I just installed Virtualbox from the repositories using ‘Install Software’.
Clicked on the newly created Icon and nothing happens.
I’m running 64 bit 11.1 - does anyone have advice ? Am I missing something obvious here ?
I always prefer the PUEL version from virtualbox.org rather than the OSE one in the openSUSE repo, less hassles.
Package /home/stan/Desktop/VirtualBox-2.2.2_46594_openSUSE111-1.x86_64.rpm could not be installed.
Details:
Subprocess failed. Error: RPM failed: error: Failed dependencies:
pam-devel is needed by VirtualBox-2.2.2_46594_openSUSE111-1.x86_64
Sigh…
But for the PUEL version you will need the kernel-source, gcc and make packages installed because it will need to build a kernel module.
It did install and does run now.
Remember that you will need to run /etc/init.d/vboxdrv setup after any kernel updates, after the new kernel is booted up.
Also you’ll need to change permissions on /usr/lib/virtualbox/Virtualbox & VBoxHeadless & VBoxSDL with chmod 4511 if i’m not wrong.
Thanks for all the input. I appreciate it.
OpenSolaris is installing now, when will I have to rebuild the kernel ?
Should be installed with the correct permissions out of the package.
You don’t need to rebuild the kernel, you just need to rebuild the VirtualBox kernel module IF there are any kernel updates.
Only if you update the kernel that VirtualBox is running on top of, openSUSE Linux I assume, do you have to rebuild the vboxdrv module. Not the guest kernel.
The OpenSolaris install is proceeding nicely, so everything is fine at this point.
When you’ll get the Effective UID is not root then You need to change the permissions as i instructed. VirtualBox devs say that this is a feature. So in order to run VitualBox you need to chmod 4511 VirtualBox, VBoxSDL and VBoxHeadless which are in the /usr/lib/virtualbox folder.
Install pam-devel
The devs must be pulling your leg. If it were a feature everyone would be posting a complaint in the forum. lol!
However I did get that permissions problem with VBox 2.1.2. (IIRC). Since then I took the advice to always install or upgrade the PUEL version from a local directory setup in Yast as a repo. Never had another permissions problem through 2.1.4, 2.2.0, and 2.2.2 the latest. 
I did not have to change permissions, or do anything else for that matter. OpenSolaris comes up just fine although slower than on a native machine. Ah well - the price of virtualization.
Read this thread:
Arch Linux Forums / virtualbox 2.0.2 not working
When you’ turn off VirtualBox completely or logout and login you’ll get that permission problem.
I note your link is for a different release, users there are flip-flopping between OSE and the binary, and it’s not even this distro. Not many on openSUSE have reported having the problem. As I said, if it was a big problem on the recent releases, where are all the posts in this forum?
I know you warned the OP with the best of intentions, but sometimes it’s better to wait for the problem to occur before offering a solution.
I’m not saying that because i read that thread but because i have that problem. And yes, i am in vboxusers group so don’t tell me no one has this problem. I installed the newest version and i DO have that problem after turning it off.
Did you upgrade to 2.2.2 from a previous version or do a clean install?