[Solved] Inaccessible virtualbox

[gameperson]

I do apologize if this post is in the wrong section.

I have windows 7 home version 64 bit. I have oracle virtualbox 6.0 installed with both ubuntu linux and windows 10 virtual machines. I have a virtual machine ubuntu linux 19.04 that is currently inaccessible. Here is the error message.

cannot attach medium c:\program files\oracle\virtualbox\vboxguest additions.iso {6917762d-9e12-4b26-9dca-31007353d3f2} medium is already associated with the current state of machine uuid {f416517c-3c89-4481-a059-478c44b76ef}

The last thing that I did on ubuntu linux 19.04 is update the software. The v box file is uploaded as an attachment. I have looked at similar posts on google. It seems that I would have to delete a line of text or two in the v box file but I'm not sure which one. I can't do anything with the virtual machine at this time.

[mpack]

First, there is no such thing as VirtualBox 6.0. Please give version numbers precisely: it matters.

Also, that error message (can't mount the Guest Additions CD) doesn't seem to have anything to do with versions of Linux. It looks more like you upgraded VirtualBox while you had VMs in a saved state, with the older (and just overwritten) GAs ISO mounted and cached in memory in the save state.

So, right click any VMs which have this error, and choose "Discard saved state". Also, go to the Storage settings of the VM and remove any media from the CD drives. Hopefully you haven't compounded this by using snapshots, since old snapshots can hang on to old saved states that are harder to get rid of.

[gameperson]

I have virtual box version version 6.0.20 r137117 (Qt5.6.2). It's the latest version of oracle virtualbox.

Discard save state option is greyed out at this time. The settings options is also greyed out at this time. I don't have any snapshots.

Here is the vbox prev file.

Code: Select all

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!--
** DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE.
** If you make changes to this file while any VirtualBox related application
** is running, your changes will be overwritten later, without taking effect.
** Use VBoxManage or the VirtualBox Manager GUI to make changes.
-->
<VirtualBox xmlns="http://www.virtualbox.org/" version="1.16-windows">
  <Machine uuid="{f416517c-3c89-4481-a059-47f8c44b76ef}" name="Ubuntu linux 19.04 - no more updates" OSType="Ubuntu_64" snapshotFolder="Snapshots" lastStateChange="2020-05-17T06:06:05Z">
    <MediaRegistry>
      <HardDisks>
        <HardDisk uuid="{989e3a4f-96b5-46b2-a1a0-384fa1a93569}" location="Ubuntu linux 19.04.vdi" format="VDI" type="Normal"/>
      </HardDisks>
      <DVDImages>
        <Image uuid="{6917762d-9e12-4b26-9dca-31007353d3f2}" location="C:/Program Files/Oracle/VirtualBox/VBoxGuestAdditions.iso"/>
        <Image uuid="{ba924316-1172-420b-af00-9dd45823ccb3}" location="C:/Users/Owner/Desktop/ubuntu linux isos/ubuntu-19.04-desktop-amd64.iso"/>
        <Image uuid="{f1b9ac5e-d0a7-433b-80f9-a9f883377399}" location="C:/Users/Owner/Desktop/gparted-live-0.31.0-1-amd64.iso"/>
      </DVDImages>
    </MediaRegistry>
    <ExtraData>
      <ExtraDataItem name="GUI/LastCloseAction" value="PowerOff"/>
      <ExtraDataItem name="GUI/LastGuestSizeHint" value="1366,664"/>
      <ExtraDataItem name="GUI/LastNormalWindowPosition" value="0,22,640,480,max"/>
    </ExtraData>
    <Hardware>
      <CPU count="2">
        <PAE enabled="false"/>
        <LongMode enabled="true"/>
        <X2APIC enabled="true"/>
        <HardwareVirtExLargePages enabled="true"/>
      </CPU>
      <Memory RAMSize="5148"/>
      <HID Pointing="USBTablet"/>
      <Display VRAMSize="16"/>
      <VideoCapture screens="1" options="ac_enabled=false" file="." fps="25"/>
      <BIOS>
        <IOAPIC enabled="true"/>
      </BIOS>
      <USB>
        <Controllers>
          <Controller name="OHCI" type="OHCI"/>
          <Controller name="EHCI" type="EHCI"/>
        </Controllers>
      </USB>
      <Network>
        <Adapter slot="0" enabled="true" MACAddress="08002736ADB1" type="82540EM">
          <NAT/>
        </Adapter>
      </Network>
      <AudioAdapter driver="DirectSound" enabled="true" enabledIn="false"/>
      <RTC localOrUTC="UTC"/>
      <GuestProperties>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestAdd/HostVerLastChecked" value="6.0.20" timestamp="1589695963742355300" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestAdd/Revision" value="137117" timestamp="1589696424097813104" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestAdd/Version" value="6.0.20" timestamp="1589696424097813102" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestAdd/VersionExt" value="6.0.20" timestamp="1589696424097813103" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/Net/0/MAC" value="08002736ADB1" timestamp="1589696424104313901" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/Net/0/Name" value="enp0s3" timestamp="1589696424104313903" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/Net/0/Status" value="Up" timestamp="1589696424104313902" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/Net/0/V4/Broadcast" value="10.0.2.255" timestamp="1589696424103813801" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/Net/0/V4/IP" value="10.0.2.15" timestamp="1589696424103813800" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/Net/0/V4/Netmask" value="255.255.255.0" timestamp="1589696424104313900" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/Net/Count" value="1" timestamp="1589697619093058202" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/OS/LoggedInUsers" value="1" timestamp="1589697619093058200" flags="TRANSIENT, TRANSRESET"/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/OS/LoggedInUsersList" value="justin" timestamp="1589697619092558100" flags="TRANSIENT, TRANSRESET"/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/OS/NoLoggedInUsers" value="false" timestamp="1589697619093058201" flags="TRANSIENT, TRANSRESET"/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/OS/Product" value="Linux" timestamp="1589696424097313000" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/OS/Release" value="5.0.0-38-generic" timestamp="1589696424097313001" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/OS/Version" value="#41-Ubuntu SMP Tue Dec 3 00:27:35 UTC 2019" timestamp="1589696424097813100" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/HostInfo/GUI/LanguageID" value="en_US" timestamp="1589697623078564300" flags="RDONLYGUEST"/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/HostInfo/VBoxRev" value="137117" timestamp="1589695565354766502" flags="TRANSIENT, RDONLYGUEST"/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/HostInfo/VBoxVer" value="6.0.20" timestamp="1589695565354766500" flags="TRANSIENT, RDONLYGUEST"/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/HostInfo/VBoxVerExt" value="6.0.20" timestamp="1589695565354766501" flags="TRANSIENT, RDONLYGUEST"/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/VMInfo/ResetCounter" value="2" timestamp="1589696372889810500" flags="TRANSIENT, RDONLYGUEST"/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/VMInfo/ResumeCounter" value="1" timestamp="1589695992772041600" flags="TRANSIENT, RDONLYGUEST"/>
      </GuestProperties>
    </Hardware>
    <StorageControllers>
      <StorageController name="IDE" type="PIIX4" PortCount="2" useHostIOCache="true" Bootable="true">
        <AttachedDevice passthrough="false" type="DVD" hotpluggable="false" port="0" device="0">
          <Image uuid="{6917762d-9e12-4b26-9dca-31007353d3f2}"/>
        </AttachedDevice>
      </StorageController>
      <StorageController name="SATA" type="AHCI" PortCount="2" useHostIOCache="false" Bootable="true" IDE0MasterEmulationPort="0" IDE0SlaveEmulationPort="1" IDE1MasterEmulationPort="2" IDE1SlaveEmulationPort="3">
        <AttachedDevice passthrough="false" type="DVD" hotpluggable="false" port="0" device="0">
          <Image uuid="{6917762d-9e12-4b26-9dca-31007353d3f2}"/>
        </AttachedDevice>
        <AttachedDevice type="HardDisk" hotpluggable="false" port="1" device="0">
          <Image uuid="{989e3a4f-96b5-46b2-a1a0-384fa1a93569}"/>
        </AttachedDevice>
      </StorageController>
    </StorageControllers>
  </Machine>
</VirtualBox>

[BillG]

I have virtual box version version 6.0.20 r137117 (Qt5.6.2). It's the latest version of oracle virtualbox.

No it isn't really. It is the latest version of VIrtualBox 6.0.xx . The latest released version of VirtualBox at this date is version 6.1.8 .

The Discard arrow greyed out usually indicates that the vm is running, not shutdown.

[gameperson]

Is there a way to shut down a virtual machine when I can't start it up?

[fth0]

You've somehow added the VBoxGuestAdditions.iso to both storage controllers (IDE and the SATA) simultaneously. When VirtualBox initializes the second storage controller, it will probably complain about that. Can you remove the media from the CD drives in the Storage settings (as mpack already suggested)?

[gameperson]

With the virtual machine inaccessible, the settings button is greyed out. Could I remove the information by either editing the vbox prev file?

[fth0]

Reboot your Windows host first, so that no VirtualBox software is running (especially not the VBoxSVC service, which owns the configuration files). You should have a <vm name>.vbox and a <vm name>.vbox-prev file. If you only have the latter, create the former by copying and renaming the latter. Edit the former, replacing both occurrences of

Code: Select all

        <AttachedDevice passthrough="false" type="DVD" hotpluggable="false" port="0" device="0">
          <Image uuid="{6917762d-9e12-4b26-9dca-31007353d3f2}"/>
        </AttachedDevice>

by

Code: Select all

        <AttachedDevice passthrough="false" type="DVD" hotpluggable="false" port="0" device="0"/>

(note the "/" near the end of the replacement). This is the equivalent of ejecting the CD images.

[gameperson]

Following the instructions posted, I have one question. I only have a .vbox-prev file with a file name of ubuntu linux 19.04 -no more updates. I have copied this file to the same location so the file name reads ubuntu linux 19.04 - no more updates - copy since windows 7 won't allow two files with the exact same name in the same location.

Both files are .vbox-prev for the type of file. My question is how do I change the file type from .vbox-prev to .vbox?

[mpack]

Check the folder again. Given that you have a Windows host I'm going to guess that you have that Windows file browser option still turned on which "Hides extensions of known file types". I always turn that off, because I don't want Windows lying to me about filenames. On a Win7 host open any file browser window then go to Organize|Folder and search options|View tab and untick "Hide extensions for known file types" in the "Advanced settings" panel.

The ".vbox-prev" file is just a backup copy, it doesn't do anything except sit there. But it wouldn't exist unless the .vbox file existed, and anyway VirtualBox itself would tell you if the .vbox file was missing.

[gameperson]

Some good news and bad news. Following your directions, I was able to put in \'s in the vbox file, however my virtual machine is still inaccessible because of a new error that has appeared. This one says extra content at the end of the document.

location: 'c;\users\owner\virtualbox vms\ubuntu linux 19.04 - no more updates\ubuntu linux 19.04 - no more updates.vbox, line 85, (0), column 3

f:\tinderbox\win-6.0\src\vbox\main\src-server\machineimpl.cpp [752] (long-cdecl machine::i_registerinit (void))

I don't know the layout of lines and columns in word pad, but I didn't see the f:\tinderbox text in the vbox file.

Code: Select all

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!--
** DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE.
** If you make changes to this file while any VirtualBox related application
** is running, your changes will be overwritten later, without taking effect.
** Use VBoxManage or the VirtualBox Manager GUI to make changes.
-->
<VirtualBox xmlns="http://www.virtualbox.org/" version="1.16-windows">
  <Machine uuid="{f416517c-3c89-4481-a059-47f8c44b76ef}" name="Ubuntu linux 19.04 - no more updates" OSType="Ubuntu_64" snapshotFolder="Snapshots" lastStateChange="2020-05-17T06:41:06Z">
    <MediaRegistry>
      <HardDisks>
        <HardDisk uuid="{989e3a4f-96b5-46b2-a1a0-384fa1a93569}" location="Ubuntu linux 19.04.vdi" format="VDI" type="Normal"/>
      </HardDisks>
      <DVDImages>
        <Image uuid="{6917762d-9e12-4b26-9dca-31007353d3f2}" location="C:/Program Files/Oracle/VirtualBox/VBoxGuestAdditions.iso"/>
        <Image uuid="{ba924316-1172-420b-af00-9dd45823ccb3}" location="C:/Users/Owner/Desktop/ubuntu linux isos/ubuntu-19.04-desktop-amd64.iso"/>
        <Image uuid="{f1b9ac5e-d0a7-433b-80f9-a9f883377399}" location="C:/Users/Owner/Desktop/gparted-live-0.31.0-1-amd64.iso"/>
      </DVDImages>
    </MediaRegistry>
    <ExtraData>
      <ExtraDataItem name="GUI/LastCloseAction" value="PowerOff"/>
      <ExtraDataItem name="GUI/LastGuestSizeHint" value="1366,664"/>
      <ExtraDataItem name="GUI/LastNormalWindowPosition" value="0,22,640,480,max"/>
    </ExtraData>
    <Hardware>
      <CPU count="2">
        <PAE enabled="false"/>
        <LongMode enabled="true"/>
        <X2APIC enabled="true"/>
        <HardwareVirtExLargePages enabled="true"/>
      </CPU>
      <Memory RAMSize="5148"/>
      <HID Pointing="USBTablet"/>
      <Display VRAMSize="16"/>
      <VideoCapture screens="1" options="ac_enabled=false" file="." fps="25"/>
      <BIOS>
        <IOAPIC enabled="true"/>
      </BIOS>
      <USB>
        <Controllers>
          <Controller name="OHCI" type="OHCI"/>
          <Controller name="EHCI" type="EHCI"/>
        </Controllers>
      </USB>
      <Network>
        <Adapter slot="0" enabled="true" MACAddress="08002736ADB1" type="82540EM">
          <NAT/>
        </Adapter>
      </Network>
      <AudioAdapter driver="DirectSound" enabled="true" enabledIn="false"/>
      <RTC localOrUTC="UTC"/>
      <GuestProperties>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestAdd/HostVerLastChecked" value="6.0.20" timestamp="1589695963742355300" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestAdd/Revision" value="137117" timestamp="1589696424097813104" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestAdd/Version" value="6.0.20" timestamp="1589696424097813102" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestAdd/VersionExt" value="6.0.20" timestamp="1589696424097813103" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/Net/0/MAC" value="08002736ADB1" timestamp="1589696424104313901" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/Net/0/Name" value="enp0s3" timestamp="1589696424104313903" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/Net/0/Status" value="Up" timestamp="1589696424104313902" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/Net/0/V4/Broadcast" value="10.0.2.255" timestamp="1589696424103813801" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/Net/0/V4/IP" value="10.0.2.15" timestamp="1589696424103813800" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/Net/0/V4/Netmask" value="255.255.255.0" timestamp="1589696424104313900" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/Net/Count" value="1" timestamp="1589697619093058202" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/OS/Product" value="Linux" timestamp="1589696424097313000" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/OS/Release" value="5.0.0-38-generic" timestamp="1589696424097313001" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/GuestInfo/OS/Version" value="#41-Ubuntu SMP Tue Dec 3 00:27:35 UTC 2019" timestamp="1589696424097813100" flags=""/>
        <GuestProperty name="/VirtualBox/HostInfo/GUI/LanguageID" value="en_US" timestamp="1589697623078564300" flags="RDONLYGUEST"/>
      </GuestProperties>
    </Hardware>
    <StorageControllers>
      <StorageController name="IDE" type="PIIX4" PortCount="2" useHostIOCache="true" Bootable="true">
        <AttachedDevice passthrough="false" type="DVD" hotpluggable="false" port="0" device="0"/>
          <Image uuid="{6917762d-9e12-4b26-9dca-31007353d3f2}"/>
        </AttachedDevice>
      </StorageController>
      <StorageController name="SATA" type="AHCI" PortCount="2" useHostIOCache="false" Bootable="true" IDE0MasterEmulationPort="0" IDE0SlaveEmulationPort="1" IDE1MasterEmulationPort="2" IDE1SlaveEmulationPort="3">
        <AttachedDevice passthrough="false" type="DVD" hotpluggable="false" port="0" device="0"/>
          <Image uuid="{6917762d-9e12-4b26-9dca-31007353d3f2}"/>
        </AttachedDevice>
        <AttachedDevice type="HardDisk" hotpluggable="false" port="1" device="0">
          <Image uuid="{989e3a4f-96b5-46b2-a1a0-384fa1a93569}"/>
        </AttachedDevice>
      </StorageController>
    </StorageControllers>
  </Machine>
</VirtualBox>

[fth0]

I told you to replace three lines by one line, which you obviously did not do ...

[gameperson]

I made my corrections and now everything is good. I'm not sure what caused the error to begin with. Before I wasn't in the habit of ejecting virtual disk drives prior to updating virtualbox, but now I know better and hey, live and learn.

[fth0]

I wasn't in the habit of ejecting virtual disk drives

In ancient times, when there were real CD/DVD drives in PCs, you would have done it voluntarily (for noise protection reasons).

Thanks for reporting back.