Fatal error during installation on Windows 10

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Windows hosts.
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virtualbruh
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Joined: 8. Nov 2019, 06:58

Fatal error during installation on Windows 10

Post by virtualbruh »

Hi! I know that a similar issue has been asked multiple times on this forum, but the provided solutions don't work for me. So, after my computer rebooted forcefully shutting down the virtual machine, my VirtualBox stopped working. Whenever I tried to start the program I got an error (I believe it was "Failed to acquire the VirtualBox COM object" or something to do with the COM object). So, I decided to reinstall it. I've downloaded the VirtualBox 6.x for Windows, but when I tried to install it, it deleted the old version (which was 5.x) and failed with the error "Fatal error during installation" without providing any reason. I tried deleting the ".VirtualBox" folder, running the installer as the Administrator, cleaning the registry with CCleaner, disabling the Windows virus protection and all of those things combined. I've also tried installing the older versions (i.e. 5.x) with the same results.

How can I discover the actual problem that messes up with the installation process? Is there a way to fix it without reinstalling the host system?
socratis
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Re: Fatal error during installation on Windows 10

Post by socratis »

virtualbruh wrote:How can I discover the actual problem that messes up with the installation process?
Start by being more detailed/precise when you're reporting an issue. With statements like "I believe" and "6.x, 5.x" you're not helping us pinpoint the problem.

Let's start with a proper VirtualBox installation:
  1. Uninstall VirtualBox. Your VMs are going to be untouched. Reboot.
  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. Uninstall (don't simply disable) all 3rd party antivirus. If you're afraid about your computer being vulnerable, pull the Ethernet plug, disconnect your WiFi, don't go browsing around.
  4. Locate the downloaded file in Windows Explorer. 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 up.
  5. Quit VirtualBox. Re-start VirtualBox as you would normally, i.e. from the Desktop shortcut or the Start menu.
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
Do NOT reply with the "QUOTE" button, please use the "POST REPLY", at the bottom of the form.
If you obfuscate any information requested, I will obfuscate my response. These are virtual UUIDs, not real ones.
virtualbruh
Posts: 4
Joined: 8. Nov 2019, 06:58

Re: Fatal error during installation on Windows 10

Post by virtualbruh »

Start by being more detailed/precise when you're reporting an issue. With statements like "I believe" and "6.x, 5.x" you're not helping us pinpoint the problem.
I've tried installing "VirtualBox-6.0.14-133895-Win" and "VirtualBox-5.2.34-133893-Win" with the same results. Sorry for the "I believe" statement, but that's the best I can do since the previous version of VirtualBox was uninstalled during the re-install process (which failed), so I can't reproduce the issue.

I've followed through the steps you provided, but on step 4 I get the "Fatal error during installation" message.
socratis
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Re: Fatal error during installation on Windows 10

Post by socratis »

virtualbruh wrote:but on step 4 I get the "Fatal error during installation" message.
Then you have a corrupt MSI (MicroSoft Installer) database problem. The VirtualBox installer is a standard MSI install file. It's not VirtualBox that fails at this point, it's your Windows installer. Check to see if you have any corrupted MSI database files:
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
Do NOT reply with the "QUOTE" button, please use the "POST REPLY", at the bottom of the form.
If you obfuscate any information requested, I will obfuscate my response. These are virtual UUIDs, not real ones.
virtualbruh
Posts: 4
Joined: 8. Nov 2019, 06:58

Re: Fatal error during installation on Windows 10

Post by virtualbruh »

Thanks, Sokratis. Unfortunately, the tools you've mentioned didn't help, but you've pointed me in the right direction. I've extracted the MSI installer from the EXE file (there's a number of articles on how to do it in Google) and tried to collect the logs (by running "msiexec /i installer.msi /l*v log.log" in PowerShell). Looking at these lines in the logs, it seems like USB support is the main culprit:
DIFXAPP: ERROR: encountered while installing driver package 'C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\drivers\USB\device\VBoxUSB.inf'
DIFXAPP: ERROR: InstallDriverPackages failed with error 0x54F
So, I tried to disable it during installation and it worked out. I don't need the USB support at this point, so for me this solution is enough. For those who need it, this comment (viewtopic.php?f=38&t=93367#p450801) might be of some help.
mpack
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Re: Fatal error during installation on Windows 10

Post by mpack »

virtualbruh wrote:Looking at these lines in the logs, it seems like USB support is the main culprit:
That doesn't really make sense. The drivers in question are generic USB hook drivers, there is nothing in them that can go wrong during installation (i.e. when not even trying to hook anything yet).

More likely IMHO, is that it's the fact that they are drivers which causes the problem, i.e. caused by not having the permissions required to install kernel level drivers. In that case it won't just have affected USB, you'd also be missing network drivers, e.g. you won't be able to bridge to anything, nor use host-only networking.
socratis
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Re: Fatal error during installation on Windows 10

Post by socratis »

mpack wrote:In that case it won't just have affected USB, you'd also be missing network drivers, e.g. you won't be able to bridge to anything, nor use host-only networking.
It's the Bridge-to-anything part that's worrying me too, because it's working almost 100% like the USB filter, i.e. it hooks up to the main driver and inspects "packets".
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
Do NOT reply with the "QUOTE" button, please use the "POST REPLY", at the bottom of the form.
If you obfuscate any information requested, I will obfuscate my response. These are virtual UUIDs, not real ones.
virtualbruh
Posts: 4
Joined: 8. Nov 2019, 06:58

Re: Fatal error during installation on Windows 10

Post by virtualbruh »

More likely IMHO, is that it's the fact that they are drivers which causes the problem, i.e. caused by not having the permissions required to install kernel level drivers. In that case it won't just have affected USB, you'd also be missing network drivers, e.g. you won't be able to bridge to anything, nor use host-only networking.
Yeah, it makes more sense. I don't see the "VirtualBox Bridged Networking Drive" in the properties of my network interface. Also, I've tried to create the host network through host network interfaces and got this error:
Failed to create a host network interface.

Querying NetCfgInstanceId failed (0x00000002).

Result Code: E_FAIL (0x80004005)
Component: HostNetworkInterfaceWrap
Interface: IHostNetworkInterface {455f8c45-44a0-a470-ba20-27890b96dba9}
Not sure why this happened since I made sure to install VirtualBox as an administrator.
mpack
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Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
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Re: Fatal error during installation on Windows 10

Post by mpack »

Well, try uninstalling and then reinstall, making sure to use "Run as administrator" to run the installer. Do not install VirtualBox while logged in as the "Admin" or "Administrator" user account.
CaptianGVP
Posts: 1
Joined: 18. Nov 2021, 21:58

Re: Fatal error during installation on Windows 10

Post by CaptianGVP »

socratis wrote:
virtualbruh wrote:How can I discover the actual problem that messes up with the installation process?
Start by being more detailed/precise when you're reporting an issue. With statements like "I believe" and "6.x, 5.x" you're not helping us pinpoint the problem.

Let's start with a proper VirtualBox installation:
  1. Uninstall VirtualBox. Your VMs are going to be untouched. Reboot.
  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. Uninstall (don't simply disable) all 3rd party antivirus. If you're afraid about your computer being vulnerable, pull the Ethernet plug, disconnect your WiFi, don't go browsing around.
  4. Locate the downloaded file in Windows Explorer. 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 up.
  5. Quit VirtualBox. Re-start VirtualBox as you would normally, i.e. from the Desktop shortcut or the Start menu.

I know this is an old post but upon looking up the issue this is top of list, so to clarify to new people who may run into this issue, disabling the usb driver installs like OP does, IS what works. Unfortunately i've tried everything else including what is stated in the quoted commented, nothing worked except NOT installing the USB. Weird, but is the work around for now
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Fatal error during installation on Windows 10

Post by mpack »

CaptianGVP wrote:disabling the usb driver installs like OP does, IS what works.
In fact: no, it doesn't.

Obviously, if you get an error during software install then you can avoid the error by not installing the software as you propose, but I suggest most would not consider that a solution that "works", especially when it implies that a bunch of other important features (e.g. bridged and host-only networking) are not going to work either.

A correct solution involves finding out why you can't install device drivers. On Windows hosts this nearly always has to do with admin rights and/or IT group policy. That is what you have to pay attention to.
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