[HTCondor-users] VirtualBox: Guest user vs. Condor account!?!

[Rob <spamrefuse@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello,

I am trying to by-pass the VM universe, and use VirtualBox commands directly
on a Windows XP pool PC, with the Vanilla universe and a DOS batch script that
handles the necessary VirtualBox commands (the WIndows XP pool PC already
has VirtualBox installed)

As for now, I am only testing this idea and the DOS batch script just creates
a headless virtual machine and then deletes it again.


REM Start of DOS batch script
REM create a VM

"C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage.exe" createvm --name condor --ostype Other --register
REM remove the VM again

"C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage.exe" unregistervm condor --delete
REM End of DOS batch script


I walked over to the Windows XP machine and ran this DOS script as the "Guest" user.
It worked just fine, so I assumed that then also Condor was allowed to execute the script.
Here is the submit description file:

universe = vanilla

requirements = (target.Arch == "INTEL") && (target.OpSys == "WINDOWS")
# this is the same DOS batch script as above

executable = virtualbox.bat
when_to_transfer_output = on_exit

output = virtualbox.out
log      = virtualbox.log
error    = virutalbox.err
notification = complete

queue


When I submit this job description, I get this in the error file:

VBoxManage.exe: error: Failed to create the VirtualBox object!
VBoxManage.exe: error: Code CO_E_SERVER_EXEC_FAILURE (0x80080005) - Server execution failed (extended info not available)
VBoxManage.exe: error: Most likely, the VirtualBox COM server is not running or failed to start.

(the output file remains empty).

Does the error occur because Condor runs the batch script as an unprivileged user?
If I can run the batch script as a "Guest" user, then why is it not possible for Condor
to run the commands in the batch script?


The Condor manual says:

"Condor executes jobs on Windows using dedicated run accounts
that have minimal access rights and privileges, and which are recreated
for each new job."

Is there a difference between Condor's "dedicated run account with minimal access rights"
and the "Guest" account?

I am very much puzzled here!

Thank you!

Rob.