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Error! Could not locate dkms.conf file install VirtualBox 4.1.8 on Ubuntu 11.10

Tried to update my Ubuntu host today and it did pickup that new version of VirtualBox is available (4.1.8). All other packages installed properly except that VirtualBox installation was complaining about missing dkms.conf file, see error message below.
$: sudo /etc/init.d/vboxdrv setup
 * Stopping VirtualBox kernel modules                                    [ OK ] 
 * Uninstalling old VirtualBox DKMS kernel modules                              
Error! Could not locate dkms.conf file.
File:  does not exist.
                                                                         [ OK ]
 * Trying to register the VirtualBox kernel modules using DKMS           [ OK ] 
 * Starting VirtualBox kernel modules                                    [ OK ] 

Though it looks like installation was fine but I am concerned about its effects to VirtualBox functionality. To fix this, do:

$: cd /var/lib/dkms/vboxhost
$: sudo rm -r 4.1.4
$: sudo /etc/init.d/vboxdrv setup

Of course you have to replace 4.1.4 with the old version of VirtualBox that you don't need.

~technos

Tags:
VirtualBox, Ubuntu, dkms.conf, file not found

Comments

Barosl LEE said…
Thanks! It solved the problem. I removed 4.0.12/ directory, and two broken symbolic links that had pointed to 4.0.12/2.6.38-10-generic/x86_64.

I don't know why they are not deleted automatically. Maybe it's a bug or something?
Barosl LEE said…
Thanks! It solved the problem. I removed 4.0.12/ directory, and two broken symbolic links that had pointed to 4.0.12/2.6.38-10-generic/x86_64.

I don't know why they are not deleted automatically. Maybe it's a bug or something?
Unknown said…
Thank you! I experienced this bug when upgrading from 4.1.8 to 4.1.10. This advice has helped improve the situation.
NickJ said…
I had the same with some old files left over from VirtualBox 3.2.6. Doing the following stopped the "Error! Could not locate dkms.conf file" messages:

sudo rm -r /var/lib/dkms/vboxnetadp /var/lib/dkms/vboxdrv /var/lib/dkms/vboxnetflt
Thanks for sharing NickJ.
Anonymous said…
It works! Thanks a lot!
ClementC said…
I had a similar issue on an Ubuntu VirtualBox guest rather than a host. The solution was to remove /var/lib/dkms/vboxguest/[old version] and run "sudo service vboxadd setup"
Anonymous said…
Thanks!!!!!
Furkan A said…
Thanks.
Anonymous said…
Thanks for the solution!
Anonymous said…
Thank you! for me the directory was /var/lib/dkms/ndiswrapper
it contained two directories: 1.59 and 1.60.
In 1.59 was a broken link (target non-existing). After removing the 1.59 directory, the "apt-get upgrade" worked.

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