Completely failed to instantiate CLSID_VirtualBox

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Windows hosts.
vgrechin
Posts: 6
Joined: 7. Dec 2016, 10:58

Completely failed to instantiate CLSID_VirtualBox

Post by vgrechin »

I just installed latest version of VirtualBox VirtualBox-5.1.10-112026-Win
to my Windows 10 computer as Administrator.

Unfortunately, it fails to start with an error related to a COM component.
Message shown in the MessageBox:

Completely failed to instantiate CLSID_VirtualBox: CO_E_SERVER_EXEC_FAILURE.

Error code:
CO_E_SERVER_EXEC_FAILURE (0x80080005)
Component:
VirtualBoxClientWrap
Interface:
IVirtualBoxClient {d2937a8e-cb8d-4382-90ba-b7da78a74573}

I'm attaching snapshot of the message as well

Any Ideas how to fix that?
Attachments
vbox_failure.png
vbox_failure.png (12.39 KiB) Viewed 39001 times
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Completely failed to instantiate CLSID_VirtualBox

Post by mpack »

This looks like a failure to install VirtualBox properly, if at all. It should be installed as the user who intends to run it. E.g. you should install it using the "vgrechin" user account (not "Admin") if that is who will run it.

Use "Run as administrator" to ensure that the installer has adequate privileges under the chosen user account.
vgrechin
Posts: 6
Joined: 7. Dec 2016, 10:58

Re: Completely failed to instantiate CLSID_VirtualBox

Post by vgrechin »

It was, actually installed with "Run as administrator" privileges.
And I may confirm it is installed, because I've managed to run VirtualBox under another user account on the same machine.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Completely failed to instantiate CLSID_VirtualBox

Post by scottgus1 »

Virtualbox will run under different accounts than the one it was installed on, if it was installed correctly. Virtualbox defaults to storing its list of guests in a local account folder, not a public one, so when you switch accounts the list of guests will be different or empty. You can register old guests to run in a different account.

On the other account where you were able to run Virtualbox, were you able to make and run a guest? If you can run guests fine on one account but can't on another, then Virtualbox is working and the account has something bad with it. I have seen accounts go bad before. If the account is bad, there's no hope that I know of but to not use that account for Virtualbox, or to move all the account-specific data out and abandon the bad account.
Martin
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Re: Completely failed to instantiate CLSID_VirtualBox

Post by Martin »

Will it run under two different accounts at the same time?
If not you need to make sure that is other account is logged of and that you don't use fast user switching.
vgrechin
Posts: 6
Joined: 7. Dec 2016, 10:58

Re: Completely failed to instantiate CLSID_VirtualBox

Post by vgrechin »

Yes, I'm able to run a guest on second account, so I'd be able, probably to create a PowerShell script to run VirtualBox with these credentials.
Just before destroying my good old bad account :shock: .

But I can't figure out where exactly VirtualBox stores list of guests in a local account folder?
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Completely failed to instantiate CLSID_VirtualBox

Post by scottgus1 »

The list on a Windows host is in C:\Users\{you}\.Virtualbox, in the file called VirtualBox.xml

There is a way using an environment variable VBOX_USER_HOME to make Virtualbox look in the folder set in the environment variable instead of the default location above. If you set the variable to a public folder on your host, then all accounts will see the same list of guests.

Se section 10.1 in the manual for more info.
vgrechin
Posts: 6
Joined: 7. Dec 2016, 10:58

Re: Completely failed to instantiate CLSID_VirtualBox

Post by vgrechin »

Unfortunately I didn't have C:\Users\{you}\.Virtualbox in my bad account's home directory.
When I copied this from second account, I managed to run VirtualBox.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Completely failed to instantiate CLSID_VirtualBox

Post by mpack »

In that case it sounds like there was an element missing from the original problem description: I assume you must be launching the VM from a desktop shortcut, accessing a folder without the proper permissions.

If all you did was run VirtualBox while being logged in as the wrong user then it would have silently created the "Users/{you}/.VirtualBox" folder, created the files inside it, then the manager would run and show you an empty VM list with a "Welcome to VirtualBox!" panel on the right.

There would have been no error message.
vgrechin
Posts: 6
Joined: 7. Dec 2016, 10:58

Re: Completely failed to instantiate CLSID_VirtualBox

Post by vgrechin »

Permissions for original user were properly set up by network administrator.

From my point of view VirtualBox failed to create configuration folder C:\Users\{you}\.Virtualbox and reported no error during install.

Run-time error, shown in the beginning of the topic is really weird and misguiding, giving no glue where the actual problem sits in.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
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Re: Completely failed to instantiate CLSID_VirtualBox

Post by mpack »

And were you launching a VM using a desktop shortcut?

I can't comment on what your netadmin says he did.

I agree it certainly isn't the best of error messages, but it did in fact give a clue otherwise we wouldn't have homed in on a fix so quickly. The wording is just a little technical.
vgrechin
Posts: 6
Joined: 7. Dec 2016, 10:58

Re: Completely failed to instantiate CLSID_VirtualBox

Post by vgrechin »

I had to modify .VirtualBox\VirtualBox.xml to point out correct disc location for VM storage first.
And now, yes I'm able to run VMs with desktop shortcut and using VBoxManage utility.
gregko
Posts: 2
Joined: 29. Jan 2018, 00:33

Re: Completely failed to instantiate CLSID_VirtualBox

Post by gregko »

Identical problem here, on Windows 10 64-bit [Version 10.0.16299.192], after installing VirtualBox 5.2.6, the latest at the moment.

Code: Select all

Failed to acquire the VirtualBox COM object.
The application will now terminate.
Completely failed to instantiate CLSID_VirtualBox: CO_E_SERVER_EXEC_FAILURE.
Result Code: CO_E_SERVER_EXEC_FAILURE (0x80080005)
Component: VirtualBoxClientWrap
Interface: IVirtualBoxClient {d2937a8e-cb8d-4382-90ba-b7da78a74573}
NONE of the answers given so far in this forum helped. I did try uninstalling/reinstalling many time, run as administrator, run in different compatibility modes (Windows 8, Windows 7...), tried editing VirtualBox.xml - none were found in .VirtualBox directory, so copied and edited from a "healthy" machine... Tried also built-in Windows 10 "Program Compatibility Troubleshooter", it said: "Issues found: Incompatible Program - Not fixed".

Any idea what else could be tried? Also, Hyper-V is disabled on this machine, VMware 10 works fine and runs virtual machines in it.
socratis
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Re: Completely failed to instantiate CLSID_VirtualBox

Post by socratis »

gregko wrote:Any idea what else could be tried?
Re-install Windows while preserving programs and accounts. See if that helps...
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.
gregko
Posts: 2
Joined: 29. Jan 2018, 00:33

Re: Completely failed to instantiate CLSID_VirtualBox

Post by gregko »

Indeed this helped! Downloaded MediaCreationTool.exe tool from Microsoft and effectively "upgraded" my Windows 10 to the "Fall Creators Update", despite the fact that it already was updated to it. Selected option to preserve all user data and apps, installed back VirtualBox and it starts fine.

Thank you!
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