VBoxMouse.sys crash on native BootCamp Windows-10 boot

[Tesla1856]

I have a Mac-Mini with High-Sierra v10.13.6 that is BootCamped with Windows-10 Pro 64bit. I use VirtualBox to run that same Windows-10 installation as a Guest from my macOS Host, but sometimes I need to boot Windows-10 natively. I think it uses these two small .vmdk files as a go-between.

This was all working fine before I upgraded my VirtualBox from v5.1.x to v5.2.16.
I installed the new version in High-Sierra along with the Extension-Pack (and then upgraded the new Guest-Additions inside Windows-10).

Afterwards, when running my Windows-10 from VirtualBox, it was still working pretty good. However, when I tried to run Windows-10 natively (from Mac-Mini Option-key-boot) , I got a VBoxMouse.sys crash near the Windows Login-Screen and Windows was showing this weird BSoD-like error-reporting screen. I could never get past it and eventually, Windows-10 booted to a Startup Repair screen. Even in this broken state, I could still continue to get into my Windows-10 install from macOS Virtual-Box reliably.

I searched Google and this forum, and tried a few things, but could never get VBoxMouse.sys to not crash on boot or to just not load any more.
Windows Reliability Report says "Windows Stopped Working. The computer has rebooted from a BugCheck. The bugcheck was 0x000000d1"
The only way into my Windows-10 install was through Virtual-Box (that way still worked fine). It's just kinda slow for certain things.
The only fix that worked for me was to completely uninstall the new GA's from Windows-10.

Oddly, while it was broken, I noticed that my Windows-10 wasn't Activated any more (where previously, it always has been). After I fixed it and got back into my Windows-10 (natively) I noticed it is Activated again (without any intervention on my part). Not sure what was going-on with this Activation glitch, but thought I would mention it in case it was relevant. It seemed to be since it cleared-up after I uninstalled the new GA's.

I really like using the Guest Additions when running my Windows-10 from Virtual-Box. If it can't just work like before, is there some way to keep VBoxMouse.sys from being installed?
At least, it would be nice to be able to use the other GA features.

It's a Mac-Mini(Late-2012) with an Apple Bluetooth Keyboard. The iHome mouse is also Bluetooth (v3.0).

[socratis]

is there some way to keep VBoxMouse.sys from being installed?

Not really. What I believe happened is a bad "timing" of Guest Additions (GAs) installation and Windows updates. I've had that happen to me on my USB3 ext. HD with a Win10 native/guest installation (no BootCamp involved, hate it).

The solution for a working Win10 host/VM was (as you pointed out) the uninstallation of the GAs. This works for the Win10 as a host on your Mac, but it's not optimal for the same Win10 as a guest. What I did is that after I was done with updating Windows while booting Win10 as a host, start Win10 as a guest and (re)install the GAs. That seems to have worked quite nicely.

For reference, what you found is one of the oldest VirtualBox bugs. See ticket #1633: Windows XP cannot boot natively after installation of Guest Additions (BSOD during boot), opened on 2008-05-29!!!

[Tesla1856]

1. That's too bad. Maybe there should be? I say that because while GAs are NOT installed, the mouse seems to working fine in VirtualBox (in macOS, running in a window). For example, I do not get the capture-prompt (like when Mouse Integration is purposely turned off).

2. That's what I was thinking. My previous attempt was on Windows-10 64bit v1703.
At this point no GAs are installed.
I upgraded my Windows-10 to current v1803 and installed all other available Windows Updates (much faster from a native boot).
Still, no GAs are installed ... so it still booted and worked both ways (natively booted and inside VirtualBox).

I saw that a new VirtualBox v5.2.18 was just relased, so I downloaded it, installed it, and upgraded my Ext-Pack.
I then installed the matching-version GAs inside Windows-10

Unfortunately, I still have the same problem ... same VBoxMouse.sys crash/error on native start-up/boot.
I uninstalled the new v5.2.18 GAs, and everything is working fine again.

3. Thanks for confirming my current work-around is best available at the moment. Yes, this is what I am forced to do (run with no GAs). I can't re-install them because I regularly need to boot Windows-10 natively. Yes, installing a major-update (like from v1703 to v1803) is a good example of when a native boot of Windows works much better/faster.

4. Yes, that does sounds like it. However, VirtualBox and Windows is now so many versions newer (not sure how that works with bug-reporting).

In my layman's view ... it seems that VBoxMouse.sys is indeed a mandatory part of GAs, and natively-booted Windows-10/64bit just doesn't like it being installed. If I have stumbled upon some kind of bug, how do we let the developers know so they can take a look and fix it if need be?

Thanks for the fast and thorough reply.

[socratis]

I do not get the capture-prompt (like when Mouse Integration is purposely turned off).

That's because you've selected the USB Tablet for the mouse option, not the PS/2 one. Not sure what the mouse integration will do for you in this case...

I still have the same problem ... same VBoxMouse.sys crash/error on native start-up/boot.

I don't get that BSOD. To tell you the truth, this setup is ... finicky to say the least. I can also tell you that it's not a top priority, as you can tell from the age of ticket #1633. Just think of the number of cases/users that this might affect:

• OSX users.
  • OSX users that boot a Win10 installation via rawdisk.
    • OSX users that boot the same Win10 installation as a native boot for their Mac.
      • A small percentage of them sees the VBoxMouse.sys BSOD, it's not always reproducible.
        • A BSOD that can be avoided if you do things in the right order.

this is what I am forced to do (run with no GAs)

Try to re-install them, after you boot the Win10 installation natively and making sure that it's up to date.

If I have stumbled upon some kind of bug, how do we let the developers know so they can take a look and fix it if need be?

Excuse me, but what are you talking about? The developers know, there is a ticket available, I gave it to you! Please do NOT open a duplicate, you're not helping anyone. If you want to do something, just add yourself to the existing ticket #1633 by adding a comment.

Finally, from a post of mine about the read/write speeds of an ext. USB3 on a similar setup, read/memorize/tattoo on your forehead, footnote #2:

^[2]: Do NOT install the Win10 updates while running the whole setup in a VM. It's an old known bug (#1633). And it's a pain to recover from that...

Just to give you a "for example", I never allow the VM to stay on the Internet for too long, in case that there are Windows updates that are going to be applied.

[Tesla1856]

First of all, thank you for the thorough answers. It seems I made some incorrect assumptions.

I am aware that occasionally using VirtualBox v5.2.x to access my BootCamp-ed Windows-10/64bit install (as macOS-Guest via RawDisk) is rare, but I thought it was fully-supported. I didn't know it was deemed finicky, or that it's 100% functionality was a low-priority. I didn't know we weren't suppose to install updates (to facilitate running the latest versions of all software) ... including Windows-Updates, Apple Software Update for Windows, macOS Updates, and VirtualBox for macOS.

Yes, as my post above states, I have repeatedly removed/re-installed the Guest-Additions as "cleanly" as I know how to. Since my error/crash was so reproducible, I thought it was happening for everyone. It's interesting that it works for you.

Over the years, I have become heavily-vested in the Apple Ecosystem (iOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS). Personally, I have been considering shedding-away my WinTel hardware and move strictly to Apple Macs. However, the current business landscape still requires access to "a Windows machine" occasionally (or, at least Windows in a VM). AFAIK, Apple still supports using Windows-10 via BootCamp as a way to "run Windows" ... even in a production environment.

Yes, I saw Ticket #1633. However, I think my issue might be more like Ticket # 7939 https://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/7939 (also an ancient issue ... from a whole-different time in computing-history). Thanks for providing the proper procedures for VirtualBox issue-ticket reporting. I was just offering to help, not cause problems or add to anyones work-load.

In reference to your Footnote #2 "Do NOT install the Win10 updates while running the whole setup in a VM" ... if I understand your meaning, you are suggesting that Windows-10 should sometimes be booted natively (instead of macOS Guest). That's what I'm doing. I'm finding that sometimes you just have to run Windows against the hardware directly. And unless you are just playing-around with VMs in macOS , it's not really feasible to have more than one live Windows install on your machine anyway. If not due to things like locally saved files (that can't be easily re-directed), then just due to licensing requiring unique Windows-keys.

VirtualBox access seemed like a nice add-on to my setup. Since that basic-piece still seems to be working fine (without Guest-Additions installed) I think I will continue to use VirtualBox that way (at least for the short term). I still regard it as a fascinating piece of software (even without the GA features).

[socratis]

I didn't know we weren't suppose to install updates (to facilitate running the latest versions of all software)

It's a really rare setup and as such the processes are not fully documented. Or at all actually...

You can install the latest updates. From personal experience only, I've found that there's a specific procedure that needs to be followed. Do not install the updates while in VM mode, only in native boot mode. That's all. An alternative, which I haven't tried, would be to uninstall the GAs, do the update and re-install the GAs. I might try it, see below about a new installation and the snapshot feature.

Since my error/crash was so reproducible, I thought it was happening for everyone. It's interesting that it works for you.

I still have my Win10 rawdisk VM in version 1709. I managed to get it going and I simply "locked" it. Don't fix it if isn't broken . I'll try to update it to the latest and greatest, and document it. If I don't post within a couple of weeks, ping me.

One thing that I was afraid to do so far (but has just been dismissed by a key developer), was to take a snapshot for a rawdisk VM. I didn't want to mess things up. Still don't. I was assured that the snapshot feature would work as intended, but that I have to pay special attention to the host's hard disk available space^[1], because a Win10 update will run in the tens of GB of snapshot data. I most probably will try it as an experiment on a second, new installation, just to make sure I don't screw up my existing (really nicely working) setup.

I saw Ticket #1633. However, I think my issue might be more like Ticket #7939

Have you noticed that ticket #7939 has been closed as a duplicate of #1633?
Just because #1633 was opened for WinXP doesn't change its nature. A crash in VBoxMouse.sys is a crash in VBoxMouse.sys. The underlying reason is exactly the same, timeless. At least you got to give it to Microsoft; they're really serious about backwards compatibility!

if I understand your meaning, you are suggesting that Windows-10 should sometimes be booted natively (instead of macOS Guest).

Exactly. All the major updates should be done in the native-boot, not while booted in VM-mode.

I think I will continue to use VirtualBox that way (at least for the short term).

As I said, I'm planning on testing a second Win10 installation as a rawdisk_VM/self-bootable setup, if nothing else just to test the snapshot feature. The first time that I did it, I didn't actually take any notes. It worked and I was more than happy. I run into the same snug as you did, and I was trying things, just shooting in the dark, because there was not enough precedent. This time around I'll be keeping notes and most probably write about my experience. It won't turn into a FAQ most probably, mainly because the "F" doesn't really apply. If anything, it would turn into a RAQ; Rarely Asked Questions...

---

^[1]: Yes, you could set up the snapshots on another scrap disk. I don't have a nice SSD scap disk...

[mots]

having this problem. is there a known solution, beside uninstalling guest additions every time i want to boot natively my win10 ?
is there an ETA for a fix ?

i am also running on a Mac, Windows 10 installed on an external drive.

thanks

[socratis]

is there a known solution, beside uninstalling guest additions every time i want to boot natively my win10 ?

No.

is there an ETA for a fix ?

No.

[Tesla1856]

is there a known solution,

My solution is to leave them un-installed always. After all, what do they actually do that I can't live without?

Only problem I have now is that Windows-10 is Activated on Native-Boot, but complains about not being Activated on VirtualBox-boot.

I discovered (true native) Boot-Camping is rare, so it's hard to find others to get support or help.
Trying to access that same install via Virtual-Machine software is a small sub-set of those users.

Users actually using Virtual-Box is yet another smaller sub-set. So, maybe there is only 3 of us on the whole planet?

[socratis]

After all, what do they actually do that I can't live without?

After having years of OSX guests (and not only) that don't have GAs, you get used to their absence.

Only problem I have now is that Windows-10 is Activated on Native-Boot, but complains about not being Activated on VirtualBox-boot.

I have that too, and it makes sense, since the hardware in one "edition" is not the same as the other. In the end I don't really care about the virtualized edition, so I kind of forgot about it...

So, maybe there is only 3 of us on the whole planet?

Or we're the only ones that are not afraid of the half-eaten fruit mobs! We're the heretics!

[BootersNo]

Hello, I have been using virtualbox with a Windows 7 partition that is both native and VM bootable for several years.

After updating to the latest VBox 5.2.20 r125813 and installing the corresponding guest additions, I can still use that partition as a VM. However, I am no longer able to boot Windows 7 natively. Specifically, I get a blue screen promptly after the Windows 7 login window, and then the machine restarts. The blue screen says:

"DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL ... 
***STOP: 0x00000001 (0x0000000000000000, 0x0000000000000002, 0x0000000000000001, 0xffff88003cc565c)

*** VBoxMouse.sys - Address FFFFF88003CC565C base at FFFFF88003CC3000, DateStamp 5bc4a49b.

If I uninstall the latest guest additions, then Windows boots just fine. Can someone help me form this feedback into a bug request, and/or help me figure out what's wrong?

Guest: Windows 7
Host: Mac OS 10.13.6

[socratis]

...Windows 7 partition that is both native and VM bootable...
...boot Windows 7 natively...
...DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL...
...VBoxMouse.sys...
...form this feedback into a bug request

The last part (bug report) is already done, ticket #1633: Windows XP cannot boot natively after installation of Guest Additions (BSOD during boot), opened on 2008-05-29.

I put in a sense, pieces from your description that you could use to find the thread that I'm merging your post with. Please read it from the beginning, it's quite analytical and can answer some questions that you might have. If not, ask again...

[trillizo2]

I had the same problem on a 2012 MacBook Pro 15 retina. I was able to fix that by extracting the file VBoxMouse.sys from the VBoxGuestAdditions_5.1.32.iso extract VBoxWindowsAdditions-amd64.exe (I used 7zip to open the exe.) look for VBoxMouse folder extract that to your Desktop open the folder there Right click the .inf file and click install, click ok to allow installation and reboot. It even works with Virtualbox 6.0.4!!!

[Aimless]

I had the same problem on a 2012 MacBook Pro 15 retina. I was able to fix that by extracting the file VBoxMouse.sys from the VBoxGuestAdditions_5.1.32.iso extract VBoxWindowsAdditions-amd64.exe (I used 7zip to open the exe.) look for VBoxMouse folder extract that to your Desktop open the folder there Right click the .inf file and click install, click ok to allow installation and reboot. It even works with Virtualbox 6.0.4!!!

Awesome. Thank you Trillizo2! This worked for me with 6.0.4 also