VirtualBox will no longer open on Linux Mint 20.2

[Wanb1i]

I had the VM setup (win7 Pro) and working. I wanted to move it as the Mint drive was full. I copied (not cut) the vdi file to another drive space assuming I could remove the one on the full drive and setup a new VM on the new drive. When I went to open VirtualBox it wouldn't open and I got the following:

Failed to acquire the VirtualBox COM object.

The application will now terminate.

Document is empty.

Location: '/home/joe/.config/VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml', line 1 (0), column 1.

/build/virtualbox-DqUp1P/virtualbox-6.1.26-dfsg/src/VBox/Main/src-server/VirtualBoxImpl.cpp[740] (nsresult VirtualBox::init()).

Result Code: NS_ERROR_FAILURE (0x80004005)
Component: VirtualBoxWrap
Interface: IVirtualBox {d0a0163f-e254-4e5b-a1f2-011cf991c38d}
Callee: IVirtualBoxClient {d2937a8e-cb8d-4382-90ba-b7da78a74573}

I did try to uninstall the app and reinstall it, but that didn't work...
Any help would be appreciated

[scottgus1]

I had the VM setup (win7 Pro) and working. I wanted to move it

Looks like you didn't move it correctly. Right-click the VM in the Virtualbox list and use the Move command.

To fix what you've got, you really need to put it all back where it was so the VM will run again, then use Move.

Setting up a new VM will cause activation issues for licensed software in the VM. Moving per the Move command keeps activation in place.

[Wanb1i]

Ok, thanks for the quick reply, I'll move it all back & see if it will open then.

[Wanb1i]

So I moved it all back, but the application still won't open, I get this error:
Failed to acquire the VirtualBox COM object.

The application will now terminate.



Document is empty.

Location: '/home/joe/.config/VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml', line 1 (0), column 1.

/build/virtualbox-DqUp1P/virtualbox-6.1.26-dfsg/src/VBox/Main/src-server/VirtualBoxImpl.cpp[740] (nsresult VirtualBox::init()).

Result Code: NS_ERROR_FAILURE (0x80004005)
Component: VirtualBoxWrap
Interface: IVirtualBox {d0a0163f-e254-4e5b-a1f2-011cf991c38d}
Callee: IVirtualBoxClient {d2937a8e-cb8d-4382-90ba-b7da78a74573}

[scottgus1]

OK, so that error means that 'VirtualBox.xml' is corrupted. There should be a 'VirtualBox.xml-prev'.

Reboot the host so no Virtualbox processes are running.
Delete 'VirtualBox.xml', copy 'VirtualBox.xml-prev', then rename the copy to 'VirtualBox.xml'.

If you do not see a 'VirtualBox.xml-prev', post back.

[Wanb1i]

Ok, that worked! Thanks!!

[scottgus1]

Great! Glad you're up and running.