Can not uninstall or install newer version of VirtualBox

[weconsultants]

Hello all,

I am having a problem installing Beta 2.2.2 VirtualBox on my windows PC. I currently have a Beta version 2.2.0 installed. OK I just want to remove it. When I try I get an error saying that there was a 'Fatal Error'. No detail information. So I can not install or remove the current version on my windows PC.

I have MS Virtual PC and VMware Workgroup virtualization instances that work for their respective virtualization programs but will not work under VirtualBox.

Anyone know how I can un-install an installed VirtualBox so I can install a newer version of it. I do not care if I have to do it manually.

I was going to migrate my MS Virtual PC and VMware workstation instances over to VirtualBox but having major problems.

Thanks in Advance

[Perryg]

Try installing version 2.2.2 ( should not be beta ??? ) again and this time run the install as administrator. When the program opens select repair and see if this will install it.

[norp]

Or just run change from "Add/Remove Programs" and select reapair.

I had the same problem 2.2.0 -> 2.2.2 and that worked for me to get the uninstalltion to work.

[weconsultants]

I am the admin account so I went to Control Panal\Add Remove programs\Sun xVM VirtualBox\Change and selected Repair

Problem is it can not find VirtualBox-2.2.0_BETA2-r45227-MultiArch_x86.msi to do the repair. I have searched my entire machine but can not find.

Maybe this install is still out on the VirtualBox website. I will check.

OH, when I try to install VirtualBox-2.2.2-46594-Win.exe I do not get an option to repair. It just tries to install and then does a back out.

[Perryg]

Try the following and let me know how it goes.

reinstall ver 2.2.0 then reboot.
Then reinstall 2.2.0 and tell it to remove.
Reboot again and then install 2.2.2 See if this takes care of the problem.

[weconsultants]

I do not have the original VirtualBox-2.2.0_BETA2-r45227-MultiArch_x86.msi to install again. I tried to install VirtualBox-2.2.0-45846-Win.exe but that gives the same behavior and does a roll back of its attempt to install.

Not sure why the 2.2.0 beta was a .MSI and all the other installs I see now are .exe.

[Perryg]

Ok reboot the host machine. Do not open any other programs. Find the vbox 2.2.2 install file and right click it, then left click on run as administrator or run as...admin which ever it is in your version of windows (you have not stated). If you do not get a repair/uninstall then just install it, otherwise select repair. After the install reboot the machine and see if it took.

[weconsultants]

Sorry Perryg , I did not see your last post. I went in a different direction. I use a free program called Revo Uninstaller (revouninstaller.com). This is usually a last resource for me when I have uninstall problems that involve the registry.. etc. I ran it in 'Moderate Mode' which is the default run mode. It uninstalled VirtualBox and cleaned up all the registry entries and associated files. I was then able to install VirtualBox-2.2.0-45846-Win. I am going to uninstall that version and install VirtualBox-2.2.2-46594-Win to make sure product is back to normal and on latest version.

My problem, I think, is that I did the the same as other posters with the same problem. I did not uninstall the prior Beta version before installing a newer version . Hopefully now I can try to migrate my MS Virtual PC and VMware Workgroup instances over to VirtualBox.

Thanks for all of you help.

BTW - Sorry I did not mention this but I am running Windows XP SP 3.

[johnelee]

XP sp3. Like some others I had installed 2.2 beta but didn't remove it before installing 2.2. I've now uninstalled all VB's using xp remove.

But I now get the message 'cannot remove previous version' when I try to install 2.2.2 or 2.2. I cannot use 'repair' as suggested because there is nothing showing as installed, and I cannot install 2.2.2 (or 2.2) because I get this message.

So I'm stuck w/o virtualbox! Any ideas re a way out?

Why doesn't the installer tell me what's wrong eg what the incorrect registry entry is so I can fix it?

Or why doesn't it give me the option to zap it?

Is there a step by step installer? Cannot see it anywhere?

BTW someone mentioned using revo- this doesn't see any VB installed so doesn't help.

Regards John

[Perryg]

If you still have the original 2.2 beta try installing it again and then after it is complete use the VBox uninstall to remove it. After it is removed and before you reboot install the newest VBox 2.2.2 and then after that install reboot and see if it will work for you.

[johnelee]

Don't have the 2.2 beta install stuff, and there isn't version on your site - even if there were, my guess is that, like 2.2 or 2.2.2 is wouldn't install & I'd still be screwed...

You mention vb uninstall - unfortunately AFAIK there is only the normal xp remove - a vb uninstall utility which zaps the stuff that vb's put into registry or an option in one of the install screens (some apps have this) would, IMO, be a good idea. deleted.

Or what about a log file created by install which actually gives info about what's wrong? Seems to me by googling that quite a few people have or have had VB installation problems...

John

[Gorlash]

Aye, I was having the same problem over the past week. I *also* tried to install 2.2.2 over 2.2.0 without uninstalling 2.2.0 first. Even after I went back and uninstalled 2.2.0, and deleted all disk references to the name VirtualBox, I still couldn't install; it would just back out and say "I quit because of an error".

I finally got it to work by using regedit to delete all references to VirtualBox; after that, 2.2.2 installed just fine and everything else works. I'm sure Revo Uninstaller would have been an easier solution, but I didn't learn about that until last night!

[johnelee]

I've tried using regedit too - I cannot use revo uninstall since it doesn't show any vb as installed. Problem I had with regedit was that there seem to be zillions of vbox references all over local machine & current user & I cannot seem to get rid of them all!

Any ideas about how to do this eg is there a regedit look alike utility that enables one to del all vbox* references with one command?

Or any ideas re what causes the (unhelpful) installer message that 'older version cannot be removed - contact tech support group' - AFAIK that's what I'm doing & I'm not getting anywhere!

BTW the problem's still there with the latest 2.2.4 just released too & it (still!) doesn't say what it is exactly it can't delete.

BTW 2.2.4 changelog mentions that some issues re xp installer are fixed - but not this one so I'm still vb less!

VB team- what about fixing the installer so it gives more detail eg in a log about what it cannot remove? Is there a debug version of installer?

Regards John

[weconsultants]

Thanks for the heads up with the latest maintenance version 2.2.4. I had problem with the last Beta version, hence this thread. I do not want to have the same problem again. Guess you should always uninstall before updating VB for any reason. This problem really needs to be addressed by VB support layer.

[dananarama]

I, too have had the same problems with 2.2.2, and thought that this 2.2.4 installer would fix the issue. I feel like digging in now and getting it installed, as I have already tried simply removing the .VirtualBox and Program Files\Sun directories and am stuck.

I agree that this issue should be addressed with the installer.