[SOLVED] Start vboxnet0 at boot

GOS · Last edited by GOS on Tue Sep 07, 2021 8:40 pm; edited 1 time in total

Hello,

does anyone know, how to start the Virtualbox networking interface vboxnet0 at boot (host)?

The reason is the following:

I have a virtual machine with Windows 10 without any network connection, accept a host-only network via vboxnet0. This is, because I can use the hosts printers via this host-only network. Unfortunately the host's cupsd does not listen at vboxnet0 if cupsd is started, before vboxnet0 is up.

This means I have to do an "/etc/init.d/cupsd restart" (on the host) after I started my Win-VM, because vboxnet0 is not present before.

Any ideas?

alamahant · Advocate Joined: 23 Mar 2019 Posts: 3878

How about
If the interface is shown when you run "ip a"

figueroa · Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2021 2:37 am Post subject:

The package virtualbox-modules automatically creates the file /usr/lib/modules-load.d/virtualbox.conf containing the list of loadable virtualbox modules.

GOS · Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2021 9:49 am Post subject:

1) Unfortunately the device vboxnet0 is not present (and not shown by "ip -a" or in "/sys/class/net") at host-boot. vboxnet0 is created when one runs the VM the first time (and then vboxnet0 is also listed in /sys/class/net).

2) Indeed, the three modules are loaded via the way figueroa mentioned. But this does not create vboxnet0 at host-boot.

figueroa · Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2021 12:21 pm Post subject:

Head to the VirtualBox manual and look for a commandline option that might create that interface. Otherwise, you might start a small headless VM to spawn the interface.
_________________
Andy Figueroa
hp pavilion hpe h8-1260t/2AB5; spinning rust x3
i7-2600 @ 3.40GHz; 16 gb; Radeon HD 7570
amd64/23.0/split-usr/desktop (stable), OpenRC, -systemd -pulseaudio -uefi

alamahant · Advocate Joined: 23 Mar 2019 Posts: 3878

Try using VboxManage command

GOS · Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2021 8:57 pm Post subject:

Solved the problem with the flowing steps:

1) Create vboxnet0 via "VBoxManage hostonlyif create" as root. (If one do this as user, root cannot start vboxnet0 in step 2)

2) Create my own init service (MyOwnService) in "/etc/init.d" which launches "VBoxManage list vms" and which starts before net.vboxnet0. (This step secures, that vboxnet0 is listed in "/sys/class/net". That step 1 is done as root is crucial for step 2!)

3) Put MyOwnService in runlevel default.

3) Create net.vboxnet0 in /etc/init.d as symlink of net.lo and put it in runlevel default.

4) Add vboxnet0 to "/etc/conf.d/net" with the desired configuration.

Result: vboxnet0 starts with the desired configuration before cupsd does and everything works like a charm.

============================
PS: MyOwnService looks like:

#!/sbin/openrc-run

depend()
{
need localmount
after bootmisc
before net.vboxnet0
}

start()
{
ebegin "Start my own services"
/var/lib64/virtualbox/VBoxManage list vms
eend $?
}

stop()
{
ebegin "Do nothing"
eend $?
}

figueroa · Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2021 9:10 pm Post subject:

Brilliantly done!
_________________
Andy Figueroa
hp pavilion hpe h8-1260t/2AB5; spinning rust x3
i7-2600 @ 3.40GHz; 16 gb; Radeon HD 7570
amd64/23.0/split-usr/desktop (stable), OpenRC, -systemd -pulseaudio -uefi