"'VirtualBox' is not a valid short file name." when installed drive letter was changed.

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Windows hosts.
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Takelus
Posts: 2
Joined: 11. Mar 2021, 15:50

"'VirtualBox' is not a valid short file name." when installed drive letter was changed.

Post by Takelus »

A dialog with message "'VirtualBox' is not a valid short file name." when installed drive letter was changed.

In past day, I installed VirtualBox as "D:\brabrabra\VirtualBox\VirtualBox.exe".
And recentlly, My PC is not working properly.
So currently drive letter "D:" points my SD card reader and my second SSD assigned as "E:".

In these state, whenever starting VirtualBox and it's installer,
I'm getting a dialog with message "'VirtualBox' is not a valid short file name."

Newer installer VirtualBox-6.1.18-142142-Win.exe behaves so.
Current set up wizard from "Apps & features" windows setting also too.

How can I clean broken configuration?
scottgus1
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Posts: 20945
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: VirtualBox+Oracle ExtPack
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: "'VirtualBox' is not a valid short file name." when installed drive letter was changed.

Post by scottgus1 »

Takelus wrote:I installed VirtualBox as "D:\brabrabra\VirtualBox\VirtualBox.exe".... currently drive letter "D:" points my SD card reader and my second SSD assigned as "E:".
Drive letters are used throughout Windows for installed programs and registered drivers & dll's. Changing the drive letter for a drive containing an installed program will hose that program for sure. And the MSI installation database probably remembers the old drive letter so won't uninstall Virtualbox either.

You'll need to change the drive letter back. Web-search how to do so.

Virtualbox should be installed in the default "C:\Program Files". The VMs can be anywhere.
Takelus
Posts: 2
Joined: 11. Mar 2021, 15:50

Re: "'VirtualBox' is not a valid short file name." when installed drive letter was changed.

Post by Takelus »

Thanks for information and advice!

I restored drive letters and settings.
Now everything works fine.

I have a too tiny partition for "C:" (this was my very first mistake), so I decided mounting my second SSD as C:\mnt\brabrabra.
And I will try to re-install VirtualBox as C:\mnt\brabrabra\VirtualBox.

Anyway, I went back to somewhere I can reconize. Thank you!!
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