I'm x-posting this from the BOINC forums, as there's no reply there:

When running a task for Rosetta@Home - BOINC Can't access the VirtualBox VM's properly.

My system is Ubuntu 22.04.1 running VirtualBox Version 6.1.34_Ubuntu r150636

In trying to solve this problem, I've tried a couple of versions of BOINC now:

Ubuntu's package manager installed: 7.18.1
- This wouldn't even run.. Illegal instruction error (core dumped)
- This triggered me to try another version

Costamagna Gianfranco-ubuntu-boinc: 7.20.2
- Runs but all tasks using VirtualBox error out with:

2022-08-16 16:40:02 (180543): Error in host info for VM: -1041038848
Command:
VBoxManage -q list hostinfo
Output:
VBoxManage: error: Failed to create the VirtualBox object!
VBoxManage: error: Code NS_ERROR_SOCKET_FAIL (0xC1F30200) - IPC daemon socket error (extended info not available)
VBoxManage: error: Most likely, the VirtualBox COM server is not running or failed to start.

- If I copy/paste the exact command listed 'VBoxManage -q list hostinfo' - I see this:

→ VBoxManage -q list hostinfo
Host Information:

Host time: 2022-08-16T23:55:33.129000000Z
Processor online count: 8
Processor count: 8
Processor online core count: 4
Processor core count: 4
Processor supports HW virtualization: yes
Processor supports PAE: yes
Processor supports long mode: yes
Processor supports nested paging: yes
Processor supports unrestricted guest: no
Processor supports nested HW virtualization: no
Processor#0 speed: 2668 MHz
Processor#0 description: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 920 @ 2.67GHz
Processor#1 speed: 2668 MHz
Processor#1 description: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 920 @ 2.67GHz
Processor#2 speed: 2668 MHz
Processor#2 description: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 920 @ 2.67GHz
Processor#3 speed: 2668 MHz
Processor#3 description: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 920 @ 2.67GHz
Processor#4 speed: 2668 MHz
Processor#4 description: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 920 @ 2.67GHz
Processor#5 speed: 2668 MHz
Processor#5 description: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 920 @ 2.67GHz
Processor#6 speed: 2668 MHz
Processor#6 description: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 920 @ 2.67GHz
Processor#7 speed: 2668 MHz
Processor#7 description: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 920 @ 2.67GHz
Memory size: 24029 MByte
Memory available: 17880 MByte
Operating system: Linux
Operating system version: 5.15.0-46-generic

Build directly from Source: 7.21.0 x86_64-pc-linux-gnu
- SAME ERRORS AS ABOVE

VirtualBox is installed, the command works as myself, the user 'boinc' (which runs the service) or as root.
What it doesn't seem to do it run when BOINC tries to launch a task using it.

Before I downgrade - does ANYONE have an idea on why this is happening, or next steps for me to try to figure it out myself?
I'm quite linux savvy, and handy with a compiler - but I don't yet see where this happens.

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My system is Ubuntu 22.04.1 running VirtualBox Version 6.1.34_Ubuntu r150636
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Before I downgrade - does ANYONE have an idea on why this is happening, or next steps for me to try to figure it out myself?

It is due to the new security setting in BOINC 7.18.1 and above.
https://quchempedia.univ-angers.fr/athome/forum_thread.php?id=166#1644

You will need to go back to 7.16.6. I don't know if that is possible in Ubuntu 22.04.1.
That is why I stay with 20.04.4.

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It is due to the new security setting in BOINC 7.18.1 and above.
https://quchempedia.univ-angers.fr/athome/forum_thread.php?id=166#1644

You will need to go back to 7.16.6. I don't know if that is possible in Ubuntu 22.04.1.
That is why I stay with 20.04.4.

I tried the workaround on that thread to no avail.

I will see about backing myself down to 7.16.6 if possible..
I can build from source too - so if I can trace the patches that caused this from that thread, I may be able to produce a new version which works.

There's something really wonky going on in Ubuntu 22 for sure.
Even with the BOINC client service running, but all tasks suspended - I get a massive spam in my logs about CRT disconnects:

Aug 26 09:40:52 Traal /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[9557]: (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): CRT-0: disconnected
Aug 26 09:40:52 Traal /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[9557]: (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): CRT-0: 400.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
Aug 26 09:40:52 Traal /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[9557]: (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0):
Aug 26 09:40:52 Traal /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[9557]: (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): HP 27es (DFP-0): connected
Aug 26 09:40:52 Traal /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[9557]: (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): HP 27es (DFP-0): Internal TMDS
Aug 26 09:40:52 Traal /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[9557]: (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): HP 27es (DFP-0): 340.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
Aug 26 09:40:52 Traal /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[9557]: (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0):
Aug 26 09:40:52 Traal /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[9557]: (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): VIZ VL320M (DFP-1): connected
Aug 26 09:40:52 Traal /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[9557]: (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): VIZ VL320M (DFP-1): Internal TMDS
Aug 26 09:40:52 Traal /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[9557]: (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): VIZ VL320M (DFP-1): 340.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
Aug 26 09:40:52 Traal /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[9557]: (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0):
Aug 26 09:40:52 Traal /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[9557]: (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): CRT-0: disconnected
Aug 26 09:40:52 Traal /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[9557]: (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): CRT-0: 400.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
Aug 26 09:40:52 Traal /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[9557]: (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0):
Aug 26 09:40:52 Traal /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[9557]: (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): HP 27es (DFP-0): connected
Aug 26 09:40:52 Traal /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[9557]: (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): HP 27es (DFP-0): Internal TMDS
Aug 26 09:40:52 Traal /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[9557]: (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0): HP 27es (DFP-0): 340.0 MHz maximum pixel clock
Aug 26 09:40:52 Traal /usr/libexec/gdm-x-session[9557]: (--) NVIDIA(GPU-0):

(Repeat ad infinitum)

I have 2 monitors (VIZ VLM320M HDMI TV, and an HP 27es) -- the CRT-0 is not something I recognize as one of my connections, so I'm assuming this is a BOINC GPU session going haywire.

This spam results in my monitor's blacking out every second or so for a few seconds.
If I stop boinc-client service, the spam ends and the monitor regains fidelity.

This may be unrelated, but it's confounding my investigations.

PDF

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I decided to pull the rip-cord, and I downloaded the 7.16.6 package versions for Ubuntu 20.0.4 (libboinc7 + boinc-client).

The CRT GPU spam immediately stopped, and boinc now seems to function properly against normal work units.
I'm still waiting for a virtualbox wu to download so I can see what happens.

Will update as I see more..

PDF

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Virtualbox WU's are still broken .. Hooray for LTS versions of OS's.......

PDF

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Virtualbox WU's are still broken .. Hooray for LTS versions of OS's.......

Against my better judgement, I tried 22.04 on their representation that you could access it remotely from a Windows machine using Remote Desktop.
Sure enough, it did not work at all. I had to go back to X11 VNC, and even that didn't work, probably due to some additional security requirement buried somewhere.

Each new version gets worse and worse. I only upgraded to 20.04 because of hardware compatibility, but never again if I don't have to.

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