Upgrading VB 6.1.40 -> 7.0.4 - Problems with encrypted VDI

This is for discussing general topics about how to use VirtualBox.
Post Reply
{Robert}
Posts: 5
Joined: 5. Mar 2018, 21:45

Upgrading VB 6.1.40 -> 7.0.4 - Problems with encrypted VDI

Post by {Robert} »

I was upgrading my VirtualBox installation 6.1.40 to 7.0.4 (host Windows 10).

Everything was working find except one VM which uses an encrypted VDI image. This image is suddenly no longer recognized as encrypted, means no password prompt and thus it is no longer usable/bootable.

In the properties VB does not detect anymore that it is encrypted.

Is this a known problem of VirtualBox 7.X?
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Upgrading VB 6.1.40 -> 7.0.4 - Problems with encrypted VDI

Post by scottgus1 »

If literally all you did was upgrade the host Virtualbox to 7.0.4 and nothing else, then the VM's encryption should have not been damaged. If on the other hand you did something else, like bringing only the VM hard drive over and building a new VM for it, then the encryption could have got broken.

Or it could be a bug. Can you downgrade back to 6.1.40, and does the VM start working again?
viscacha
Posts: 1
Joined: 9. Jan 2023, 20:08

Re: Upgrading VB 6.1.40 -> 7.0.4 - Problems with encrypted VDI

Post by viscacha »

Exactly the same thing is happening for me - all my encrypted VMs are not prompting for the disk password after the upgrade to 7.0.4. Reverted to 6.1.40 and the prompts are working again.
fth0
Volunteer
Posts: 5668
Joined: 14. Feb 2019, 03:06
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Linux, Windows 10, ...
Location: Germany

Re: Upgrading VB 6.1.40 -> 7.0.4 - Problems with encrypted VDI

Post by fth0 »

Did you install the VirtualBox Extension Pack 7.0.4?
{Robert}
Posts: 5
Joined: 5. Mar 2018, 21:45

Re: Upgrading VB 6.1.40 -> 7.0.4 - Problems with encrypted VDI

Post by {Robert} »

No, I did not install the VirtualBox Extension Pack.

In VB 7.0.6 a very very tiny message is shown in the settings dialog. But when I directly start the VM nothing is shown.

Why does VirtualBox not recognize the encrypted image and show a warning that the VirtualBox Extension Pack it is required for encrypted images if it is not installed?
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Upgrading VB 6.1.40 -> 7.0.4 - Problems with encrypted VDI

Post by scottgus1 »

{Robert} wrote:Why does VirtualBox not...
It apparently wasn't programmed to. Computers don't do things until they're programmed to. (Of course, whether they're doing what the programmer wanted is a different thing.)

You can open a Bugtracker ticket to let the devs know there was no message that an encrypted disk is present but the Extension Pack is missing when the VM starts. Maybe there's a bug or the devs need to add that in.
fth0
Volunteer
Posts: 5668
Joined: 14. Feb 2019, 03:06
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Linux, Windows 10, ...
Location: Germany

Re: Upgrading VB 6.1.40 -> 7.0.4 - Problems with encrypted VDI

Post by fth0 »

The VirtualBox Extension Packs up to version 7.0.6 are missing a new library necessary to support VDI encryption and VM encryption. This has been corrected last week (on 2023-01-20) by releasing the VirtualBox Extension Pack 7.0.6a. Please use VirtualBox 7.0.6 and the VirtualBox Extension Pack 7.0.6a (note the "a").

Please report back if your issue is solved with the VirtualBox Extension Pack 7.0.6a.
dav98
Posts: 6
Joined: 28. Jan 2023, 20:48

Re: Upgrading VB 6.1.40 -> 7.0.4 - Problems with encrypted VDI

Post by dav98 »

Thank you for starting this thread, and @fth0 for the response.

Similar issue: Upgraded to 7.0.6 today. Wasn't prompted for the extension pack when I opened up the new 7.0.6 VirtualBox install (I swear I normally am?). Wasn't prompted for PW. Googled. Found this thread. Obtained the 7.0.6 Extension Pack. Anxious since it didn't have the "a". Fortunately it installed and when VM started I was prompted for the PW. All is good.
AlexisWilke
Posts: 28
Joined: 11. Mar 2021, 19:25

Re: Upgrading VB 6.1.40 -> 7.0.4 - Problems with encrypted VDI

Post by AlexisWilke »

Oh. I had a similar issue and upgrading the extension pack solved it. I can now start my encrypted VM.

However, I'd like to mention a couple of things:

1. It looks like if you have running VMs, you cannot install/uninstall those. If that is the case, then you should have some form of error saying that one needs to stop their VMs first.

2. When trying with the old pack (6.x) still installed, it offers to upgrade and then fails. I'm not sure whether (1) applied here. But either way, I never get prompted for my password to allow the installation.

3. To uninstall the old pack (6.x), I really had to stop the two VMs I had running and wait long enough for all Virtualbox programs to exit. (i.e. the fact that the VM says it was stopped is not enough, there are some lingering processes which prevent the uninstall from working).

All in all, once I stopped the VMs fully, uninstalled the old pack first, then I could install the new one and it was really fast. Both the install and uninstall asked for my password this time.
Post Reply