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Problem: When trying to install guest additions in Kali linux the following error occurs.

Oops! There was a problem running this software. Unable to locate program

This occurred after a fresh install of Kali Linux 2.0 in Virtual Box 4.3.32

Action taken to get this error:

Virtualbox -> Devices -> Insert Guest Additions CD image

then from Kali Linux GUI the message

"VBOXADDITIONS_4.3.32_103443" contains software intended to be automatically started. Would you like to run it?

Select run and the error occurs

How to solve this problem? What is the cause?

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
45

The question is a bit old, but deserves an answer to the root cause of the error, not a work-around.

The root cause of your issue is in /etc/fstab. If yours looks anything like mine, the mount options for /dev/sr0 are probably user,noauto. The user option automatically implies noexec which strips executable bits off all binary files on the mounted file system.

You simply need to add the exec option to your mount statement in /etc/fstab

from:

/dev/sr0    /media/cdrom0    udf,iso9660    user,noauto         0    0

to:

/dev/sr0    /media/cdrom0    udf,iso9660    user,noauto,exec    0    0

This will allow you to execute binaries from optical media.

Cheers,

Rich

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  • I had to do this and also install build-essential plus the headers, linux-headers-$(uname -r); or what the name is on your distro.
    – Francesco Dondi
    Apr 12, 2017 at 10:10
  • 4
    I had the same problem with a Debian VM, and this solved it! Thanks.
    – DOOManiac
    Oct 5, 2017 at 15:26
  • This was exactly what I needed to get this to work on a Debian 10.8 Linux guest under VirtualBox. Thanks!
    – SirGeekALot
    Mar 27, 2021 at 18:12
18

I don't know exactly what the cause is but it seems that perhaps it is a permission issue...(not exactly sure)

You can get around this problem by opening up terminal and calling

sh /media/cdrom/VBoxLinuxAdditions.run

Refernce: https://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=58799

2
  • 1
    I've just run the following since there is no file named "VBoxLinuxAdditions.run" in my case: sudo sh /media/cdrom/autorun.sh
    – Mohsen Abasi
    Jun 21, 2016 at 6:53
  • /media/cdrom/VBoxLinuxAdditions.run doesn't have permission by default. Change permission it will show in tab press
    – Thirumal
    Apr 21, 2017 at 16:03
-1

Copy the installation files to a writable directory & run the setup from there.

1
  • 2
    This answer is a bit carelessly written. I doubt that the error is fixed by your suggestion.
    – countermode
    Sep 13, 2016 at 8:29

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