Mac M1 VirtualBox Linux Alpine UEFI Grub Bootloader Not Loading - Unsupported Command Error Status

Title: Resolving "Unsupported Command Error Status" on macOS M1 with VirtualBox and Linux Alpine/Ubuntu

Introduction

This article aims to guide users through the process of resolving the "Unsupported Command Error Status" issue when attempting to boot a Linux Alpine or Ubuntu virtual machine on a macOS M1 MacBook using VirtualBox.

Prerequisites

• macOS M1 MacBook
• VirtualBox (latest version)
• Linux Alpine or Ubuntu (ISO file)

Steps to Resolve the Issue

Step 1: Install VirtualBox Extension Pack

1. Download the VirtualBox Extension Pack for macOS M1 from the official website.
2. Double-click the downloaded .dmg file to mount it.
3. Drag and drop the .vbox-extpack file into the VirtualBox application.
4. Click "Install" in the dialog box that appears.

Step 2: Create a New Virtual Machine

1. Open VirtualBox and click "New" to create a new virtual machine.
2. Name the virtual machine and choose the Type as "Linux" and Version as either "Alpine Linux" or "Ubuntu (64-bit)".
3. Allocate memory and disk space as desired.
4. Create a new virtual hard disk, select "VDI" as the disk type, and "Dynamically allocated" as the storage on physical hard drive.

Step 3: Modify Virtual Machine Settings

1. Select the newly created virtual machine and click "Settings".
2. Navigate to the "System" tab, then "Acceleration".
3. Enable "VT-x/AMD-V" and "Nested Paging".
4. Navigate to the "Display" tab, then "Screen" and set the Video Memory to 128 MB or more.
5. Navigate to the "Storage" tab, then "Controller: SATA" and add the Linux Alpine or Ubuntu ISO file as the CD/DVD drive.

Step 4: Boot the Virtual Machine

1. Start the virtual machine by clicking the "Start" button.
2. During the boot process, press and hold the "Option" key to enter the EFI Boot Manager.
3. Select the virtual machine's name and press Enter.
4. If the "Unsupported Command Error Status" persists, try disabling the UEFI boot by pressing and holding the "Alt" key during the boot process, then select the virtual machine's name and press Enter.

Troubleshooting

If the virtual machine still fails to boot, consider the following:

• Ensure that your macOS M1 MacBook supports VirtualBox and the chosen Linux distribution.
• Update VirtualBox to the latest version.
• Use a different Linux distribution, such as Fedora or Debian, which may work better with VirtualBox on macOS M1.

References

• VirtualBox Manual Page for macOS M1
• Linux Alpine Download Page
• Ubuntu Download Page
• VirtualBox Extension Pack for macOS M1