Guru mediation in VboxHeadless creates a deadlock

[Yoda]

Any "guru mediation" state seems to create a popup for 'exit' or 'debug' when Vbox is run from a normal GUI (Desktop). However, when a client is started i vboxheadless mode, there is obviously no GUI, so when a "guru mediation" happens, it still stalls in a "paused" state (as if it waites for an input to the non-exsisting popup). From a Desktop/GUI later launched, there is no way to access it, as all menu items are greyed out. You can not even shut it down in any way.

It also consumes 100% cpu (on 1 core) in this state.

Only way to get rid of it is process kill.

Very annoying - it should just die (so other systems would restart it)

This is a problem I see often, because of #12805

[Frank Mehnert]

Just tried with VBox 4.3.26. When a VM process started with VBoxHeadless runs into a Guru Meditation, the guest changes into the VM state "Guru Meditation". VBoxManage showvminfo will show this state. At this time, the VM can be powered off with VBoxManage controlvm VM_NAME poweroff. Also, during a Guru Meditation, the guest is not consuming 100% CPU time here.

I think we need a core dump from your VM process when stuck in that state. I guess it's some problem with your specific Guru Meditation.

[Yoda]

ok, I never tried using Vboxmanage in this situation - but the GUI does not make it possible to power it off. Are there any particular reason, that the session is kept in this state in VboxHeadless mode ?

[Frank Mehnert]

The reason is that someone might want to debug the process before it terminates. But if the GUI does not allow to power the VM off then this sounds like a problem. This used to work. For the GUI it's possible to configure the behavior, see user manual section 9.19.9. Default is to show the dialog window which waits for a user input but.

For VBoxHeadless, the VM has to be powered off using VBoxManage.