Can't launch VM. vbox file not found

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Mac OS X hosts.
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Daris
Posts: 3
Joined: 1. Oct 2018, 11:09

Can't launch VM. vbox file not found

Post by Daris »

I have attempted to download VirtualBox-5.2.18-124319-OSX.dmg and install it onto Mojave OS, but receive an installation failed message, upon trying to mount it. Previous versions of Virtual Box have been uninstalled. The error message has been included as an attachment, in the hopes of finding a solution, to my predicament.
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IMG_9404.jpg
IMG_9404.jpg (76.96 KiB) Viewed 4527 times
Last edited by socratis on 2. Oct 2018, 10:56, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Changed title to something more appropriate.
socratis
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Re: Can't launch VM. vbox file not found

Post by socratis »

Please don't include JPEGs from your cell phone. OSX has several perfectly fine tools that allow you to grab a screenshot as a PNG. The "Preview.app" for example has the "File" » "Take Screenshot..." » "From Window...". You just need to downsize your attached images by 50% (at least), or simply change the DPI to 72 if you're on HiDPI (which you most probably are).

Second, you don't have a "failure to install VirtualBox". VirtualBox is up and running, no failure to install at all. What you have is a "failure to launch a specific VM". That's why I changed the title of your thread from "Virtual box 5.2.18 failure to install on Mojave" to "Can't launch VM. vbox file not found".

The error is quite clear. The file that you're trying to launch is not available. Now, that file is inside an application, called "Nox App Player.app". That's an Android emulator, based on VirtualBox actually, a spin-off. A blatant spin-off!!!

So, I'm not sure what you're trying to do over here, or how you're trying to do it. Can you please explain in detail what are you trying to do?
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
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If you obfuscate any information requested, I will obfuscate my response. These are virtual UUIDs, not real ones.
Daris
Posts: 3
Joined: 1. Oct 2018, 11:09

Re: Can't launch VM. vbox file not found

Post by Daris »

Thank you for you expedited reply. I appreciate your assistance.

I'm pretty certain that the installation of VM. vbox has indeed failed (as evidenced by the png below). I am attempting to run an Android emulator from within Mojave OS, which I had previously been able to achieve, seamlessly on High Sierra OS. I included the jpeg with description of my install fail, in an effort to establish the root of the cause. I'm unable to run Virtual Box (to then be able to install Nox in order to achieve this).

Any further guidance/advises/assistance are greatly received.
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Screen Shot 2018-10-02 at 14.17.png
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socratis
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Re: Can't launch VM. vbox file not found

Post by socratis »

I don't like to repeat myself, but I can't see what's going on:
socratis wrote:Please don't include JPEGs from your cell phone. OSX has several perfectly fine tools that allow you to grab a screenshot as a PNG. The "Preview.app" for example has the "File" » "Take Screenshot..." » "From Window...". You just need to downsize your attached images by 50% (at least), or simply change the DPI to 72 if you're on HiDPI (which you most probably are).
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
Do NOT reply with the "QUOTE" button, please use the "POST REPLY", at the bottom of the form.
If you obfuscate any information requested, I will obfuscate my response. These are virtual UUIDs, not real ones.
Daris
Posts: 3
Joined: 1. Oct 2018, 11:09

Re: Can't launch VM. vbox file not found

Post by Daris »

Thankyou for your ongoing support. I am no computer guru and not wishing to be a hinderance. I am utilising this forum, as I'm seeking guidance. I have attempted to further install and run Nox emulator and now receive these error messages. I am honestly not aware of where the issue(s) may lie. Keeping my fingers crossed you may be able to shed light on this, until now, mystery.

P.S. I have attempted to reduce the size of any attachments to 200KiB and use .png rather than jpeg, as requested. If I am not doing as you ask, then it is because I do not understand. Appreciate this is not my forte, nor background.
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Screen Shot 2018-10-02 at 23.42.10.png
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socratis
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Posts: 27330
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Location: Greece

Re: Can't launch VM. vbox file not found

Post by socratis »

Daris wrote:I am no computer guru and not wishing to be a hinderance
Not at all! That's why we're here for, to help you and teach you a thing or two... ;)
Daris wrote:I have attempted to further install and run Nox emulator and now receive these error messages
Nox emulator is a different program than VirtualBox. It is based on VirtualBox, but it's not VirtualBox. So, why are you using VirtualBox when you should be using the "Nox emulator"? Why are you trying to "bypass" the Nox emulator and open the VM in VirtualBox? Open the VM from within Nox, as it was intended.
Daris wrote:If I am not doing as you ask, then it is because I do not understand. Appreciate this is not my forte, nor background.
PNG is the best format to grab computer screenshots. It's the clearest (we can read what it says) and the most efficient for its size. JPEG is better for photographs. GIF is good for absolutely nothing (anymore).

The screenshot you attached is perfect! Appropriate size and dimensions. Well done, kudos! :)
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
Do NOT reply with the "QUOTE" button, please use the "POST REPLY", at the bottom of the form.
If you obfuscate any information requested, I will obfuscate my response. These are virtual UUIDs, not real ones.
DCwriter
Posts: 1
Joined: 22. Aug 2022, 20:17

Re: Can't launch VM. vbox file not found

Post by DCwriter »

Screen Shot 2022-08-22 at 2.26.59 PM.png
Screen Shot 2022-08-22 at 2.26.59 PM.png (97.06 KiB) Viewed 2799 times
i am not sure why the OP's original question but I am having the same error as the OP at launch of VirtualBox. While I found both the original post and the attached screen shot pretty darn clear, I am reposting a better image (although reduced to 72dpi it is now almost as fuzzy as the original) as well as a more detailed sequence of events:

1. Install VirtualBox
2. Launch VirtualBox.

That's the answer to the question "I'm not sure what you're trying to do over there" and is possibly why the post was so clear to me yet so confusing to the community member who responded. I'm trying to do anything weird, just trying to use the software. At launch, the error message is presented making it appear a file was not copied during installation thus making it appear that the missing file was a failure to fully install the VirtualBox software. Maybe ask for clarity before assigning a different title to someone's help request?

The only thing that is "quite clear" about Oracle's error message is that a file is missing. Not clear why, not clear how to fix it. Not clear if how important that file is, but given how prominently it displays upon startup it looks fairly critical and my attempts to run a Windows virtual machine haven't been successful yet so it seems this missing file is important.

I am running a MacBook Air without apple's silicon on MacOS Monterey 12.5.1 which has a lot of permissions you have to grant to apps and I've checked that and VirtualBox appears to have appropriate permissions (i even upgraded it to full disk access but the problem persists.

VirtualBox version is v6.1
scottgus1
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Re: Can't launch VM. vbox file not found

Post by scottgus1 »

A VM's .vbox file is a text file containing all the VM's settings for its configuration. It is essentially the 'motherboard' of the VM. In your case and in the OP, Virtualbox knows where that file should be but cannot find it. This could be because it got deleted or moved, or the whole VM was moved in the host OS without informing Virtualbox.

You can go to that folder path, and look for 'nox.vbox'. If it is not there, but you have a 'nox.vbox-prev', you can copy 'nox.vbox-prev' and rename the copy to 'nox.vbox'. Then Virtualbox should be able to find the VM.

If there is nothing there or no 'nox.vbox-prev', then you may have to use the Nox app to run the VM per Socratis' instructions above.
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