GUI not appearing

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Windows hosts.
GimmedaGUI
Posts: 2
Joined: 13. Mar 2020, 17:15

GUI not appearing

Post by GimmedaGUI »

Hello Everyone,

I recently installed Oracle VM Virtualbox 6.1.4 but when I try to launch the program as administrator, the GUI never appears. I see in task manager that VirtualBox Global Interface, VirtualBox Interface, and Virtualbox Manager is running.

1. I've disabled Windows Firewall and I have no other firewalls running.
2. I tried to use the compatibility mode troubleshooter, and adjusted various settings through the properties menu.
3. I disabled Windows Hypervisor Platform and Virtual machine Platform in the Windows features menu.

Any help would be appreciated!
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: GUI not appearing

Post by scottgus1 »

When you try to run Virtualbox normally (not As Administrator), does the GUI appear? (By GUI I assume you mean the main Virtualbox window with the list of guests & settings.)
GimmedaGUI
Posts: 2
Joined: 13. Mar 2020, 17:15

Re: GUI not appearing

Post by GimmedaGUI »

It does not appear when I run it normally :(. Ya I mean the main window.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: GUI not appearing

Post by scottgus1 »

GimmedaGUI wrote:when I try to launch the program as administrator, the GUI never appears
GimmedaGUI wrote:It does not appear when I run it normally
Interesting you make a definite point of mentioning that it doesn't appear when you run as admin, but it doesn't show when you don't run as admin either. Nice little red herring across the path....

Reboot your host so no Virtualbox processes are running. Go to "C:\Users\{youraccountname}" and move the ".Virtualbox" folder (note the period in the name) to your desktop. Now run Virtualbox. What happens?
intosh
Posts: 1
Joined: 4. Sep 2020, 19:36

Re: GUI not appearing

Post by intosh »

I have the same issue. The VirtualBox processes appear in the Task Manager but the main GUI isn't showing. Rebooting fixes the problem temporarily. It seems to happen after the computer wakes up from sleep (though I have not been able to reproduce it; it just happens sometimes). Moving the .VirtualBox folder to the Desktop doesn't change anything in my case.

This started happening after I updated to the latest Windows 10 major update. Running the latest VirtualBox version 6.1.12.
After 30 years, it seems the Windows world still hasn't figured out how to do sleep/wake without a glitch. *sigh*

Update: This seems to happen only after the computer has been through an extended period of "sleep". Waking my laptop up in the morning and starting VirtualBox, that's when this issue occurs. When I attempt to reproduce by manually sleeping the computer (closing the lip or pressing a button) and then waking it up within minutes, the problem doesn't manifest itself.

Update 2: The issue stopped occurring, for some reason, even when awaking computer after extended period of sleep.
Jankins
Posts: 3
Joined: 29. Mar 2020, 06:54
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: OSE other
Guest OSses: Ubunt/Windows
Location: CA, USA

Re: GUI not appearing

Post by Jankins »

Not sure it's the Windows host problem. Same happened to my MAC today. I cannot start VM in GUI, but it works in headless mode. It happened in the case of awaking my MAC from hours of sleep.

Rebooting MAC resolved the issue.

Af
Last edited by scottgus1 on 4. Oct 2020, 14:53, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Please use "Post Reply" instead of "Quote", though a small quote is OK.
Dan Aram
Posts: 2
Joined: 3. Sep 2021, 20:57

Re: GUI not appearing

Post by Dan Aram »

I've had this issue all weekend. Also, its the weekend right before I need this for class.

Here's what I've done:

1.- Install virtual box on pc - default install
Result - Virtualbox does not run. Only processes like interface run.
After reinstalling several times with no luck, decided for solution2 - Fresh Install

2.- Fresh Installed pc
I was confident this would work, so I installed all windows updates and work apps.
Tested Virtualbox - Same !!! did not run.
After cursing for some time, I thought it might be one of my applications or drivers so I tried solution 3

3.- Another Fresh Install - This time I would try it without any applications updates or drivers
IT DID NOT WORK !!!! - I Cursed some more, considered my options and thougt, heck it! I will just install all tge remaining updates and try again.

4- Installed remaining updates - IT WORKED FINE !!! OMG I was sooo happy ... until ... after 2 days, the day of the class. Decided to run the app again and it doesn't RUN !!!!

I am lost !!! I read people talking about docker and blue stack but I didn't install any of that. last I installed was steam, and It worked while I was running it.

Anyone has any clue what maybe going on?

PS - Im fresh installing again, class starts in 90 mins.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: GUI not appearing

Post by scottgus1 »

Just wanted to let you know, we haven't been ignoring this. Personally I don't know how to fix it, though.
LeonJi
Posts: 1
Joined: 4. Oct 2021, 04:05

Re: GUI not appearing

Post by LeonJi »

I also got this problem this morning.
Finally, I found an usb device(wireless adaptor for game controller) was the root cause.
After removing this device, the GUI appeared immediately.
So I guess , VB detects the usb devices and can not recogize it , some how it comes into an infinite loop before completing the initialization process.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: GUI not appearing

Post by scottgus1 »

Thanks, LeonJi, for reporting how you fixed this! I'm going to put the idea of removing USB devices as a test for missing GUI in my notes.
MikeWRock
Posts: 1
Joined: 14. Oct 2021, 17:21

Re: GUI not appearing

Post by MikeWRock »

I had the same problem. I´ve tried the solutions given here and in fact the problem was the USB devices.
I´ve unplugged every USB device and the main window appeared. Then I tried to detect specifically which one was causing the conflict by plugging/unplugging each device one by one and running VirtualBox after every change. In my case, it was a video game controller. If I don´t plug it, VB works fine.

Thank you very much for your help! I really appreciate it.
bradob
Posts: 1
Joined: 30. Dec 2022, 01:46

Re: GUI not appearing

Post by bradob »

This solved my issue!
It was a USB device (Xbox Controller) that I unplugged to resolve this and launch the GUI.. (Guess Oracle Needs to support end users and their silly controller usb devices? or somehow skip / ignore them?)
User2398
Posts: 1
Joined: 13. Jul 2023, 21:42

Re: GUI not appearing

Post by User2398 »

Removing the ".Virtualbox" folder as mentioned by "scottgus1" above did work however you then have to reload your VMs into the main window and put in their settings again.

I was able to get the GUIs to come back by shutting down all VMs and then shutting down Virtualbox. Then delete everything out of the ".Virtualbox" folder EXCEPT for
"VirtualBox.xml" and
"VirtualBox.xml-prev" .

Then when I restarted Virtualbox the VMs were all there along with their settings and the GUIs came up for each VM when it was launched. I also did not have to reboot the host machine which was a plus.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: GUI not appearing

Post by scottgus1 »

User2398, thanks for your report! This also will go in my notes.
User2398 wrote: 13. Jul 2023, 21:55 however you then have to reload your VMs into the main window and put in their settings again.
This is expected, since removing the folder does remove the "Virtualbox.xml" file, where all those items are stored.
User2398 wrote: 13. Jul 2023, 21:55 delete everything out of the ".Virtualbox" folder EXCEPT for
"VirtualBox.xml" and
"VirtualBox.xml-prev" .
This implies that something else in the folder besides the data in Virtualbox.xml could be causing the problem.

Did you ever try removing all USB devices except for the keyboard and mouse?

Also, "VirtualBox.xml-prev" is only a backup of "VirtualBox.xml". It would be curious if you tried only leaving "VirtualBox.xml" behind, if this happens again.
bored
Posts: 1
Joined: 2. Sep 2023, 07:09

Re: GUI not appearing

Post by bored »

I had the same issue: the GUI won't turn on. I noticed Display->Video Memory was set at 32mb. I brought it down to 16 mb, restarted the vm and the GUI came up fine.
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