba6-2316-4f92-8264-4abc8e4f71b3}
"slackware-14.2" {ccb5ddba-4ea1-4469-8ebc-21c84b8ca825}
"slackware-14.1-pathes-test" {67bec56d-b7d5-4427-a726-de2b4c1ba700}
"Slackware_new_test" {2e9232b5-bab1-41fc-8db4-ff4aab56f94c}
"slackware64-14.2" {2084cd19-d286-48b5-8e7b-3d1bb7a94d93}
"alpine linux" {be56c6a7-5821-4815-984b-6b40a6367acb}
"openwrt_Chaos_Calmer" {a4fcb438-dfc7-4672-8976-0d21b34357e0}
"linux-mint" {6e5e99d8-2dd8-4798-93ac-ffbf14c6c9db}

To start a virtual machine:

$ vboxmanage startvm "slackware64-14.1" --type headless

You can then access a started virtual machine with ssh, telnet etc.

To remove a virtual machine:

$ vboxmanage unregistervm "slackware64-14.1" -delete

To show info on a given virtual machine:

$ vboxmanage showvminfo slackware64-14.1

To stop a virtual machine:

$ vboxmanage controlvm slackware64-14.1 poweroff

You can even create a new virtual machine in command line: https://gist.github.com/ardrabczyk/65b68d0121f2964cd99e

answered Dec 21, 2017 at 12:55

Arkadiusz Drabczyk

26.6k5 gold badges56 silver badges70 bronze badges

Thank you, but I actually wrote without a Window Manager, not without a window/GUI

antonio
– antonio

2017-12-22 11:40:29 +00:00
Commented Dec 22, 2017 at 11:40
I know, I said that I was able to reproduce your problem on my system. Try upgrading virtualbox if possible.

Arkadiusz Drabczyk
– Arkadiusz Drabczyk

2017-12-22 11:41:08 +00:00
Commented Dec 22, 2017 at 11:41
Sorry, read too fast. After pacman -Syu I can run xinit /usr/bin/VirtualBox -- :0 vt1, but I am unable to pass parameters to VirtualBox. I would run a VM with: ` xinit /usr/bin/VirtualBox --startvm "VM name" --fullscreen -- :0 vt1 `, but I get only the VirtualBox main app.

antonio
– antonio

2017-12-22 13:05:31 +00:00
Commented Dec 22, 2017 at 13:05
I'm confused. You asked about xinit /usr/bin/VirtualBox -- :0 vt1 in your question. Does virtualbox now show up?

Arkadiusz Drabczyk
– Arkadiusz Drabczyk

2017-12-22 13:08:28 +00:00
Commented Dec 22, 2017 at 13:08
Yes, it works thanks to your suggestion to upgrade. Now I would like to run a VM, not only the VirtualBox main app. For this I need to pass some parameters to VirtualBox (or use VBoxManage). It works putting /usr/bin/VirtualBox --startvm "VM name" --fullscreen in .xinitrc. I was wondering if I can pass VB parameters straight from xinit.

antonio
– antonio

2017-12-22 13:21:06 +00:00
Commented Dec 22, 2017 at 13:21

| Show 3 more comments

sancho.s ReinstateMonicaCellio · Accepted Answer · 2017-12-20 23:48:06Z

3

I found several options.

VBoxManage

VBoxManage startvm "VM name" --type headless

VBoxHeadless
```
VBoxHeadless --startvm <uuid|name>
```

And bear in mind xinit ..., as you already know.

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