Error starting host: Error getting state for host: machine does not exist.

[hawksbill]

Starting minikube, generates this error. For some reason the /home/<username>/.minikube directory has an issue, maybe you switch between root and normal user and it has the wrong permissions.

$ minikube start --vm-driver=virtualbox
Starting local Kubernetes v1.8.0 cluster...
Starting VM...
E1111 16:09:20.828585    5958 start.go:150] Error starting host: Error getting state for host: machine does not exist.

 Retrying.
E1111 16:09:20.828876    5958 start.go:156] Error starting host:  Error getting state for host: machine does not exist

To resolve this, remove the /home/<username>/.minikube directory and try again.