Virtualbox service fails to start due to hanging plymouth --ping response

I am unable to start any Vagrant VM's due to the virtualbox service not being able to start or restart.

$ VBoxManage --version
WARNING: The character device /dev/vboxdrv does not exist.
  Please install the virtualbox-dkms package and the appropriate
  headers, most likely linux-headers-generic.

  You will not be able to start VMs until this problem is fixed.

I tried reinstalling the virtualbox-dkms package, but the process takes a while to complete due to the virtualbox service timing out.

$ sudo apt-get install virtualbox-dkms --reinstall
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 reinstalled, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B/646 kB of archives.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
(Reading database ... 351318 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../virtualbox-dkms_5.1.28-dfsg-2_all.deb ...

-------- Uninstall Beginning --------
Module: virtualbox
Version: 5.1.28
Kernel: 4.13.0-12-generic (x86_64)
-------------------------------------

Status: Before uninstall, this module version was ACTIVE on this kernel.

vboxdrv.ko:
 - Uninstallation
   - Deleting from: /lib/modules/4.13.0-12-generic/updates/dkms/
 - Original module
   - No original module was found for this module on this kernel.
   - Use the dkms install command to reinstall any previous module version.

vboxnetadp.ko:
 - Uninstallation
   - Deleting from: /lib/modules/4.13.0-12-generic/updates/dkms/
 - Original module
   - No original module was found for this module on this kernel.
   - Use the dkms install command to reinstall any previous module version.

vboxnetflt.ko:
 - Uninstallation
   - Deleting from: /lib/modules/4.13.0-12-generic/updates/dkms/
 - Original module
   - No original module was found for this module on this kernel.
   - Use the dkms install command to reinstall any previous module version.

vboxpci.ko:
 - Uninstallation
   - Deleting from: /lib/modules/4.13.0-12-generic/updates/dkms/
 - Original module
   - No original module was found for this module on this kernel.
   - Use the dkms install command to reinstall any previous module version.

depmod...

DKMS: uninstall completed.

------------------------------
Deleting module version: 5.1.28
completely from the DKMS tree.
------------------------------
Done.
Unpacking virtualbox-dkms (5.1.28-dfsg-2) over (5.1.28-dfsg-2) ...
Setting up virtualbox-dkms (5.1.28-dfsg-2) ...
Loading new virtualbox-5.1.28 DKMS files...
Building for 4.13.0-12-generic
Building initial module for 4.13.0-12-generic
Done.

vboxdrv:
Running module version sanity check.
 - Original module
   - No original module exists within this kernel
 - Installation
   - Installing to /lib/modules/4.13.0-12-generic/updates/dkms/

vboxnetadp.ko:
Running module version sanity check.
 - Original module
   - No original module exists within this kernel
 - Installation
   - Installing to /lib/modules/4.13.0-12-generic/updates/dkms/

vboxnetflt.ko:
Running module version sanity check.
 - Original module
   - No original module exists within this kernel
 - Installation
   - Installing to /lib/modules/4.13.0-12-generic/updates/dkms/

vboxpci.ko:
Running module version sanity check.
 - Original module
   - No original module exists within this kernel
 - Installation
   - Installing to /lib/modules/4.13.0-12-generic/updates/dkms/

depmod...

DKMS: install completed.

Job for virtualbox.service failed because a timeout was exceeded.
See "systemctl status virtualbox.service" and "journalctl -xe" for details.
invoke-rc.d: initscript virtualbox, action "restart" failed.
● virtualbox.service - LSB: VirtualBox Linux kernel module
   Loaded: loaded (/etc/init.d/virtualbox; generated; vendor preset: enabled)
   Active: failed (Result: timeout) since Wed 2017-10-11 10:24:15 SAST; 29ms ago
     Docs: man:systemd-sysv-generator(8)
  Process: 17897 ExecStart=/etc/init.d/virtualbox start (code=killed, signal=TERM)
    Tasks: 2 (limit: 4915)
   CGroup: /system.slice/virtualbox.service
           ├─ 1522 plymouth --ping
           └─17900 plymouth --ping

At this point, we now have two plymouth --ping processes.

After this I tried removing virtualbox and the virtualbox-dkms packages and tried to reinstall:

$sudo apt-get remove virtualbox
[sudo] password for bruce:
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  libgsoap-2.8.49 libvncserver1
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  virtualbox virtualbox-qt
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 2 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
After this operation, 104 MB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
(Reading database ... 351317 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing virtualbox-qt (5.1.28-dfsg-2) ...
Removing virtualbox (5.1.28-dfsg-2) ...
Processing triggers for mime-support (3.60ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.23-1ubuntu3) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.6.1-2) ...
Processing triggers for shared-mime-info (1.8-1) ...
Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.13.3-6ubuntu5) ...
Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.17-1) ...
$ sudo apt-get autoremove
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  libgsoap-2.8.49 libvncserver1
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 2 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
After this operation, 1,838 kB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
(Reading database ... 351009 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing libgsoap-2.8.49:amd64 (2.8.49-1) ...
Removing libvncserver1:amd64 (0.9.11+dfsg-1) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.26-0ubuntu1) ...
/sbin/ldconfig.real: /usr/lib/nvidia-384/libEGL.so.1 is not a symbolic link

/sbin/ldconfig.real: /usr/lib32/nvidia-384/libEGL.so.1 is not a symbolic link

$ sudo apt-get remove virtualbox-dkms
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  virtualbox-dkms
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
After this operation, 5,284 kB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
(Reading database ... 350995 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing virtualbox-dkms (5.1.28-dfsg-2) ...

-------- Uninstall Beginning --------
Module: virtualbox
Version: 5.1.28
Kernel: 4.13.0-12-generic (x86_64)
-------------------------------------

Status: Before uninstall, this module version was ACTIVE on this kernel.

vboxdrv.ko:
 - Uninstallation
   - Deleting from: /lib/modules/4.13.0-12-generic/updates/dkms/
 - Original module
   - No original module was found for this module on this kernel.
   - Use the dkms install command to reinstall any previous module version.

vboxnetadp.ko:
 - Uninstallation
   - Deleting from: /lib/modules/4.13.0-12-generic/updates/dkms/
 - Original module
   - No original module was found for this module on this kernel.
   - Use the dkms install command to reinstall any previous module version.

vboxnetflt.ko:
 - Uninstallation
   - Deleting from: /lib/modules/4.13.0-12-generic/updates/dkms/
 - Original module
   - No original module was found for this module on this kernel.
   - Use the dkms install command to reinstall any previous module version.

vboxpci.ko:
 - Uninstallation
   - Deleting from: /lib/modules/4.13.0-12-generic/updates/dkms/
 - Original module
   - No original module was found for this module on this kernel.
   - Use the dkms install command to reinstall any previous module version.

depmod...

DKMS: uninstall completed.

------------------------------
Deleting module version: 5.1.28
completely from the DKMS tree.
------------------------------
Done.
$ sudo apt-get install virtualbox
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
The following additional packages will be installed:
  libgsoap-2.8.49 libvncserver1 virtualbox-dkms virtualbox-qt
Suggested packages:
  vde2 virtualbox-guest-additions-iso
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  libgsoap-2.8.49 libvncserver1 virtualbox virtualbox-dkms virtualbox-qt
0 upgraded, 5 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 354 kB/25.1 MB of archives.
After this operation, 111 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] y
Get:1 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu artful/universe amd64 libgsoap-2.8.49 amd64 2.8.49-1 [232 kB]
Get:2 http://za.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu artful/main amd64 libvncserver1 amd64 0.9.11+dfsg-1 [122 kB]
Fetched 354 kB in 2s (167 kB/s)
Selecting previously unselected package libgsoap-2.8.49:amd64.
(Reading database ... 350712 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../libgsoap-2.8.49_2.8.49-1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libgsoap-2.8.49:amd64 (2.8.49-1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package libvncserver1:amd64.
Preparing to unpack .../libvncserver1_0.9.11+dfsg-1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking libvncserver1:amd64 (0.9.11+dfsg-1) ...
Selecting previously unselected package virtualbox-dkms.
Preparing to unpack .../virtualbox-dkms_5.1.28-dfsg-2_all.deb ...
Unpacking virtualbox-dkms (5.1.28-dfsg-2) ...
Selecting previously unselected package virtualbox.
Preparing to unpack .../virtualbox_5.1.28-dfsg-2_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking virtualbox (5.1.28-dfsg-2) ...
Selecting previously unselected package virtualbox-qt.
Preparing to unpack .../virtualbox-qt_5.1.28-dfsg-2_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking virtualbox-qt (5.1.28-dfsg-2) ...
Setting up libvncserver1:amd64 (0.9.11+dfsg-1) ...
Processing triggers for mime-support (3.60ubuntu1) ...
Processing triggers for ureadahead (0.100.0-20) ...
Processing triggers for desktop-file-utils (0.23-1ubuntu3) ...
Setting up virtualbox-dkms (5.1.28-dfsg-2) ...
Loading new virtualbox-5.1.28 DKMS files...
Building for 4.13.0-12-generic
Building initial module for 4.13.0-12-generic
Done.

vboxdrv:
Running module version sanity check.
 - Original module
   - No original module exists within this kernel
 - Installation
   - Installing to /lib/modules/4.13.0-12-generic/updates/dkms/

vboxnetadp.ko:
Running module version sanity check.
 - Original module
   - No original module exists within this kernel
 - Installation
   - Installing to /lib/modules/4.13.0-12-generic/updates/dkms/

vboxnetflt.ko:
Running module version sanity check.
 - Original module
   - No original module exists within this kernel
 - Installation
   - Installing to /lib/modules/4.13.0-12-generic/updates/dkms/

vboxpci.ko:
Running module version sanity check.
 - Original module
   - No original module exists within this kernel
 - Installation
   - Installing to /lib/modules/4.13.0-12-generic/updates/dkms/

depmod...

DKMS: install completed.
Job for virtualbox.service failed because a timeout was exceeded.
See "systemctl status virtualbox.service" and "journalctl -xe" for details.
invoke-rc.d: initscript virtualbox, action "restart" failed.
● virtualbox.service - LSB: VirtualBox Linux kernel module
   Loaded: loaded (/etc/init.d/virtualbox; generated; vendor preset: enabled)
   Active: failed (Result: timeout) since Wed 2017-10-11 10:31:33 SAST; 9ms ago
     Docs: man:systemd-sysv-generator(8)
  Process: 21397 ExecStart=/etc/init.d/virtualbox start (code=killed, signal=TERM)
    Tasks: 4 (limit: 4915)
   CGroup: /system.slice/virtualbox.service
           ├─ 1522 plymouth --ping
           ├─17900 plymouth --ping
           └─21400 plymouth --ping

Oct 11 10:26:33 chakra systemd[1]: Starting LSB: VirtualBox Linux kernel module...
Oct 11 10:31:33 chakra systemd[1]: virtualbox.service: Start operation timed out. Terminating.
Oct 11 10:31:33 chakra systemd[1]: Failed to start LSB: VirtualBox Linux kernel module.
Oct 11 10:31:33 chakra systemd[1]: virtualbox.service: Unit entered failed state.
Oct 11 10:31:33 chakra systemd[1]: virtualbox.service: Failed with result 'timeout'.
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.26-0ubuntu1) ...
/sbin/ldconfig.real: /usr/lib/nvidia-384/libEGL.so.1 is not a symbolic link

/sbin/ldconfig.real: /usr/lib32/nvidia-384/libEGL.so.1 is not a symbolic link

Processing triggers for systemd (234-2ubuntu12) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.7.6.1-2) ...
Processing triggers for shared-mime-info (1.8-1) ...
Processing triggers for gnome-menus (3.13.3-6ubuntu5) ...
Processing triggers for hicolor-icon-theme (0.17-1) ...
Setting up libgsoap-2.8.49:amd64 (2.8.49-1) ...
Setting up virtualbox (5.1.28-dfsg-2) ...

Job for virtualbox.service failed because a timeout was exceeded.
See "systemctl status virtualbox.service" and "journalctl -xe" for details.
invoke-rc.d: initscript virtualbox, action "restart" failed.
● virtualbox.service - LSB: VirtualBox Linux kernel module
   Loaded: loaded (/etc/init.d/virtualbox; generated; vendor preset: enabled)
   Active: failed (Result: timeout) since Wed 2017-10-11 10:36:39 SAST; 27ms ago
     Docs: man:systemd-sysv-generator(8)
  Process: 22224 ExecStart=/etc/init.d/virtualbox start (code=killed, signal=TERM)
    Tasks: 5 (limit: 4915)
   CGroup: /system.slice/virtualbox.service
           ├─ 1522 plymouth --ping
           ├─17900 plymouth --ping
           ├─21400 plymouth --ping
           └─22227 plymouth --ping

Oct 11 10:31:39 chakra systemd[1]: Starting LSB: VirtualBox Linux kernel module...
Oct 11 10:36:39 chakra systemd[1]: virtualbox.service: Start operation timed out. Terminating.
Oct 11 10:36:39 chakra systemd[1]: Failed to start LSB: VirtualBox Linux kernel module.
Oct 11 10:36:39 chakra systemd[1]: virtualbox.service: Unit entered failed state.
Oct 11 10:36:39 chakra systemd[1]: virtualbox.service: Failed with result 'timeout'.
Setting up virtualbox-qt (5.1.28-dfsg-2) ...
Processing triggers for shim-signed (1.32+0.9+1474479173.6c180c6-1ubuntu1) ...
Secure Boot not enabled on this system.
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.26-0ubuntu1) ...
/sbin/ldconfig.real: /usr/lib/nvidia-384/libEGL.so.1 is not a symbolic link

/sbin/ldconfig.real: /usr/lib32/nvidia-384/libEGL.so.1 is not a symbolic link

At this point we now have four plymouth --ping commands running and the problem still exists:

$ VBoxManage --version
WARNING: The character device /dev/vboxdrv does not exist.
  Please install the virtualbox-dkms package and the appropriate
  headers, most likely linux-headers-generic.

  You will not be able to start VMs until this problem is fixed.

Running the plymouth --ping command just keeps running. I'm sure the plymouth --ping command is suppose to run and exit immediately with a simple 0 or 1, but I'm not familiar with the internals of plymouth.

$ ps aux | grep plymouth
root 703 0.0 0.3 138908 28336 ? S 08:24 0:00 @sbin/plymouthd --mode=boot --pid-file=/run/plymouth/pid --attach-to-session
root 1057 0.0 0.0 12936 1020 ? Ss 08:24 0:00 /bin/plymouth --wait
root 1366 0.0 0.0 12936 1124 ? S 08:24 0:00 /bin/plymouth quit
root 1516 0.0 0.0 12936 1044 ? S 08:24 0:00 plymouth --ping
root 1522 0.0 0.0 12936 1016 ? S 08:24 0:00 plymouth --ping
root 1523 0.0 0.0 12936 1024 ? S 08:24 0:00 plymouth --ping
root 2597 0.0 0.0 12936 1016 ? S 08:29 0:00 plymouth --ping
root 17900 0.0 0.0 12936 1004 ? S 10:19 0:00 plymouth --ping
root 21400 0.0 0.0 12936 1124 ? S 10:26 0:00 plymouth --ping
root 22227 0.0 0.0 12936 904 ? S 10:31 0:00 plymouth --ping

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 17.10
Package: virtualbox 5.1.28-dfsg-2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.13.0-12.13-generic 4.13.3
Uname: Linux 4.13.0-12-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia_uvm nvidia_drm nvidia_modeset nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.20.7-0ubuntu2
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: GNOME
Date: Wed Oct 11 10:36:58 2017
InstallationDate: Installed on 2017-04-02 (191 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-GNOME 16.04.2 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20170215)
SourcePackage: virtualbox
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to artful on 2017-08-10 (61 days ago)

[Workaround]

Kill the plymouth --ping processes while sudo systemctl start virtualbox is running.