VirtualBox has just been updated to version 4.2.8 for Windows, Mac and Linux systems, including Ubuntu. This maintenance release fixes many bugs, including one that crashes a guest machine with huge amount of guest RAM on VT-x hosts and another that corrupts data after resizing a VDI image under certain circumstances. It also fixes a bug that crashes Battlefield game in 3D support mode for Windows, Mac and Linux systems.
For a complete changelog on this release, please click here.
Below are some of the items that were fixed and/or added to this release.
- Linux hosts: work around gcc bug 55940 which might lead to wrong kernel module code if gcc 4.7 is used to compile the 32-bit Linux host kernel (bug #11035)
- Linux hosts: fixed inconsistent lock state and deadlock warnings on module load and VM startup when CONFIG_PROVE_LOCKING is enabled (bug #11318)
- Guest Additions: don’t block signals for processes executed via guest control
- Guest Additions: fixed a small memory leak in VBoxService (bug #10970)
- Windows Additions: fixed shared folder issue with large reads/writes on 64 bit Windows guests (bug #11115)
- Linux Additions: Linux 3.8 compile fixes (bug #11036)
- X11 Additions: fixed blocked SIGALRM in 3D desktop sessions (bug #10987)
- X11 Additions: fixed an unresolved reference in vboxvideo_drv for X.org 6.8 guests and before (e.g. RHEL4; 4.2.0 regression)
- X11 Additions: fixed screen automatic resizing for guests with X.org 1.3 or older (4.2.0 regression)
To install VirtualBox in Windows or Mac OS X systems, use this download link. Download a version for your system and install or upgrade.
To install or upgrade VirtualBox in Ubuntu 12.10, press Ctrl – Alt – T on your keyboard to open the terminal. When it opens, copy and paste the commands below to add its repository’s key.
wget -q http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian/oracle_vbox.asc -O- | sudo apt-key add -
Next, copy and paste the commands below to add its repository to Ubuntu
sudo sh -c 'echo "deb http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian $(lsb_release -sc) contrib" >> /etc/apt/sources.list'
Finally, run the commands below to update your system and install VirtualBox
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install virtualbox-4.2
Enjoy!
To uninstall VirtualBox, run the commands below:
sudo apt-get purge virtualbox-4.2 && sudo apt-get autoremove
Tore remove all VirtualBox repository and it’s key, go to System Settings –> Software Sources –> Other Software tab and remove the repository. Click on ‘Authentication’ tab to delete the repository key.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to fix VirtualBox crashing a guest machine with huge amount of guest RAM on VT-x hosts?
VirtualBox 4.2.8 release fixed the bug causing crashes with large guest RAM on VT-x hosts. Updating to the latest version should resolve this issue.
What was the bug that caused data corruption after resizing a VDI image in VirtualBox 4.2.8?
In VirtualBox 4.2.8, a bug that led to data corruption when resizing a VDI image under certain circumstances was fixed. Users are advised to update to the latest version to prevent such issues.
How to install VirtualBox on Ubuntu 12.10 using the terminal?
To install or upgrade VirtualBox on Ubuntu 12.10, open the terminal and add the repository's key by running the command: wget -q http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian/oracle_vbox.asc -O- | sudo apt-key.
What fixes were made for Linux hosts in VirtualBox 4.2.8?
VirtualBox 4.2.8 addressed issues for Linux hosts, including a workaround for gcc bug 55940 and fixing inconsistent lock state and deadlock warnings. Users with Linux hosts should update to benefit from these fixes.
How was the memory leak in VBoxService resolved in VirtualBox 4.2.8?
In VirtualBox 4.2.8, a small memory leak in VBoxService was fixed within the Guest Additions. Updating to the latest version will prevent this memory leak issue.
What shared folder issue was addressed for 64-bit Windows guests in VirtualBox 4.2.8?
VirtualBox 4.2.8 fixed a shared folder issue related to large reads/writes on 64-bit Windows guests. Users running Windows guests should ensure they are on the latest version to avoid this problem.
Which bug related to X11 Additions was resolved in VirtualBox 4.2.8?
VirtualBox 4.2.8 addressed the issue of blocked SIGALRM in 3D desktop sessions within X11 Additions. Users using X11 desktop sessions should update to benefit from this fix.
What compile fixes were implemented for Linux 3.8 in VirtualBox 4.2.8?
VirtualBox 4.2.8 included Linux 3.8 compile fixes to address specific issues. Users working with Linux 3.8 should update to the latest version for these compile fixes.
