Ubuntu kernel upgrade - VERR_VD_DISCARD_NOT_SUPPORTED / VERR_SVM_IN_USE

VirtualBox
1

I’m on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS

So yeah I’m using a 10 year old PC and so here’s what happened. So just about 30 minutes ago my Ubuntu PC just randomly logged me out, it just logged me out without warning. It does this occasionally and I’ve just been dealing with it til I can finally get a new computer, or maybe I’ll get a new power supply unit cause it might be that.

So after logging back in I tried to fire up gateway in VirtualBox 7.0.16 and it doesn’t work, this is the message I’m getting

VM Name: Whonix-Gateway-Xfce

VD: Backend ‘VMDK’ does not support discard (VERR_VD_DISCARD_NOT_SUPPORTED).

VirtualBox can’t enable the AMD-V extension. Please disable the KVM kernel extension, recompile your kernel and reboot (VERR_SVM_IN_USE).

Result Code: NS_ERROR_FAILURE (0X80004005)
Component: ConsoleWrap
Interface: IConsole {6ac83d89-6ee7-4e33-8ae6-b257b2e81be8}

So when my PC crashed and logged me out, did it corrupt something?

Also, just as FYI, my PC was updated today though it seemed to be a small minor update so I don’t know, maybe the update today screwed something up?

I am using Timeshift and I have it set to automatically make snapshots every 7 days and I guess I’ll see what kind of responses I get here but most likely I’ll just revert back to a snapshot that was taken on July 13, 2025.

I think something got corrupted on my PC and so to restore back to an earlier snapshot should fix it. I’ll just wait and see what I’m told here though.

Thanks.

Edit: If I remember correctly when it randomly logged me out, I had vbox open, I had opened it but hadn’t launched whonix yet, so this leads me to suspect that something got corrupted cause I last used whonix just about 4 days ago and it worked just fine.

2

Please help!

So I just did a restore in Timeshift to a snapshot that was taken on July 13, and then the first thing I did was I opened vbox and fired up gateway and updated it and then opened up workstation and updated it. Then I updated Ubuntu and it then asked me to restart the computer so I did.

Then I tried to fire up gateway and nope, it’s giving me that same error response as above, so I think what’s happened is a recent Ubuntu update has broken Whonix on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.

So like I said I restored to a snapshot from July 13 and whonix worked just fine on vbox (I verified this), and then I updated Ubuntu and now whonix gateway won’t launch. So yeah I think an Ubuntu update that has come out sometime in the past 5 days has broken whonix.

What should I do?

Edit: I do have virtualization enabled in my BIOS I checked.

3

The problem is with Linux kernel 6.14.0-24-generic which just dropped like 3 days ago for Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS, here I made a post about it in the Ubuntu community on Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/Ubuntu/comments/1m3ry39/hey_im_on_ubuntu_24042_lts_and_im_currently_using/

So it seems I need to use a different kernel til they get 6.14.0-24-generic patched so which kernel should I revert to? Well probably no one here knows unless they’re an Ubuntu expert.

4

So it is kernel 6.14

So I restarted my PC and held the shift button on start up so I could get into GRUB boot menu and booted into GA kernel 6.8, the GA kernel for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS is kernel 6.8, I really should have been using kernel 6.8 from the beginning but I’ve only just now learned the difference between the GA kernel and the HWE kernel. The latest HWE kernel for Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS is kernel 6.14

So using kernel 6.8, whonix works just fine on vbox 7.0.16 so I think I’ve got this figured out.

So I’m gonna remove the HWE kernels 6.14 and 6.11 by doing

sudo apt remove --autoremove linux-image-generic-hwe-24.04

I got this command from here How to Install the Original Kernel 6.8 in Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | UbuntuHandbook

That command should get rid of both HWE kernels 6.14 and 6.11, it should. I’ll find out.

Grok:
The General Availability (GA) kernel for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS is Linux kernel 6.8, which is the default Long-Term Support (LTS) kernel shipped with the initial release in April 2024. The GA kernel prioritizes stability and long-term reliability, receiving security patches and critical bug fixes from Canonical until April 2029 (or 2034 with Extended Security Maintenance). It’s designed for users who need a consistent, well-tested kernel for production environments or software sensitive to kernel changes, such as virtualization tools. Point releases (e.g., 6.8.0-64 to 6.8.0-65) are automatically applied via the linux-generic meta-package, ensuring ongoing security without major version changes.

In contrast, the Hardware Enablement (HWE) kernel for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS provides newer kernel versions backported from later Ubuntu releases (e.g., 6.11 from 24.10, 6.14 from 25.04) to support recent hardware and features. The HWE kernel is updated with each Ubuntu point release (e.g., 24.04.2, 24.04.3), managed by the linux-image-generic-hwe-24.04 meta-package. While it offers improved hardware compatibility, it may introduce compatibility issues with third-party software due to frequent version changes. Security patches are provided until the next point release (typically 6–12 months).

For Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, the GA kernel (6.8) is ideal for stability-focused setups, while the HWE kernel suits systems requiring cutting-edge hardware support. Users can switch between them via GRUB or by installing/removing the respective meta-packages, with the GA kernel being the safer choice for avoiding disruptions in critical applications.

5

Moderation comment:

Please confirm, you’ve read under agreed to the following:

6

Applicable documentation support chapter:
Testing with a Debian VM

Note: Whonix is based on Kicksecure

Cross linking:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Whonix/comments/1m3qf1o/im_on_ubuntu_2404_lts_and_it_seems_a_recent/

7

Ok.

So uh, am I the fist person to complain about Ubuntu HWE kernel 6.14?

I think VirtualBox 7.0.16 doesn’t like kernel 6.14

Anything to say on this please?

Oh well my PC is old so I should’ve been using the GA kernel this whole time.

8

I am not an expert for Ubuntu.

First time I read that.

Seems to use kernel: Ubuntu – Details of package linux-image-5.15.0-100-generic in jammy

If you don’t use the default,

  • A) the Linux kernel version and/or;
  • B) the VirtualBox version

that comes with your distribution, you can run into issues. → You’re on your own.

You’re not following the simple Whonix VirtualBox for Ubuntu instructions. → You’re on your own.

So on one hand you want to use an older Ubuntu version (LTS) but on the other hand you want to mix it with a new Linux kernel and new VirtualBox version than coming your Linux distribution release suite (jammy / 24.04 LTS). → You’re on your own.

Once you succeeded with that, you can use Whonix.

The ability to run Debian inside VirtualBox is a pre-condition for using Whonix for VirtualBox:

  • You must be able to make Debian work inside VirtualBox. If you cannot make that work, you cannot use Whonix for VirtualBox.
  • This forum doesn’t have the expertise to use some Ubuntu LTS version and then mix it with newer Linux kernel and/or VirtualBox versions.
  • Whonix for VirtualBox is “based on VirtualBox”. It “uses VirtualBox”. That doesn’t make Whonix reponsible for all issues VirtualBox. Simply being a user and/or being based on VirtualBox doesn’t make one an expert of VirtualBox in all sorts of cases.
  • Whonix isn’t responsible or capable of fixing all sorts of VirtualBox issues on all sorts of Linux distributions on all sorts of hardware.

Try: