Unable to start GNOME Boxes in Silverblue 32 (virtualization backend error)

[saivinoba]

Hi,
I have installed Silverblue 32 on a Macbook. I am not able to use GNOME Boxes flatpak and need assistance.

There was a related discussion here. I decided to open a new topic assuming necrobumping is considered bad manners here (discussions) too just like in forums. It is not clear if the OP got his issue resolved. I have same error as the OP there (looks to me so).

I installed GNOME Boxes (GB) flatpak from flathub, first as a ‘user’. Clicking on the icon did nothing. Running it from terminal gave a bunch of errors and the GUI would show ‘Boxes cannot access virtualization backend’ error. I was (am) not sure if it makes any difference installing flatpaks as ‘system’ or as ‘user’ but removed GB and installed with ‘system’ profile anyway. However the issue remains same.

I will post below info that were asked in the linked discussion and can post any further info required.

Here is my rpm-ostree status
$ rpm-ostree status
State: idle
AutomaticUpdates: disabled
Deployments:
● ostree://fedora:fedora/32/x86_64/silverblue
Version: 32.20200523.0 (2020-05-23T01:05:36Z)
BaseCommit: 873c33f885f73513c171aff3d1226c4f2e7882793fafbf8d345efeb907432843
GPGSignature: Valid signature by 97A1AE57C3A2372CCA3A4ABA6C13026D12C944D0
LayeredPackages: broadcom-wl fedora-workstation-repositories gnome-boxes rpmfusion-free-release-tainted
rpmfusion-nonfree-release-tainted
LocalPackages: rpmfusion-nonfree-release-32-1.noarch rpmfusion-free-release-32-1.noarch

      ostree://fedora:fedora/32/x86_64/silverblue
                       Version: 32.20200523.0 (2020-05-23T01:05:36Z)
                    BaseCommit: 873c33f885f73513c171aff3d1226c4f2e7882793fafbf8d345efeb907432843
                  GPGSignature: Valid signature by 97A1AE57C3A2372CCA3A4ABA6C13026D12C944D0
               LayeredPackages: broadcom-wl fedora-workstation-repositories rpmfusion-free-release-tainted rpmfusion-nonfree-release-tainted
                 LocalPackages: rpmfusion-nonfree-release-32-1.noarch rpmfusion-free-release-32-1.noarch

      ostree://fedora:fedora/32/x86_64/silverblue
                       Version: 32.20200523.0 (2020-05-23T01:05:36Z)
                    BaseCommit: 873c33f885f73513c171aff3d1226c4f2e7882793fafbf8d345efeb907432843
                  GPGSignature: Valid signature by 97A1AE57C3A2372CCA3A4ABA6C13026D12C944D0
               LayeredPackages: broadcom-wl rpmfusion-free-release-tainted rpmfusion-nonfree-release-tainted
                 LocalPackages: rpmfusion-nonfree-release-32-1.noarch rpmfusion-free-release-32-1.noarch
                        Pinned: yes

Here is info on info on GB flatpak installed.
$ flatpak info org.gnome.Boxes

    GNOME Boxes - Simple remote and virtual machines

              ID: org.gnome.Boxes
             Ref: app/org.gnome.Boxes/x86_64/stable
            Arch: x86_64
          Branch: stable
         Version: 3.36.3
         License: LGPL-2.1+
          Origin: flathub
      Collection: org.flathub.Stable
    Installation: system
       Installed: 679.9 MB
         Runtime: org.gnome.Platform/x86_64/3.36
             Sdk: org.gnome.Sdk/x86_64/3.36

          Commit: 34f4ff9f00168c44c83576ac8723c2c27a5c52bd9d055d733e94b05dd593c916
          Parent: 84230e8e28f0173243255e709fe834e622be5e3c306fa7afc6f27914c6e8a4df
         Subject: Build Tracker 2.3 branch to benefit from post-release fixes (b4267c79)
            Date: 2020-05-12 16:18:28 +0000

Here is error I get when I run GB from terminal.
$ flatpak run org.gnome.Boxes

    (gnome-boxes:2): Gtk-WARNING **: 22:31:48.798: GtkFlowBox with a model will ignore sort and filter functions

    (gnome-boxes:2): Gtk-WARNING **: 22:31:48.800: GtkListBox with a model will ignore sort and filter functions

    (gnome-boxes:2): Gtk-WARNING **: 22:31:49.153: GtkOverlay does not have a child property called passthrough

    (gnome-boxes:2): Tracker-CRITICAL **: 22:31:49.187: tracker_sparql_cursor_real_get_boolean: assertion '_tmp0_ == TRACKER_SPARQL_VALUE_TYPE_BOOLEAN' failed

    (gnome-boxes:2): GLib-GIO-CRITICAL **: 22:31:49.707: g_file_new_for_uri: assertion 'uri != NULL' failed

    (gnome-boxes:2): GLib-GIO-CRITICAL **: 22:31:49.707: g_file_get_basename: assertion 'G_IS_FILE (file)' failed

    (gnome-boxes:2): GLib-GIO-CRITICAL **: 22:31:49.720: g_file_new_for_uri: assertion 'uri != NULL' failed

    (gnome-boxes:2): GLib-GIO-CRITICAL **: 22:31:49.720: g_file_get_basename: assertion 'G_IS_FILE (file)' failed
    Error setting up default broker: Unable to open qemu+unix:///session: Failed to connect socket to '/run/user/1001/libvirt/libvirt-sock': No such file or directory

    (gnome-boxes:2): Boxes-WARNING **: 22:31:54.422: (../src/app.vala:459):boxes_app_setup_default_source_co: runtime check failed: (default_connection != null)

I checked for /dev/kvm and it exists with following permissions.
crw-rw-rw-. 1 root kvm 10, 232 May 24 11:50 /dev/kvm

The CPU has virtualization support (I always used VirtualBox on this laptop). The command grep -wo -e vmx -e svm /proc/cpuinfo shows a bunch of ‘vmx’.

There was also suggestion to include ones user in libvirt group. However, my /etc/group is surprisingly sparse. It just has following.
$ cat /etc/group
root:x:0:
wheel:x:10:saivinoba,sai
saivinoba:x:1000:
sai:x:1001:

I still added libvirt:x:983:sai as suggested but it does no favor (even after a reboot).

As suggested by @znmeb, I installed GB using rpm-ostree and GB launches and works fine. So, the issue is only with the flatpak app. @feborges, you mentioned in the linked discussion that,

Some users seem to have permission issues with access to /dev/kvm, so you might want to check whether your user has r+w access to it, just like @billyb stated above.

Can you please help how to fix the permissions issue if that is the case? I have /dev/kvm and posted its permissions above.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[saivinoba]

I noticed something. Initially when I login, there is no ‘libvirt’ directory inside /run/user/$USER but when I launch gnome-boxes (layered package), it creates this directory which then has libvert-sock. However, if I launch GNOME Boxes flatpak, it does not create a libvirt directory. If I launch it after launching (and closing) gnome-boxes, the directory and the libvert-sock file still are present but the flatpak does not use it. See screenshots below.

The rpm-ostree version

The flatpak version

P.S.: Although not sure if it is any saner solution, I removed layered package and installed gnome-boxes inside the toolbox. Working OK. Just want the flatpak to work as well.

[saivinoba]

I managed to get GNOME Boxes (GB) flatpak to work but the solution is not clean (or satisfactory to me). By chance, I ran flatpak run command with %U parameter like so, flatpak run org.gnome.Boxes %U and GB started fine!

To test this, I ran the command with and without %U option (option? parameter? flag?) several times including reboots and it consistently fails if no %U is provided and launches correctly if %U is used. See below.

However, if I edit the .desktop file with above command it fails like before (backend error).

I noticed in Ubuntu 20.04 install, GB flatpak launches fine but the Exec command is different (differently worded?!) as below.

Exec=/usr/bin/flatpak run --branch=stable --arch=x86_64 --command=gnome-boxes --file-forwarding org.gnome.Boxes @@u %U @@

The flatpak info org.gnome.Boxes output is exactly same as in Fedora but why is Exec line different in Ubuntu?

Again, if I use Ubuntu’s Exec command in terminal GB launches properly but if I put it in .desktop file, no effect.

I also installed GB flatpak in Debian 10. There the Exec command is exactly same as in Fedora Silverblue, Exec=gnome-boxes %U but GB launches just fine.

For now, I’m able to use GB flatpak via terminal but I would prefer if I can just click on the icon and it would launch properly. When I say I edited .desktop file, I mean I edited Exec= line with mentioned commands in org.gnome.Boxes.desktop file for ‘system’ profile as well as for ‘user’ profile. I also created a .desktop file in .local/share/application (all with different Name= to identify), but no luck.

[geraltofrivia (Fran)]

I don’t know how to help you but form gnome boxes works. I also manged to import some vm from my old workstation. I’ve installed from flatpak in system (not user) maybe that could solve it for you.

[saivinoba]

UPDATE: Starting from terminal also doesn’t work. If I launch from terminal it just comes to GNOME Boxes logo. If I click on add and choose any iso, it goes till configure resources page, but does not show any default configurations and if I click on ‘Customize’, just stays with button clicked state. Doesn’t matter if I select express install. As before on resource configuration page it does not show any defaults and if I click on ‘Create’ nothing happens.

[saivinoba]

@geraltofrivia, Thank you. I also have flatpak installed currently as ‘system’. I removed one installed as ‘user’. I assume it works for others too and that’s why they are not able to understand or assist with my problem.

I managed to screw up my install. I was t/s further and disabled SELinux. Rebooted system, GB launched OK from GUI and came upto Boxes logo but as mentioned in previous post, not able to create any boxes. I reverted back SELinux setting (enforcing) as it was before. Rebooted and my system won’t boot.

[saivinoba]

I was watching Tyler’s Tech’s video on Silverblue and he demonstrated a working Boxes. He was discussing his theming and I noticed that, although he had layered packages, he did not have rpmfusion repos or broadcom-wl installed. I re-watched Adam Samalik’s presentation of Silverblue and even there he did not have rpmfusion or broadcom-wl as local/layered packages. I also watch lot of babyWOGUE’s videos esp ones on Silverblue. Noticed he has rpmfusion repos but not broadcom-wl installed.

So, I rolled back to fresh-install deployment (which I had pinned). Voila, Boxes works! Rolled back to another deployment which had just rpmfusion repos installed but not broadcom-wl; Boxes works. Lastly, rolled back to current deployment, one which has broadcom-wl layered; Boxes does NOT work!

Some screenshots.

1. Boxes with fresh-install deployment
   

   

2. Boxes running.
   

   

3. Boxes after re-enabling broadcom-wl.
   

   

Following are the packages that got added along with broadcom-wl. Don’t know which one is causing the problem and how to fix any further.

$ rpm-ostree rollback 
Moving 'c2e7a5230e78630792db84ee65cb15786236acc65deec59afe64c6a5912d5cdb.0' to be first deployment
Transaction complete; bootconfig swap: no; deployment count change: 0
Added:
  akmod-wl-6.30.223.271-32.fc32.x86_64
  akmods-0.5.6-25.fc32.noarch
  annobin-9.21-1.fc32.x86_64
  broadcom-wl-6.30.223.271-14.fc32.noarch
  cpp-10.0.1-0.11.fc32.x86_64
  dwz-0.13-2.fc32.x86_64
  efi-srpm-macros-4-4.fc32.noarch
  fakeroot-1.24-3.fc32.x86_64
  fakeroot-libs-1.24-3.fc32.x86_64
  fonts-srpm-macros-2.0.3-1.fc32.noarch
  fpc-srpm-macros-1.3-1.fc32.noarch
  gc-8.0.4-3.fc32.x86_64
  gcc-10.0.1-0.11.fc32.x86_64
  gdb-minimal-9.1-5.fc32.x86_64
  ghc-srpm-macros-1.5.0-2.fc32.noarch
  gnat-srpm-macros-4-11.fc32.noarch
  go-srpm-macros-3.0.8-5.fc32.noarch
  guile22-2.2.6-4.fc32.x86_64
  ima-evm-utils-1.2.1-3.fc32.x86_64
  isl-0.16.1-10.fc32.x86_64
  kmodtool-1-38.fc32.noarch
  libmpc-1.1.0-8.fc32.x86_64
  make-1:4.2.1-16.fc32.x86_64
  nim-srpm-macros-3-2.fc32.noarch
  ocaml-srpm-macros-6-2.fc32.noarch
  openblas-srpm-macros-2-7.fc32.noarch
  openssl-1:1.1.1d-7.fc32.x86_64
  perl-srpm-macros-1-34.fc32.noarch
  python-srpm-macros-3-56.fc32.noarch
  python3-rpm-4.15.1-2.fc32.1.x86_64
  qt5-srpm-macros-5.13.2-2.fc32.noarch
  redhat-rpm-config-150-1.fc32.noarch
  rpm-build-4.15.1-2.fc32.1.x86_64
  rpm-build-libs-4.15.1-2.fc32.1.x86_64
  rpm-sign-libs-4.15.1-2.fc32.1.x86_64
  rpmdevtools-8.10-10.fc32.noarch
  rust-srpm-macros-14-1.fc32.noarch
  tss2-1331-4.fc32.x86_64
  xemacs-filesystem-21.5.34-35.20190323hgc0ed7ef9a5a1.fc32.noarch
  xxhash-libs-0.7.3-1.fc32.x86_64
  zstd-1.4.5-1.fc32.x86_64
Run "systemctl reboot" to start a reboot

This is as much as I can go. As frustrating as it is, I can still use Boxes from toolbox. Atleast I now know for sure it is not an issue with the Boxes flatpak. If I happen to purchase a supported WiFi adapter, will check again. Thank you.