[Resolved] VirtualBox does not open, gives error message

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Windows hosts.
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CBR Ridin
Posts: 3
Joined: 18. Aug 2019, 17:38

[Resolved] VirtualBox does not open, gives error message

Post by CBR Ridin »

When trying to run VB I get the following error:
Failed to acquire the VirtualBox COM object.

The application will now terminate.

Error in C:\Users\Moi\.VirtualBox\VirtualBox.xml (line 20) -- UUID "{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}" has zero format.

F:\tinderbox\win-6.0\src\VBox\Main\src-server\VirtualBoxImpl.cpp[624] (long __cdecl VirtualBox::init(void)).

Result Code: E_FAIL (0x80004005)
Component: VirtualBoxWrap
Interface: IVirtualBox {d0a0163f-e254-4e5b-a1f2-011cf991c38d}
Callee: IVirtualBoxClient {d2937a8e-cb8d-4382-90ba-b7da78a74573}
I have tried uninstalling, reboot and re-install. I have tried installing to another drive with reboots after uninstall and re-install.

Any assistance would be much appreciated.

CBR Ridin
Last edited by socratis on 20. Aug 2019, 14:02, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Marked as [Resolved].
socratis
Site Moderator
Posts: 27330
Joined: 22. Oct 2010, 11:03
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Win(*>98), Linux*, OSX>10.5
Location: Greece

Re: VirtualBox does not open, gives error message

Post by socratis »

It seems that your VirtualBox preferences file (C:\Users\Moi\.VirtualBox\VirtualBox.xml) is corrupted.
  • Go to the location where that file resides (C:\Users\Moi\.VirtualBox\). Delete that file.
  • There should be another file called "C:\Users\Moi\.VirtualBox\VirtualBox.xml-prev". Copy that file to "C:\Users\Moi\.VirtualBox\VirtualBox.xml".
  • Restart VirtualBox.
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.
CBR Ridin
Posts: 3
Joined: 18. Aug 2019, 17:38

Re: VirtualBox does not open, gives error message

Post by CBR Ridin »

Thank you for your response. Deleting the file and renaming the .xml-prev to .xml (The files were in the same folder, so I renamed .xml-prev) returned the same error, or what looks like the same error:
Failed to acquire the VirtualBox COM object.

The application will now terminate.

Error in C:\Users\Moi\.VirtualBox\VirtualBox.xml (line 19) -- UUID "{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}" has zero format.

F:\tinderbox\win-6.0\src\VBox\Main\src-server\VirtualBoxImpl.cpp[624] (long __cdecl VirtualBox::init(void)).

Result Code: E_FAIL (0x80004005)
Component: VirtualBoxWrap
Interface: IVirtualBox {d0a0163f-e254-4e5b-a1f2-011cf991c38d}
Callee: IVirtualBoxClient {d2937a8e-cb8d-4382-90ba-b7da78a74573}
As I have not been able to start the app to create a VM, I am going to try uninstalling the app, deleting the C:\Users\Moi\.VirtualBox\ folder (if it's still there after the uninstall) and seeing if re-installing will do the trick. Hopefully the installation is not creating this "zero fomat" .xml

CBR Ridin
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: VirtualBox does not open, gives error message

Post by scottgus1 »

FWIW just deleting (or moving, for saftey's sake) the .Virtualbox folder will reset Virtualbox. A new .Virtualbox folder with a new Virtualbox.xml will be made.

You will have to find your guest folders and register the .vbox files: see the main Virtualbox window, Machine menu, Add...

Also any settings you customized in the main Virtualbox window's File menu, Preferences, will have to be reset.
CBR Ridin
Posts: 3
Joined: 18. Aug 2019, 17:38

Re: VirtualBox does not open, gives error message

Post by CBR Ridin »

----Solved----

Deleting the C:\Users\Moi\.virtualbox folder did the trick. No re-install needed. Application started. As I was unable to start it to begin with, I had no guest folders to worry about. I am now happily creating my first VM.

Thank you both for your kind assistance.

CBR Ridin
socratis
Site Moderator
Posts: 27330
Joined: 22. Oct 2010, 11:03
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Win(*>98), Linux*, OSX>10.5
Location: Greece

Re: VirtualBox does not open, gives error message

Post by socratis »

Well, that option was always available; the nuclear option. We were simply trying to see if we could have resolved this peacefully. ;)

Marking as [Resolved].
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.
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