aur maintainer for virtualbox-ext-oracle being unhelpful

RAMChYLD · 2025-10-23 14:16:55

I'm frustrated beyond words already. The maintainer of the AUR package has a glaring issue in the PKGBUILD that causes pacman to not be able to update at all if this extension is installed. There have already been several complaints and he only makes one post denying that there ever was a problem despite it the problem being clear as day in the PKGBUILD.

To wit:

The PKGBUILD has the following offending code:

depends=("virtualbox=${pkgver}")

This code is overly anal, it blocks pacman from upgrading the system in a Syu run because it demands that the package for the extension is kept at the same version as the virtualbox package in the official repo.

We have already made suggestions to change it to

depends=("virtualbox>=${pkgver}")

As there is no ill effects if an older version of the extension is present in the newer versions of Virtualbox.

However instead the maintainer just makes a single post saying that there is no dependency despite clear contradicting facts in the PKGBUILD and then never responded to further complaints. Does the maintainer even dogfood his packages? This issue seems too glaring to be not caught during dogfooding)

Kindly advise. Moving forward I am not using this AUR package anymore and am back to doing it the hard way by downloading the package manually from virtualbox's website whenever I find virtualbox updated.

Last edited by RAMChYLD (2025-10-23 14:19:05)

Scimmia · 2025-10-23 14:29:08

It is technically correct as-is. And no, it's not "too glaring to be not caught during dogfooding" if they're using a local repo for their packages. You can do that, or just remove it, update, rebuild/reinstall it.

The package is crap anyway, in that it doesn't even install the extension pack as part of the package, doing the equivalent of 'make install' in the installation script. Since the vast majority of Arch VB users don't even need the oracle extensions anymore, it hasn't been worth messing with. Do YOU actually need them?

Last edited by Scimmia (2025-10-23 15:02:27)

seth · 2025-10-23 15:05:00

However instead the maintainer just makes a single post saying that there is no dependency despite clear contradicting facts in the PKGBUILD

The pinned comment is from April 2019, the version dependency was only introduced with https://aur.archlinux.org/cgit/aur.git/ … 9d0a8fbb85 in October 2022

As there is no ill effects if an older version of the extension is present in the newer versions of Virtualbox.

Is that so?
https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/virt … ent-200904

blocks pacman from upgrading the system in a Syu run

No, doesn't.
Put virtualbox into the ignore list and update it specifically skipping the version dependency check when you're ready to also update the AUR package along.
You'll have to do this anyway assuming there might be a delay between the virtualbox and virtualbox-ext-oracle updates.

RAMChYLD · 2025-10-24 01:14:30

You can do that, or just remove it, update, rebuild/reinstall it

Which is annoying because I expect to not have to do that whenever I upgrade my system.

Is that so?

Virtualbox doesn't do stupid things like lock up, segfault or cause a kernel panic if an older version is installed tho, it just disables the extension until a newer version is installed, so it's safe to keep around. Besides, the extension will get upgraded when yay is run anyway.

Do YOU actually need them?

Yes, for USB 2.0/3.0 pass-through support. So I can pass a webcam or USB capture device onto the Windows guest and get decent resolutions and frame rates instead of a low res, low frame rate mess. You know that to this day some capture devices still only supports windows, right? Very few especially those from established companies like Avermedia supports Linux at all?

Put virtualbox into the ignore list and update it specifically skipping the version dependency check when you're ready to also update the AUR package along.

Not an acceptable solution. Updates are present for security to mitigate vulnerabilities. Ignoring updates would allow a malware that somehow gotten into the windows guest the possibility to break out onto the host.

Last edited by RAMChYLD (2025-10-24 01:20:56)

Scimmia · 2025-10-24 01:27:32

RAMChYLD wrote:

You can do that, or just remove it, update, rebuild/reinstall it
Which is annoying because I expect to not have to do that whenever I upgrade my system.

Then maybe adjust your expectations.

RAMChYLD wrote:

Do YOU actually need them?
Yes, for USB 2.0/3.0 pass-through support.

And what gives you the idea that you need the oracle extensions for that? That hasn't been true for years.

RAMChYLD · 2025-10-24 02:32:08

Scimmia wrote:

Then maybe adjust your expectations.

No. My expectations are grounded. Your demands aren't.

Scimmia wrote:

And what gives you the idea that you need the oracle extensions for that? That hasn't been true for years.

Google Gemini wrote:

Installing the VirtualBox Extension Pack enables advanced features not in the base package, including USB 2.0/3.0 support, webcam pass-through, disk image encryption, and remote desktop access via VirtualBox Remote Desktop Protocol (VRDP). It also adds support for Intel PXE Boot ROM and devices like NVMe, and provides cloud integration features.

Proof provided by Gemini: https://www.nakivo.com/blog/how-to-inst … sion-pack/

Youre wrong.

Last edited by RAMChYLD (2025-10-24 02:34:47)

Allan · 2025-10-24 02:48:16

RAMChYLD wrote:

Scimmia wrote:
Then maybe adjust your expectations.
No. My expectations are grounded. Your demands aren't.
Scimmia wrote:
And what gives you the idea that you need the oracle extensions for that? That hasn't been true for years.
Google Gemini wrote:
Installing the VirtualBox Extension Pack enables advanced features not in the base package, including USB 2.0/3.0 support, webcam pass-through, disk image encryption, and remote desktop access via VirtualBox Remote Desktop Protocol (VRDP). It also adds support for Intel PXE Boot ROM and devices like NVMe, and provides cloud integration features.
Proof provided by Gemini: https://www.nakivo.com/blog/how-to-inst … sion-pack/
Youre wrong.

Scimmia - they have got you there. A link from 2023 clearly contradicts your statement about it not being needed for years... /s

seth · 2025-10-24 07:36:29

Not an acceptable solution.

it just disables the extension until a newer version is installed

Do YOU actually need them?
Yes, for [questionable expectation]

If you were to actually need the extensions and a version gap would break them then, acceptable to you or not, it would be the only solution.

Proof provided by Gemini

AI burping isn't a "proof" - have you tried to verify that "proof"?
The usb controllers have been moved into the core w /7.0 - whether that actually allows the function you're looking for needs to be seen and then and ftr, the wiki might require an update:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Virtua … microphone

Scimmia · 2025-10-24 13:22:12

Allan wrote:

Scimmia - they have got you there. A link from 2023 clearly contradicts your statement about it not being needed for years... /s

Updated in 2023, even. The version they refer to in the link is from 2019!

NuSkool · 2025-10-24 20:42:24

Ignoring updates would allow a malware that somehow gotten into the windows guest the possibility to break out onto the host.

OMG! Learning this has me very concerned, I had no idea 'virtualbox' + 'virtualbox-ext-oracle' being out of date could open up this attack vector?
Although I don't have windows installed in a vm, I do have an unsecured windows install CD in my backpack.
Checking to make sure it's up to date... /s

More seriously though this post did prompt me to check into 'virtualbox-ext-oracle' as I honestly have it installed out of habit from years (possibly decade/s?) gone by.

The Oracle VirtualBox Extension Pack is an optional, separately licensed, installation package that includes these additional features:
VirtualBox Remote Desktop Protocol (VRDP) server. See Remote Display (VRDP Support). This allows remote clients to connect to a VM using RDP. For example in the case of a server running several applications in different VMs. There is no need for a GUI for any of these on the host machine, but you may wish to connect to them remotely for troubleshooting or maintenance.
Host webcam passthrough. See Webcam Passthrough.
Intel PXE boot ROM.
Disk image encryption with AES algorithm. See Encryption of Disk Images.
Cloud integration features. See Integrating with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.

source: https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/topic … components

Figured out I no longer need it.

Last edited by NuSkool (2025-10-24 20:54:45)

seth · 2025-10-24 21:19:56

I do have an unsecured windows install CD in my backpack.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to visit a shady pornsite with the IE6 on WinXP.
This CD will self destruct in 5… 4… 3…
didididididididi - dunn dunn - dun dun dunn dunn - dun dun dunn dunn - dun dun dunn dunn - du-du-duuu - du-du-duuu - du-dunn

Arch Linux

#1 2025-10-23 14:16:55

aur maintainer for virtualbox-ext-oracle being unhelpful

#2 2025-10-23 14:29:08

Re: aur maintainer for virtualbox-ext-oracle being unhelpful

#3 2025-10-23 15:05:00

Re: aur maintainer for virtualbox-ext-oracle being unhelpful

#4 2025-10-24 01:14:30

Re: aur maintainer for virtualbox-ext-oracle being unhelpful

#5 2025-10-24 01:27:32

Re: aur maintainer for virtualbox-ext-oracle being unhelpful

#6 2025-10-24 02:32:08

Re: aur maintainer for virtualbox-ext-oracle being unhelpful

#7 2025-10-24 02:48:16

Re: aur maintainer for virtualbox-ext-oracle being unhelpful

#8 2025-10-24 07:36:29

Re: aur maintainer for virtualbox-ext-oracle being unhelpful

#9 2025-10-24 13:22:12

Re: aur maintainer for virtualbox-ext-oracle being unhelpful

#10 2025-10-24 20:42:24

Re: aur maintainer for virtualbox-ext-oracle being unhelpful

#11 2025-10-24 21:19:56

Re: aur maintainer for virtualbox-ext-oracle being unhelpful

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