VirtualBox freezes when Solaris 9 x86 32bit detects the keyboard.

[cmihai@boreas.ro]

• Solaris 9 x86 32 bit install CD fails with <bootdev>: can't open - bios configuration error when VT-x is enabled.
• The installer freezes when detecting hardware (a set by step hardware detection shows detecting SYSTEM KEYBOARD freezes the virtual machine).

Skipping keyboard detection at install gets me Webstart - Solaris Installer - pick language (keyboard doesn't work).

I assume serial install or JumpStart would work fine.

Host is SXCE 91, VBox 1.6.2 AMD64 package from Sun.

[Technologov]

I also would like to test Solaris 9 x86. Do you have any idea where I can get a freeware DVD, like Solaris 10 ?

What host OS? (SXCE is hardware I think)

-Technologov

[cmihai@boreas.ro]

SXCE == Solaris Express Community Edition, build 91. It's the latest snapshot build of the development branch of Solaris.

You can download a CD or DVD or Solaris 9 here:

​http://www.sun.com/software/solaris/9/

[Frank Mehnert]

cmihai, please could you attach a VBox.log file of a session when VBox froze?

[cmihai@boreas.ro]

VirtualBox log for Solaris 9 guest.

[cmihai@boreas.ro]

I have added the logs from the Solaris 9 virtual machine folder. If you need more info, I'll be happy to provide it.

[Frank Mehnert]

Please could you check a more recent version of VBox, probably 1.6.6?

[cmihai@boreas.ro]

Just tried VirtualBox 2.0.0, same thing.

[Frank Mehnert]

The logs you provided show that VT-x is disabled for your VMs. Could you test if the guest boots fine if you enable VT-x? If this does not work, please attach the VBox.log file of this VM (with VT-x enabled) as well.

[cmihai@boreas.ro]

VirtualBox 2.0.2, VT-x enabled behaves in the same way as 1.6.2:

Can't open - bios configuration error when VT-x is enabled.

When VT-x is disabled it freezes loading hardware drivers.

[cmihai@boreas.ro]

VBox 2.0.2 without VT-x, Solaris 9.

[Jonathan Blanchard]

I had the same issue with VBox 2.1.4 using AMD-V. I don't know how it's related but it worked after disabling ACPI.

Some info :

VirtualBox 2.1.4 Host : OpenSolaris 2009.06 snv_106 Guest : Solaris 9 u8 x86

VM Settings AMD-v and Nested Paging activated. ACPI and IO APIC disabled.

[Jonathan Blanchard]

Additional to my previous entry while it does help with this specific problem the installation of Solaris 9 hang later in the interactive installer.

The installer window silently fail apparently.

[Frank Mehnert]

Is this still an issue with VirtualBox 3.0.6?

[Jonathan Blanchard]

It's working with Solaris 9 9/05.

[Jonathan Blanchard]

Maybe I should expand on my previous comment.

I tried Solaris 9 9/05 on VBox 3.0.6 with the following settings. Disabling ACPI is essential in making it work.

Host OS : OpenSolaris snv_123 Base Memory : 2048 MiB ACPI : Disabled IO APIC : Enabled PAE/NX : Enabled Virtual CPU : 2 AMD-V and Nested Paging : Enabled Floppy, Audio, USB, Serial : Disabled

[Frank Mehnert]

Please reopen if this is still an issue with VBox 3.2.6. There were several keyboard fixes in the last recent VBox releases.