Graphics drivers for Virtualbox

Support Virtualization
21

I think this is an XY problem where you think the issue is with the driver - when it is something else.

ATTENTION: At least one other issue relating to the removal of the vmware video driver was solved by removing the symlink 99-mhwd.conf from /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d and the corresponding file in /etc/X11/mhwd.d.

test

I downloaded the latest xfce iso 25.0.5 dated July, 13. 2025.

Using VirtualBox - it loads with no changes - it installs, and reloads with no changes.

after install

It fails the way if you try to re-install the gpu driver using mhwd - but that is not a problem.

To understand why this work with a new install - one need to know that all possible drivers are included with the ISO in a separat overlay. This overlay is used at install time to install the detected GPU.

update the test vm

Next step is to update the VM (without changing mhwd metadata) just as any other user would do.

Without any changes other than the updates - the system still load as on would expect.

without vmware video

The system behaves slightly different after the update. It manifest itself in that the vm resolution no longer resize when you change the window size.

This is a by-product of the removal of the vmware video driver.

VirtualBox uses VMSVGA for Linux virtual machines thus the vmware video driver has been necessary.

I am guessing the Broadcoms aquisition of VMware and their subsequent release of vmware workstation, player and fusion as free software has caused some of the changes we now see.

workaround

I don’t think you solve your immediate issue by fixing the driver install command

instructions to workaround mhwd metadata referring xf86-video-vmware

I think the issue with your specific system is rooted in the fact that xf86-video-vmware was removed from the repo, but the mhwd-db still contains a reference to the package.

To work around this - on your specific system - boot the system to CLI by editing the boot entry (described before).

When you have logged onto CLI - use root account - use a cli editor and modify the metadata for video-virtualmachine.

My example use micro but you can use the editor you prefer

micro /var/lib/mhwd/db/pci/graphic_drivers/video-virtualmachine/MHWDCONFIG

Navigate to line #16 and remove xf86-video-vmware then save the file and exit.

22

I had this same issue with the guest stopping at reached graphical interface in the boot process. Downgrading xf86-video-vmware to version 13.4.0-3 in the guest allowed a normal boot.

sudo downgrade xf86-video-vmware

23

As I’ve switched to unstable branch, the 99-mhwd.conf and the line in MHWDCONFIG were already deleted. Downgrading to version 13.4.0-3 didn’t help either. Now please tell me how to remove the guest addtions in CLI mode. I think that’ll be my best shot now.

24

Remove the xf86-video-vmware package.

sudo pacman -Rns xf86-video-vmware

If you want test without the guest utils

sudo pacman -Rns virtualbox-guest-utils gtkmm3

Sounds like you have a very old installation with display manager specific modules

To remove plymouth (as of today) - not an old installation

  1. edit /etc/mkinitcpio.conf - remove plymouth from HOOKS= save the file
  2. edit /etc/default/grub - remove splash from the kernel cmdline

Rebuild init

sudo mkinitcpio -P

Rebuild grub configuration

sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Remove plymouth

sudo pacman -Rns plymouth

If pacman is grumpy and refuse - you need to provide detailed information on the response - especially the named dependencies.

25

I installed the guest additions via the iso provided by Virtualbox, not via pacman. I can’t remove them that way, pacman tells me there’s no such package.

26

Ah - using virtualbox install script on the guest iso is a no-go - in fact it may create hard to recover from issues.

That was one of the first things I learning when I started using Arch Linux many, many years ago - never use the guest iso to install guest utils on Arch and derivaties.

27

I wouldn’t need to ask how to remove it if it were just a normal package

I learned it the other way as I ran into lots of issues when I installed the guest additions from the repos.

28

If you mount the guest ISO - check the readme - there must be instructions on how to do this.

29

Found it. It says mount the iso and run sudo sh VBoxLinuxAdditions.run uninstall
So how can I mount a CD ROM in CLI?
Edit: Typing sudo vbox-uninstall-guest-additions doesn’t need the iso.

1 Like
30 
sudo mount -o /dev/loop0 /path/to/iso /where/you/want/it/

Edit: If it’s a physical CD-ROM drive… :point_down:

sudo mount /dev/sr0 /where/you/want/it/
31

I’ve now done the following:

Deleted the guest additions, rebooted - Nothing
ran sudo mhwd -a pci free 0300 (unstable branch with the fix)
This executed without error but it still wouldn’t load any GUI after reboot.

32

Please check in /etc/X11 if you have a configuration file referencing vmware

grep -rl 'vmware' /etc

Ensure you are using at a bare minimum using Linux 6.12.

sudo pacman -Syu linux612

I don’t think it was ever mentioned was desktop you are using - especially the login mannager

  • gnome - gdm
  • xfce - lightdm
  • plasma - sddm
33

the ls command in this directory returns

mhwd.d xinit xorg.conf.d

my DE is Plasma/SDDM

34

please scan /etc

grep -rl 'vmware' /etc
35

It’ll be in xorg.conf.d/, then.

36 
/etc/xdg/autostart/vmware-user.desktop
/etc/services
/etc/vmware-tools/scripts/vmware/network
/etc/vmware-tools/poweroff-vm-default
/etc/vmware-tools/poweron-vm-default
/etc/vmware-tools/resume-vm-default
/etc/vmware-tools/suspend-vm-default
/etc/vmware-tools/tools.conf.example
/etc/vmware-tools/vgauth.conf
37

This is your virtual machine - right?

if it is - I suggest you remove everything but the file /etc/services

sudo rm /etc/xdg/autostart/vmware-user.desktop
sudo rm -r /etc/vmware-tools

this it is likely a (dead) symlink to a file in /etc/X11/mhwd.d/ so remove it

TARDIS1.jpg
Af Zir at engelsk Wikipedia, CC BY 2.5, Link

1 Like
38

It’ll be in xorg.conf.d/, then.
[/quote]

There we have

00-keyboard.conf 30-touchpad.conf 90-mhwd.conf
39

Yes, that’s on the guest

40

What are the contents of 90-mhwd.conf?