Can't install VirtualBox "to this place" on Mac

[Nebby]

Hi!
Whenever I try to install Virtual Box on my mac, I always get this error on the second step saying that "Virtual Box is not able to install on this place". Here's what I do:

1. I download the VirtualBox version 6.1 AND 7.0 (it gets me the same error).
2. I double clicked the Virtual Box .dmg file from my downloads.
3. It opens a finder window that says to either run it from the applications or double click on the Virtual Box logo.
4. I double click the Virtual Box logo OR run it from the applications.
5. It opens up the step-by-step installation screen.
6. I press continue in the installation screen to move on to the second step.
7. When I get to the second step, it says that VirtualBox is not able to be downloaded "in this place". It doesn't allow me to install it anywhere on my computer.

Can you guys tell me how to fix this?

[Nebby]

I forgot to mention I'm on the late 2014 mac-mini. I've researched it and it says that VirtualBox is compatible on the late 2014 mac-mini but I thought I would mention it just in case I'm wrong.

[scottgus1]

"Virtual Box is not able to install on this place"

No variations on this error message return any results in my web-searches. Or "to this place" or "in this place". Accuracy in reporting error messages is important.

Please give us a screenshot, posted using the forum's Upload Attachment tab.

[Nebby]

Sorry. It says "cannot install Oracle VM VirtualBox in this location." not "to this place."

[fth0]

I think the important question is what did you select as the destination somewhere in your steps 3 to 6? From the possibilities in your screenshot, I'd expect only "Install for me only" to work.

[Nebby]

It never asked me to set a destination before step 7.

[Nebby]

Oh I just realized that I forgot to say that the file was a .pkg file after I double-clicked the .dmg file. I don't know if that changes anything or not.

[granada29]

When installing VirtualBox on a Mac it is best to accept all the defaults. This includes the installation path, which is by default to /Applications, corresponding to "Install for all users of this computer".

There was discussion about this a year or so back - consensus was "accept the defaults".

[Nebby]

3 questions:
1. What is the title of the discussion post that you mentioned?
2. What does it mean to "accept all the defaults" and how do you do it?
3. What do you mean when you say the installation path corresponds to "install for all users of this computer"?

[granada29]

3 questions:
1. What is the title of the discussion post that you mentioned?
2. What does it mean to "accept all the defaults" and how do you do it?
3. What do you mean when you say the installation path corresponds to "install for all users of this computer"?

1. See viewtopic.php?f=8&t=92356
2. I meant that should not select any options other than the defaults offered by the installer.
3. Install for all users means that VirtualBox will be installed in your /Applications folder - i.e. the default location.

Since you are not offered any choices by the installer then there are a number of possible causes. I would check the following:
1. Your OS version is too old. What version of macOS are you running? I see you are on an intel machine which is good VirtualBox 7.x requires macOS Catalina (10.15) or later, although 6.x does support earlier versions.
2. Are you logged in as an admin user?
3. Is your disk mounted read-only?
4. The access permissions on your disk may be borked.
5. Are there any corporate policies in effect that prevent software installation on your machine?

[Nebby]

2. How do I select the defaults?

1. I am running a macOS Catalina (version 10.15.7).
2. Yes, I am logged in as an admin user.
3. How do I check what my disk is mounted as? Is it the same as the "Sharing and Permissions" part in "Get Info"? If it is, then my disk is mounted as "Read and Write" for me.
4. My access permissions are set to "Read and Write" (I found this in "Sharing and Permissions", I don't know if that's the right place though).
5. How do I check if there are any corporate policies in effect on my computer?