error upon install: "key invalid for use in specified state"

[Uwe Hesse]

Hi,
when trying to upgrade my VirtualBox on Windows 7 with VirtualBox-4.3.12-93733-Win.exe, I get "key invalid for use in specified state".
The installer has removed my previous installation, though. And the previous installer (VirtualBox-4.2.16-86992-Win.exe) from the last successful install now throws the same error.
How to proceed?

[scottgus1]

A google search on "key invalid for use in specified state" led me to this post about failed installs with that error:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/wind ... 214b8d4014

Try what the poster "JimWynne" quotes about moving the RSA folder (Move, don't delete, just in case) and let us know.

[Uwe Hesse]

I have no RSA folder to remove, so no, that doesn't help. Is there an option to install virtualbox without that installer?

[jjmcnelly]

I have no RSA folder to remove, so no, that doesn't help. Is there an option to install virtualbox without that installer?

Try this solution; uninstall KB2918614 as outlined by mpack. It solved the same problem you are having, for me.

I'm not convinced this is even a VirtualBox problem. At this point VBox code isn't even running, all that's happening is that the Windows Installer service (MSI) is unpacking a package created by... whatever tool an MSI packager uses. No VBox bug could influence it AFAICS unless it was badly packaged... in which case I also don't see how this could retroactively affect past VBox versions like 4.3.10 or 4.3.12.

I'm thinking this is a bug introduced by Windows Update. Do you have automatic Windows Updates enabled?

VBox users don't seem to be alone in reporting this problem:
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&as_ ... ate%22+MSI

And perhaps this is interesting too: KB2918614 breaks Windows Installer Service.

[Uwe Hesse]

Thank you very much, jjmcnelly! That resolved the problem: Uninstall Windows Security update KB2918614.