How To Install the virtualbox-dkms Package in Ubuntu

In this guide, we will walk you through the process of installing the virtualbox-dkms package in Ubuntu. The virtualbox-dkms package is essential for VirtualBox to work correctly as it contains the kernel modules required for the software.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, ensure that you have administrative access to your Ubuntu system. You will need to use sudo commands, which require root privileges.

Step 1: Removing Existing virtualbox-dkms Package

First, we need to remove any existing virtualbox-dkms package from your system. Open your terminal and run the following command:

sudo apt-get remove virtualbox-dkms

The sudo command allows you to run commands with administrative privileges. The apt-get remove command is used to remove an installed package from your system.

Step 2: Installing the Linux-headers Package

The next step is to install the linux-headers package that matches your current kernel version. You can find your kernel version by running the command uname -r.

For example, if your kernel version is 3.5.0-17-generic, run the following command:

sudo apt-get install linux-headers-3.5.0-17-generic

The apt-get install command is used to install a package in your system.

Step 3: Reconfiguring the virtualbox-dkms Package

Now, we need to reconfigure the virtualbox-dkms package to rebuild the kernel modules. Run the following command:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure virtualbox-dkms

The dpkg-reconfigure command reconfigures packages after they have already been installed.

Step 4: Loading the vboxdrv Module

Finally, load the vboxdrv module by running the following command:

sudo modprobe vboxdrv

The modprobe command is used to add a loadable kernel module (LKM) to the Linux kernel or to remove an LKM from the kernel.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter any issues during the installation process, you can try the following methods:

• Reinstall the virtualbox-dkms package using the --reinstall option with apt:

sudo apt install --reinstall virtualbox-dkms

• Rebuild the virtualbox kernel drivers by running the /sbin/vboxconfig command:

sudo /sbin/vboxconfig

• Use the Synaptic package manager to install the dkms package for VirtualBox. To open Synaptic, run the following command:

gksudo synaptic

Then, search for ‘dkms’ and (re)install the one for VirtualBox.

Remember to check if your BIOS settings have any security features that may interfere with VirtualBox. Disabling these security features may help resolve any compatibility issues.

Conclusion

In this guide, we walked through the process of installing the virtualbox-dkms package in Ubuntu. We hope this guide was helpful and you now have a better understanding of how to install and configure the virtualbox-dkms package. If you have any questions or run into any issues, feel free to leave a comment below.