Message says "Could not get the storage format of the medium"

Discussions about using Windows guests in VirtualBox.
George55
Posts: 15
Joined: 24. Sep 2022, 16:04

Message says "Could not get the storage format of the medium"

Post by George55 »

I'm new to this site.

I'm trying to set up a new VM, and am having problems. I have done it before, but it was a long time ago. I'm using Oracle VM VirtualBox Manager. I tried it first with Windows 10 reinstall DVD in the computer. I also tried Windows 7 reinstall DVD. It said "Fatal; No bootable medium found! System halted."
I then downloaded the Windows 10 ISO, and stored it on my desktop. The last Windows download was on Thursday. I downloaded another one just a few days before. Here is a message I get, when I try to click add in storage, and then on Windows ISO.


Result Code:
VBOX_E_IPRT_ERROR (0x80BB0005)
Component:
MediumWrap
Interface:
IMedium {ad47ad09-787b-44ab-b343-a082a3f2dfb1}
Callee:
IVirtualBox {d0a0163f-e254-4e5b-a1f2-011cf991c38d}
Callee RC:
VBOX_E_OBJECT_NOT_FOUND (0x80BB0001)


My computer is a Dell Laptop and is Inspiron 17. Inspiron 5765.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Message says "Could not get the storage format of the medium"

Post by scottgus1 »

There should have been an error message above the Result Code. Please post that error message too. It appears that you put part of it in the topic title, but we need the whole thing. There should be a Copy button in the error box that allows you to paste the whole error message.
George55
Posts: 15
Joined: 24. Sep 2022, 16:04

Re: Message says "Could not get the storage format of the medium"

Post by George55 »

Ok here it is.


Failed to open the disk image file C:\Users\George55i\Desktop\NextWin10.iso.
Could not get the storage format of the medium 'C:\Users\George55\Desktop\NextWin10.iso' (VERR_NOT_SUPPORTED).

I forgot to add that I haven't downloaded any extensions.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Message says "Could not get the storage format of the medium"

Post by mpack »

It's telling you that the ISO is not an ISO. Given the name I'm going to guess that someone took some other kind of file and renamed it to ISO, as if that was meaningful.
George55
Posts: 15
Joined: 24. Sep 2022, 16:04

Re: Message says "Could not get the storage format of the medium"

Post by George55 »

How do I make it an ISO? I had named it ISO. I didn't know how to make it an ISO. Its been a few years since I made a VM. Do I need to format it? I did read somewhere about formatting a Windows 10.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Message says "Could not get the storage format of the medium"

Post by scottgus1 »

When the Windows 10 installer is running, it will handle its own formatting.

As Mpack says, the problem you're facing is that the Windows ISO you're trying to use is not what it claims to be.

An ISO is a disk image of a CD or DVD. Your ISO is not a disk image of a CD or DVD, or the file is damaged. So that's why the error is happening and your VM does not boot.

If you're using a Windows host, get the Microsoft Media Creation Tool (web-search for it) and make an official ISO for Windows, then try that ISO in Virtualbox. If the host is not Windows, check that you're getting the ISO from a legitimate Microsoft website then hash the downloaded ISO and compare the hash with the website to confirm the download.
George55
Posts: 15
Joined: 24. Sep 2022, 16:04

Re: Message says "Could not get the storage format of the medium"

Post by George55 »

Ok, I found a USB stick that has Windows 10 on there. I downloaded it back in 2017. It gave me an option to reset my PC. I chose that, and keep my files, or remove everything. I chose remove everything, and then it said unable to reset PC. I think it might be too old. So I may remove the old ISO file from the USB, and download another one to it. That will be tonight.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Message says "Could not get the storage format of the medium"

Post by scottgus1 »

Don't use the USB stick. It adds extra complexity.

Download the ISO directly to a folder on your PC. Hash-check it. Then point the VM's CD drive at the new downloaded and hash-checked ISO.

(A USB stick that installs Windows does not contain an ISO. It contains a USB bootable installer. The ISO contains a CD bootable installer. Two different things.)
George55
Posts: 15
Joined: 24. Sep 2022, 16:04

Re: Message says "Could not get the storage format of the medium"

Post by George55 »

I just found out one of the problems. I just found out t that Windows installation media is not Windows 10. I hadn't read the whole site, and just did the download. I'm installing the media now. Do I need to burn it to a DVD? I prefer to do it from my computer. I do have one burned to a DVD. But that was from 2017. That was the last time I had done a VM.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Message says "Could not get the storage format of the medium"

Post by scottgus1 »

George55 wrote:Do I need to burn it to a DVD?
No.
scottgus1 wrote:point the VM's CD drive at the new downloaded and hash-checked ISO.
In the right pane of the main Virtualbox window, in the VM's Storage section, click the Optical Drive. Click 'Choose Disk Image'. Browse to and select the ISO. Start the VM.
George55 wrote:I hadn't read the whole site, and just did the download.
If that is not the Microsoft website, then you may be getting corrupted or malware-infested Windows.
George55
Posts: 15
Joined: 24. Sep 2022, 16:04

Re: Message says "Could not get the storage format of the medium"

Post by George55 »

Its the Microsoft website. I just didn't read the lower part of the screen. Now an update. I downloaded, and ran the Media Creation Tool. I then checked the setting for the VM, and put Windows10.iso in. At first it said no media found. I then removed D drive. It worked then. It took a while for Getting files ready for installation to finish. Then it installed all the features, and updates. After that, finishing up. But then it restarted all over again. It wanted me to select the language, and so forth. It is now getting files ready for installation again. Not sure what happened.
Here is how storage is setup.

Controller; SATA
Type AHCI
Port count 4

Abba.vdi SATA Port 0

Windows10.iso SATA Port 1

I downloaded WinRAR. I used that to help creating the VM.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Message says "Could not get the storage format of the medium"

Post by scottgus1 »

George55 wrote:But then it restarted all over again. It wanted me to select the language, and so forth. It is now getting files ready for installation again. Not sure what happened.
When the Windows installer CD is in the CD drive after the initial install stages, and the OS reboots, it will ask to "Press any key to boot from CD". Did you press a key? If so, that will boot from the CD and restart the installation. If you don't press a key, the installed OS on the VM's disk will boot instead.
George55 wrote:I downloaded WinRAR. I used that to help creating the VM.
No 3rd-party Apps are needed to create the VM. Adding WinRAR? Not mentioned in my instructions. This may be breaking your VM.

Follow the instructions, no more, no less.
George55
Posts: 15
Joined: 24. Sep 2022, 16:04

Re: Message says "Could not get the storage format of the medium"

Post by George55 »

I did press a key to reboot, after it said press any key. I will uninstall WinRar, since it is not needed.
George55
Posts: 15
Joined: 24. Sep 2022, 16:04

Re: Message says "Could not get the storage format of the medium"

Post by George55 »

Ok, I created a new VM. Everything went ok at first. But it now shows a blue screen, with the words just a moment. With the spinning disk. Later it has the words "Something went wrong". Below that, "You can try again, or skip for now".
Below that is a word in yellow. OOBREGION

First time, I clicked try again, and it did the same thing. I then clicked skip for now. Then the same thing. Here are the settings for storage.

Controller' SATA
Type ACHI
Port count 3.

About.vdi
SATA Port0

Windows10.iso
Port 2

Do I need to download Windows10 again?
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Message says "Could not get the storage format of the medium"

Post by scottgus1 »

OOBE problems might be caused by an under-provisioned VM.

Start the VM from full normal shutdown, not save-state. Run until you see the problem happen, then shut down the VM from within the VM's OS if possible. If not possible, close the Virtualbox window for the VM with the Power Off option set.

Right-click the VM in the main Virtualbox window's VM list, choose Show Log. Save the far left tab's log, zip it, and post the zip file, using the forum's Upload Attachment tab.
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