Ok so I installed virtualbox 7.1.4 directly from the virtualbox website and there’s a youtube video that shows you how to install virtualbox by downloading VB from the VB website (this instructional video is actually for Linux Mint but it’ll work for Ubuntu 24.04 just fine) this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzRY_pF6KZM&list=LL&index=62 and this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqG7_2D-aMc&list=LL&index=19&t=183s I just like to watch both of them, you’ll see that they’re both quite similar but they do differ slightly and that’s why I provided both of them, and you’ll notice that they’re installing virtualbox 7.0 but it works just as well for virtualbox 7.1
Ok so here’s what happened to me. So like I said I installed VB 7.1.4 on my PC and then I installed Whonix and hey no problems, I just started using Whonix as usual and I was having no issues whatsoever, everything looked good, but then for the heck of it I decided to check what version of VB I had, you know just to double check, and to my utter astonishment it said I’m using virtualbox 7.0.16!!!
So what happened here? Did Whonix just automatically downgrade my virtualbox from 7.1 to 7.0?
I don’t know what your use case is, but it’s always ill-advised to jump off a cliff the first time you put on a parachute. Yes you should still use Whonix, just not for mission critical work until you figure out what’s going on. You are learning. Take your time. Don’t get paranoid. Keep building up your competence. If you have professional reasons for being paranoid, look into Qubes. It comes with Whonix pre-installed and it is absolutely beautiful.
I am not sure this is a bug or feature. Wiki saying:
Additional Features:
Download from Oracle Repository: When using --oracle-repo command line option, downloads VirtualBox from Oracle repository. This is the default for Fedora-based distributions. It’s optional for Debian-based ones (including Ubuntu) but may be set by developers in the future if the Debian repository discontinues the VirtualBox package. Might at times provide a newer VirtualBox version.
Will be updated to clarify:
The Oracle repository might at times provide a newer VirtualBox version.
This means when not using the --oracle-repo command line option, at time of writing, for Debian-based distributions, it downloads from Debian’s repository. Since Debian’s version is lower at times such as right now, this results in a version downgrade.
I am not sure yet what’s the right solution here.
A) Keep it as is.
B) Modify VirtualBox Installer for Linux to abort installation, exit with error message in case a newer VirtualBox version is already installed to avoid VirtualBox version downgrade.
Patrick, I’m a newbie to Linux and I’ll always be a newbie to Linux. I’ll never fully understand Linux. This stuff is just confusing to me so that’s why I just like to ask the experts.
Ok so just to confirm with you. It’s safe for me to continue to use whonix as is even though it downgraded my virtualbox from 7.1 to 7.0?
I mean you’re not even sure if it’s a bug or not. You literally can’t even tell me if it’s a bug or not cause you’re not sure. So that’s why I’m sitting here scratching my head, is my whonix safe to use?
I mean is it a bug? You’re not even sure. I’m confused I really am. What should I do?
I am a lifelong Windows user and I’ll never fully understand Linux. I’m not a computer expert or a programmer. I’m just your average guy who decided to jump over to Linux for the heck of it. Linux is way harder than Windows, I always get confused with the command line for instance.
So I think what 4% of the PC market uses Linux? If we want millions of people to jump over to Linux from Windows and Mac then honestly it needs to be user friendly, I mean there has to be GUIs as much as possible, the command line has a learning curve and so yeah, there has to be GUIs for us newbies.
There has to GUIs or else it will scare people away, they’ll just simply go back to Windows and Mac. Trust me, when I first started using Linux the command line was very frustrating. As a lifelong Windows user, I very much prefer a GUI over command line.
The program works as intended but the documentation, user interface and technical background is too complicated.
If you care about deep technical details such as version number then read the wiki. If you want VirtualBox.org version, then use the --oracle-repo option. Otherwise accept the defaults and consider this case closed.
Question: Why isn’t --oracle-repo the default? Answer: Complicated technical advantages and disadvantages, developer decision.