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I want to install the virtualbox guest addition in a guest Archlinux machine. The vbox version is 4.2.10 r84104, and the Arch install media is the latest release 2013.04.01 with systemd as the default program to boot the system.

I mounted the iso file and cd to the mount point, run ./VBoxLinuxAdditions.run, but it reports Unable to determine your linux distribution.

I checked that install script, and finding that in the function check_system_type(), there's no branch dealing with Archlinux. I tried to touch a file like /etc/gentoo-release but failed.

How can I install the additions? Any help or advice will be appreciated.

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    Did you install the guest package, as per the Wiki entry? – jasonwryan Apr 11 '13 at 2:32
  • @jasonwryan I have installed virutalbox-guest-utils and virtualbox-guest-modules. I tried to follow the steps mentioned in the wiki entry, but the problem still exists. I think perhaps the wiki entry is sort of old and not suitable for the newest release. The forum posts are also old. – PJ.Hades Apr 11 '13 at 5:09
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All you have to do is install virtualbox-guest-utils with pacman. Don't do anything else. Don't even try to install Virtualbox Guest Utils from Virtualbox's menu, and don't mount the iso, that method works with many of the distros, but not with ArchLinux.

When you have done what is said on my first sentence, do what is said on the wiki entry.

Arch doesn't have releases, it's rolling release, so it's wrong to say "with latest Archlinux". And the age of installation medium doesn't affect anything, it just provides programs which are usable while installation, so it doesn't matter if you install arch with installation medium from 2010. You get same versions of programs installed your final arch installation.

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  • Hm, but Cinnamon runs in software-rendering mode for me if I use that package. The solution in Ubuntu is to install the Guest Utils bundled with VirtualBox. How do you address this issue in Arch then? – user541686 Jul 9 '17 at 3:28

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