[OpenIndiana-discuss] Cannot install or uninstall Vbox older version blocking the way

[Jim Klimov]

On May 11, 2017 3:22:13 AM GMT+03:00, Will Brokenbourgh <will.brokenbourgh2877 at gmail.com> wrote:
>On 05/10/2017 04:27 PM, Harry Putnam wrote:
>> I was working toward rounding up information as to why recent vbox
>> versions are not installable (in gui format), on openindiana
>>
>> As I recall it had to do with vbox recent builds depending on a gcc
>> install older than that installed on hipster ... at least since
>161030
>> releases.
>>
>> I hoped to record the failure messages and then go to vbox gmane
>group
>> and post the problems I ran into, asking for advice and maybe asking
>> why vbox cannot use a newer gcc.  Or at least learning of some
>> workaround.
>>
>> But apparently, Somehow in my tinkering back when I first ran into
>> being unable to install a recent version I kept trying older and
>older
>> ones.
>>
>> This was ... several weeks ago now. Back then, blundering around, I
>> managed to get vbox 5.0.36 partially installed.
>>
>>
>> So when I went to run thru installing the newest 5.1.22...I'm told
>> there is a VBox already installed... so `pkgrm SUNWvbox', but that
>fails
>> with what sounds like an unusual error (Failed to parse the Solaris
>> kernel major version):
>>
>>    pkgrm SUNWvbox
>>
>>    The following package is currently installed:
>>       SUNWvbox  Oracle VM VirtualBox
>>                 (i386) 5.0.36,REV=2017.03.15.20.44.114008
>>    Do you want to remove this package? [y,n,?,q] y
>>    
>>    ## Removing installed package instance <SUNWvbox>
>>    (A previous attempt may have been unsuccessful.)
>>    
>>    This package contains scripts which will be executed with
>super-user
>>    permission during the process of removing this package.
>>    
>>    Do you want to continue with the removal of this package [y,n,?,q]
>y
>>    ## Verifying package <SUNWvbox> dependencies in global zone
>>    ## Processing package information.
>>    ## Executing preremove script.
>>    Removing VirtualBox services and drivers...
>>
>>    ## Failed to parse the Solaris kernel major version.
>>    ## Failed.
>>    pkgrm: ERROR: preremove script did not complete successfully
>>    
>>    Removal of <SUNWvbox> failed.
>>
>> And I never get the prompt back .. having to ^c to get the prompt.
>>
>> Isn't the kernel major version something that should be easily
>parsed?
>>
>> Maybe this is really about a different failure?
>>
>> Unlikely that it would be helpful, but I did try removing all
>evidence
>> of Virtualbox at /opt but it had no effect.
>>
>> svcs -a doesn't turn up anything with vbox in the name... I'm not
>sure
>> how to track down the bits that are blocking things up.
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> openindiana-discuss mailing list
>> openindiana-discuss at openindiana.org
>> https://openindiana.org/mailman/listinfo/openindiana-discuss
>Hi again Harry,
>
>Make sure to do:
>
>   sudo find /var -name "*vbox*"
>
>...and that will reveal the little bits that haven't been properly 
>removed.  I had the same problems as you, and after removing those bits
>
>(and rebooting, I think), I was able to get the special OI contributed 
>VirtualBox installed after failed attempts with 'stock' VirtualBox 
>packages from virtualbox.org
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Will Brokenbourgh
>Oregon, USA
>
>Sent from my Linux desktop
>
>
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>openindiana-discuss mailing list
>openindiana-discuss at openindiana.org
>https://openindiana.org/mailman/listinfo/openindiana-discuss

The error message sounds like something that my https://github.com/jimklimov/vboxconfig_sh tries to alleviate. Indeed, after the different Solaris and illumos distros split ways, it became very difficult to guess for a script whether a needed kernel/feature level is available.

You can apply the patch from that repo to the installed copy of original Oracle Virtualbox script, to have it remove the bits cleanly, hopefully.

Jim
--
Typos courtesy of K-9 Mail on my Redmi Android