VirtualBox Not Working with Win 10 Creators Build as Host

[Durango]

I just upgraded my Win 10 OS to the Creators Build (version 1703). But then when I tried to run VirtualBox (with XP Pro as the guest), nothing happened when I clicked on the desktop icon. I even tried running it as Administrator, but again nothing happened....the hour glass appeared for a couple of seconds and then nothing else happened. I then ran the Program Compatibility Trouble Shooter and it said that VirtualBox is an incompatible program. I am currently using VirtualBox version 5.1.2.

So I need some help/advice on how to get my VM XP Pro running under the Creators Build. Is there a version of VirtualBox that will run under this Build? If so, how do I upgrade? Or is there another solution? If I need to upgrade VirtualBox, is there a way of doing so without losing my XP programs/data?

Any help would be sincerely appreciated.......but please be kind, because when I start working with VMs I am usually in over my head. Thanks in advance.

[socratis]

First and foremost: do NOT try to run VirtualBox as Administrator for everyday use. Never. It messes things up.

If you don't have the latest VirtualBox, download it (https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads) and re-install it. Here are the steps:

1. Uninstall VirtualBox. Your VMs are going to be untouched.
2. Download (if you haven't already) the latest VirtualBox and its matching ExtPack. Store them in a common location, i.e. not on "Desktop", or "Documents", but to "Public/Downloads" for example.
3. Right-click on the installer and select "Run-as-Administrator", even if you are the administrator. At the end of the installation, choose to "Start Oracle VM VirtualBox". Do not worry if your VMs do not show.
4. Go to File » Preferences » Extensions. Click on the icon with the orange, down-pointing arrow on the right. Select the ExtPack from the previous steps.
5. Quit VirtualBox. Re-start VirtualBox as you would normally, i.e. from the Desktop shortcut or the Start menu.

[Durango]

Thank you socratis for your reply. I will follow your steps in the morning when I am a little fresher mentally.

But I do have one more question. I really thought version 5.1.2 was the latest version of VirtualBox. If it is not, then what is the latest version that I should be looking to download?

[socratis]

5.1.22. It's all in the Downloads page. The Downloads page contains always the latest.
According to the release notes, 5.1.2 was released 10 months ago, on 2016-07-21.

[Durango]

socratis, I followed your steps for installing the latest VirtualBox version 5.1.22 and associated Extensions, and that took care of my problem. My VM XP Pro is now up and running under the Win 10 Creators Build. The only step I could not execute was to run the installer as Administrator....unless I missed it, I was never given that opportunity.

So thank you very much for providing the solution to my problem.

[socratis]

Are you talking about step #3, the "right click and Run-as-Administrator" part? I'm not sure you could have missed it. I mean I can't make the description any simpler, if I can please let me know.

To help you "visualize" it, here's an image search for "right click run as administrator".

[Durango]

OK, socratis...........I may not be totally comfortable in the VM VirtualBox world, but I'm not an idiot. As mentioned in my initial posting, I do know how to run as Administrator, so I didn't need all those images. I mean, what was that all about?

When I download a program such as VirtualBox 5.1.22, I normally save it to my Downloads folder (your Step 2). Then I go to this folder to run the downloaded program. When I did this for the downloaded 5.1.22, the only option I had was to click on the Run command. There was no option that I could see for Run as Administrator as mentioned in your Step 3.

I'm not suggesting that you change anything in your descriptive steps..........following them helped me solve my problem, and for that I thank you. I was only sharing my experience with you.

[socratis]

I may not be totally comfortable in the VM VirtualBox world, but I'm not an idiot. As mentioned in my initial posting, I do know how to run as Administrator, so I didn't need all those images. I mean, what was that all about?

Seriously now? What was that all about??? It was about your quote:

The only step I could not execute was to run the installer as Administrator....unless I missed it, I was never given that opportunity.

And I quote you again:

When I did this for the downloaded 5.1.22, the only option I had was to click on the Run command. There was no option that I could see for Run as Administrator as mentioned in your Step 3.

And I quote what *I* said, again, with a little bit of emphasis:

Right-click on the installer and select "Run-as-Administrator", even if you are the administrator.

Now, there is a 1/1,000,000 chance that your setup does not include a "Run as Administrator", for some weird reason or another, but I'm afraid that this is a standard Windows feature since the Administrator account was invented.

[Durango]

Here are the pictures you requested when I was downloading/installing VirtualBox 5.1.22 in the Internet Explorer mode (versus the File Explorer mode).

Downloads2.JPG shows where I chose to Save the download rather that Open it.

Downloads2.JPG (33.19 KiB) Viewed 4707 times

Downloads3.JPG shows where I chose to View Downloads

Downloads3.JPG (22.88 KiB) Viewed 4707 times

And Downloads4.JPG show the viewed downloads. You can see in this picture that I was in the Internet Explorer mode and not the File Explorer mode. You can also see in this picture that for the VirtualBox-5.1.22.exe file, my only option was to Run, which is what I did.

Downloads4.JPG (60.13 KiB) Viewed 4707 times

I hope this is what you were looking for............Durango.

[BillG]

Forget about Internet Explorer. Open File Explorer and select Downloads. Right click the VirtualBox installation .exe. Select Run as Administrator.

[Durango]

I'm not sure why I should I forget about Internet Explorer, BillG. That happens to be my preferred way of dealing with downloads. However, I am actually ambidextrous......I know how to use both Internet Explorer and File Explorer.

Socratis wanted to know what my screens looked like when I use Internet Explorer, so I was showing him. End of story.

[socratis]

Nope, not the end of story I'm afraid, it's the beginning...
It all makes much more sense now, thank you Durango for the pics. I can't say that it's right or wrong, I'd say "préférée". I'd also say "really not anticipated". But my instructions will definitely get updated to avoid any confusion. So from:

3. Right-click on the installer and select "Run-as-Administrator", even if you are the administrator.

it will now be:

3. Locate the downloaded file in Windows Explorer. Right-click on the installer and select "Run-as-Administrator", even if you are the administrator.

Thanks for the pics. It cleared up the situation...

PS. Just for completion, here's what threw me off:

When I download a program such as VirtualBox 5.1.22, I normally save it to my Downloads folder (your Step 2). Then I go to this folder to run the downloaded program.

You never actually went to that folder. "Folders" imply Windows Explorer, not custom menus in IE/Edge...

[Durango]

socratis, here is a good reference for the Internet Explorer mode that I have always used to download/run files from the internet.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/hel ... s-from-web

[socratis]

Thanks, I'm familiar with the web browser downloads window, actually since before Internet Explorer was introduced, before the First Browser Wars (not to be confused with the Clone Wars, that's another story). I've worked with both Mosaic (the father of IE) and Netscape Navigator (the grandfather of Firefox), but thanks, someone might find the link useful.

Yes, I'm old...

[Durango]

79 - can you beat that socratis?