[Bug 2090834] Re: vboxpostinstall.sh returned non-zero exit status 1.

Fri Dec 19 16:36:08 UTC 2025

Thanks! it's working now!  Merry Christmas!

On Fri, Dec 19, 2025 at 4:45 AM Olivier Gayot <2090834 at bugs.launchpad.net>
wrote:

> ** Description changed:
>
>   [Description]
>   We have multiple Subiquity private bug reports where people try to
> install Ubuntu 24.04 using virtualbox (with Guest Additions) but
> vboxpostinstall.sh fails.
>
>   After investigating, I found out that vboxpostinstall.sh indirectly
>   relies on usermod to add the `vboxuser` user to a group (vboxuser is the
>   default username for VirtualBox unattended installations but can be
>   changed by when creating the VM).
>
>   We know for a fact that until now, Subiquity-based installers do not
>   create users until first boot so using usermod in a postinstall scripts
>   doesn't work.
>
>   [Plan of actions]
>   1. [x] Introduce support in the identity section for creating users
> before firstboot in devel series (i.e., resolute)
>   2. [x] Open a PR in virtualbox to make sure they create the user using
> the identity section, not cloud-init's user-data.
> - 3. [ ] Apply patches from upstream PR in Ubuntu, via a delta.
> + 3. [x] Apply patches from upstream PR in Ubuntu, via a delta.
>   4. [ ] Backport the Subiquity changes to ubuntu/noble so that 24.04.4
> can be installed unattended (provided a patched version of VirtualBox is
> used).
>
>   [How to reproduce]
>   * Setup an Ubuntu host system running questing (i.e., 25.10) or more
> recent. On older Ubuntu running VirtualBox < 7.1, unattended install for
> Ubuntu isn't supported at all.
>   * Install the following packages:
>      - virtualbox
>      - virtualbox-guest-additions-iso
>   * Start VirtualBox and create a new VM:
>      * Select an Ubuntu ISO, such as ubuntu-24.04.3-live-server-amd64.iso
>      * [x] Proceed with Unattended Installation
>      * Specify a password (twice)
>      * [x] Install Guest Additions
>      * The default ISO should automatically be picked up for the guest
> additions if virtualbox-guest-additions-iso is installed)
>      * If installing Ubuntu Desktop, bump the memory (8 GiB recommended)
>   * Click on "Finish" to start the installation
>   * After some time, it fails.
>   * The logs show that vboxpostinstall.sh --direct fails with status 1.
>   * In the journal, you should see that something (i.e., usermod) failed
> with `"vboxuser" user does not exist`
>
>   [Testing for 26.04 guest]
>   * Requirements
>      - [ ] The host must run a version of VirtualBox that includes
> https://github.com/VirtualBox/virtualbox/pull/439.
>   * Run the steps described in [How to reproduce] but use the resolute
> live server (or desktop) daily ISO and observe a successful installation.
>
>   [Testing for 24.04 guest]
>   * Requirements
>      - [ ] Wait until a daily ISO of noble with support for user-creation
> before first boot is available.
>      - [ ] The host must run a version of VirtualBox that includes
> https://github.com/VirtualBox/virtualbox/pull/439.
>   * Run the steps described in [How to reproduce] but use the resolute
> live server (or desktop) daily ISO and observe a successful installation.
>
>   [Workaround]
>   https://bugs.launchpad.net/subiquity/+bug/2090834/comments/7
>
>   [Additional info]
>   Bug reports all have:
>
>   * CasperMD5CheckResult: fail
>
>   So they all ended up closed automatically. I created an exception so
>   that such reports would not automatically get closed if they also have:
>
>   * CasperMD5CheckMismatches: ./boot/grub/grub.cfg
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to a
> duplicate bug report (2106438).
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2090834
>
> Title:
>   vboxpostinstall.sh returned non-zero exit status 1.
>
> Status in curtin:
>   Fix Committed
> Status in ubuntu-desktop-provision:
>   Triaged
> Status in Virtualbox:
>   Unknown
> Status in curtin package in Ubuntu:
>   Fix Committed
> Status in subiquity package in Ubuntu:
>   Fix Committed
> Status in virtualbox package in Ubuntu:
>   Fix Released
> Status in curtin source package in Noble:
>   Fix Committed
> Status in subiquity source package in Noble:
>   In Progress
> Status in virtualbox source package in Noble:
>   Invalid
> Status in curtin source package in Resolute:
>   Fix Committed
> Status in subiquity source package in Resolute:
>   Fix Committed
> Status in virtualbox source package in Resolute:
>   Fix Released
>
> Bug description:
>   [Description]
>   We have multiple Subiquity private bug reports where people try to
> install Ubuntu 24.04 using virtualbox (with Guest Additions) but
> vboxpostinstall.sh fails.
>
>   After investigating, I found out that vboxpostinstall.sh indirectly
>   relies on usermod to add the `vboxuser` user to a group (vboxuser is
>   the default username for VirtualBox unattended installations but can
>   be changed by when creating the VM).
>
>   We know for a fact that until now, Subiquity-based installers do not
>   create users until first boot so using usermod in a postinstall
>   scripts doesn't work.
>
>   [Plan of actions]
>   1. [x] Introduce support in the identity section for creating users
> before firstboot in devel series (i.e., resolute)
>   2. [x] Open a PR in virtualbox to make sure they create the user using
> the identity section, not cloud-init's user-data.
>   3. [x] Apply patches from upstream PR in Ubuntu, via a delta.
>   4. [ ] Backport the Subiquity changes to ubuntu/noble so that 24.04.4
> can be installed unattended (provided a patched version of VirtualBox is
> used).
>
>   [How to reproduce]
>   * Setup an Ubuntu host system running questing (i.e., 25.10) or more
> recent. On older Ubuntu running VirtualBox < 7.1, unattended install for
> Ubuntu isn't supported at all.
>   * Install the following packages:
>      - virtualbox
>      - virtualbox-guest-additions-iso
>   * Start VirtualBox and create a new VM:
>      * Select an Ubuntu ISO, such as ubuntu-24.04.3-live-server-amd64.iso
>      * [x] Proceed with Unattended Installation
>      * Specify a password (twice)
>      * [x] Install Guest Additions
>      * The default ISO should automatically be picked up for the guest
> additions if virtualbox-guest-additions-iso is installed)
>      * If installing Ubuntu Desktop, bump the memory (8 GiB recommended)
>   * Click on "Finish" to start the installation
>   * After some time, it fails.
>   * The logs show that vboxpostinstall.sh --direct fails with status 1.
>   * In the journal, you should see that something (i.e., usermod) failed
> with `"vboxuser" user does not exist`
>
>   [Testing for 26.04 guest]
>   * Requirements
>      - [ ] The host must run a version of VirtualBox that includes
> https://github.com/VirtualBox/virtualbox/pull/439.
>   * Run the steps described in [How to reproduce] but use the resolute
> live server (or desktop) daily ISO and observe a successful installation.
>
>   [Testing for 24.04 guest]
>   * Requirements
>      - [ ] Wait until a daily ISO of noble with support for user-creation
> before first boot is available.
>      - [ ] The host must run a version of VirtualBox that includes
> https://github.com/VirtualBox/virtualbox/pull/439.
>   * Run the steps described in [How to reproduce] but use the resolute
> live server (or desktop) daily ISO and observe a successful installation.
>
>   [Workaround]
>   https://bugs.launchpad.net/subiquity/+bug/2090834/comments/7
>
>   [Additional info]
>   Bug reports all have:
>
>   * CasperMD5CheckResult: fail
>
>   So they all ended up closed automatically. I created an exception so
>   that such reports would not automatically get closed if they also
>   have:
>
>   * CasperMD5CheckMismatches: ./boot/grub/grub.cfg
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/curtin/+bug/2090834/+subscriptions
>
>

-- 
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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2090834

Title:
  vboxpostinstall.sh returned non-zero exit status 1.

Status in curtin:
  Fix Committed
Status in ubuntu-desktop-provision:
  Triaged
Status in Virtualbox:
  Unknown
Status in curtin package in Ubuntu:
  Fix Committed
Status in subiquity package in Ubuntu:
  Fix Committed
Status in virtualbox package in Ubuntu:
  Fix Released
Status in curtin source package in Noble:
  Fix Committed
Status in subiquity source package in Noble:
  In Progress
Status in virtualbox source package in Noble:
  Invalid
Status in curtin source package in Resolute:
  Fix Committed
Status in subiquity source package in Resolute:
  Fix Committed
Status in virtualbox source package in Resolute:
  Fix Released

Bug description:
  [Description]
  We have multiple Subiquity private bug reports where people try to install Ubuntu 24.04 using virtualbox (with Guest Additions) but vboxpostinstall.sh fails.

  After investigating, I found out that vboxpostinstall.sh indirectly
  relies on usermod to add the `vboxuser` user to a group (vboxuser is
  the default username for VirtualBox unattended installations but can
  be changed by when creating the VM).

  We know for a fact that until now, Subiquity-based installers do not
  create users until first boot so using usermod in a postinstall
  scripts doesn't work.

  [Plan of actions]
  1. [x] Introduce support in the identity section for creating users before firstboot in devel series (i.e., resolute)
  2. [x] Open a PR in virtualbox to make sure they create the user using the identity section, not cloud-init's user-data.
  3. [x] Apply patches from upstream PR in Ubuntu, via a delta.
  4. [ ] Backport the Subiquity changes to ubuntu/noble so that 24.04.4 can be installed unattended (provided a patched version of VirtualBox is used).

  [How to reproduce]
  * Setup an Ubuntu host system running questing (i.e., 25.10) or more recent. On older Ubuntu running VirtualBox < 7.1, unattended install for Ubuntu isn't supported at all.
  * Install the following packages:
     - virtualbox
     - virtualbox-guest-additions-iso
  * Start VirtualBox and create a new VM:
     * Select an Ubuntu ISO, such as ubuntu-24.04.3-live-server-amd64.iso
     * [x] Proceed with Unattended Installation
     * Specify a password (twice)
     * [x] Install Guest Additions
     * The default ISO should automatically be picked up for the guest additions if virtualbox-guest-additions-iso is installed)
     * If installing Ubuntu Desktop, bump the memory (8 GiB recommended)
  * Click on "Finish" to start the installation
  * After some time, it fails.
  * The logs show that vboxpostinstall.sh --direct fails with status 1.
  * In the journal, you should see that something (i.e., usermod) failed with `"vboxuser" user does not exist`

  [Testing for 26.04 guest]
  * Requirements
     - [ ] The host must run a version of VirtualBox that includes https://github.com/VirtualBox/virtualbox/pull/439.
  * Run the steps described in [How to reproduce] but use the resolute live server (or desktop) daily ISO and observe a successful installation.

  [Testing for 24.04 guest]
  * Requirements
     - [ ] Wait until a daily ISO of noble with support for user-creation before first boot is available.
     - [ ] The host must run a version of VirtualBox that includes https://github.com/VirtualBox/virtualbox/pull/439.
  * Run the steps described in [How to reproduce] but use the resolute live server (or desktop) daily ISO and observe a successful installation.

  [Workaround]
  https://bugs.launchpad.net/subiquity/+bug/2090834/comments/7

  [Additional info]
  Bug reports all have:

  * CasperMD5CheckResult: fail

  So they all ended up closed automatically. I created an exception so
  that such reports would not automatically get closed if they also
  have:

  * CasperMD5CheckMismatches: ./boot/grub/grub.cfg

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/curtin/+bug/2090834/+subscriptions