I am running VirtualBox (VB) 3.2.12 on Slackware 13.1 32-bit. In preparation for moving to Slackware 14 64-bit, I first want to update VB to 4.1.20 on the 13.1 system to verify the latest VB is working okay. I plan to use both systems during the transition period and I need the same versions of VB on both.

I read that the OSE version cannot be compiled on 64-bit. If true then that is a bummer. I don't really need anything offered in the extension pack and the OSE version has done well for me through the years. As I don't want to use multi-lib on the eventual Slackware 14 64-bit install, seems then I need to use the Oracle installer when I install VB to Slackware 14. In that case, I figure I might as well use the installer on 13.1 too.

1. Does anybody make a slackBuild script wrapper similar to the one provided for nvidia?

2. If not, does the VB installer provide a good uninstall option?

Thanks much. :)

I don't know if it will help any but I've been installing the binary versions and using them for years with no problems; you just download the ".run" (and the Extension Pack), install VirtualBox, install the Extension Pack and away you go. I've been running on Slackware 64 (stable), installed XP, Win7 (64-bit), Ubuntu (32-bit) to fiddle with and Slackware 32-bit (couple of versions) also for fiddling. No problems worth getting excited about. There's no need for multilib to install and run a 32-bit virtual machine.

Uninstalling VirtualBox is simple; there are two ways to do so,
or
(where "VirtualBox.run" is, currently, VirtualBox-4.1.20-80170-Linux_amd64.run (and the Extensions is Oracle_VM_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack-4.1.20-80170.vbox-extpack). You don't need to separately uninstall the Extension Pack, when VirtualBox goes, so goes the Extension Pack with it. You install VirtualBox (using the ".run"), then install the Extension Pack (once). Your existing virtual machines will be there waiting for you to install the Guest Additions in them.

A word of advice -- if you're going to install Guest Additions in a Windows virtual machine it's a good idea to boot Windows in Safe Mode and install the Guest Additions. This is discussed in /opt/VirtualBox/UserManual.pdf. Safe Mode is mandatory for installing XP Guest Additions, more or less optional for Vista and Win7 (but I do it anyway -- it is, after all, Windows, ya know?).

If your Slackware host is doing graphics -- you've got drivers installed and working -- the virtual machines will use those drivers as well. Perhaps "use" is not quite correct, the guest uses the host for audio and video and you don't need to install any drivers in the guest for either.

Hope this helps some.

I have seen many quotes like that in the past couple months. In short, that is simply wrong. There is no such thing as Proprietary VirtualBox or OSE VirtualBox. There's virtualbox and the extension pack. You can get virtualbox in two forms, via the binary installer from Oracle or compiling from source. Compiling from source requires multilib AT COMPILE TIME, but not for running virtualbox. The end result is roughly the same, in fact if you compile it from source you get something that is compiled for Slackware and integrates better into the system. The binary for example is linked against pam, so certain functionality is not available on Slackware. If you compile from source you don't have that restriction.

And regarding the extension pack, it does not care whether you installed the binary or from source.

The decision is yours to make what to pick, but there is NO functionality missing if you compile from source. On the contrary, you actually get MORE functionality by not using the precompiled version.

This is interesting. I believe it's usually reported that USB doesn't function when OSE is built/installed.

The binary is easier to install but if there is additional functionality with OSE then perhaps more of us may choose that route.

Can you be more specific about what additional functions we get with OSE versus installing the binary?

Thanks.

Well, don't get your hopes up, there is nothing huge. It's mostly small stuff.

Previously VNC support was only available to the OSE version of virtualbox. I don't know if since the unification of the two editions that is now also enabled in the binary.
The binary is linked against pam, which caused issues with some features in the past. Again, that might not be the case anymore.
I do consider proper system integration a feature. No matter how good the binary installer will get, it will never replace pkgtool.

USB is definitely a non-issue. The base virtualbox package (both binary and from source) have good support for USB, partially even USB 2.0 support. Full USB 2.0 support comes with the extension pack, which you can install just fine whether you built from source or used the binary installer (which was the whole point of introducing extension packs)

Which part?

I've been checking and I cant see any part that has a link to pam in 4.1.18

I've never had a problem with the virtual box .run installer. I know there are advantages to the slack build, but for me they don't outweigh USB support, but then again I like the Nvidia installer too.

Either way windows 7 runs just fine in vbox.

There should be a VBoxAuthPam.so file somewhere. I never really cared much for the binary version so I don't know where exactly.

That still sounds like you think that is mutually exclusive. It's not.

It's a non-issue for me. The .run works well for me and is quick and convenient, and I've never had an issue with virtual box. Granted, I only use it for test driving distros and for certain things my kids need windows for.

That's fair. There's nothing wrong with using the binary, I'm sure it works fine for the majority of users.
All I intended to do was to sort out a few misconceptions :)

Yeah, as far as I knew the OSE didn't support USB, but I've been using the binary so long, I honestly have no clue. It never made any sense to leave USB out to begin with that I could tell!

Can't see that file and Google only gives reference to the .c file from the OSE edition.

A Google search with it in quotes gives 0 results.

There it is