Install MUST use the default path

[BrunoGenovese]

I post this not as a question but to help others who are having trouble like I did.

My problem:
- I installed using all the defaults, except that I selected an install path on the D: drive instead of simply accepting the default.
- The install *looked like* it worked, but when it tried to launch VirtualBox after installation it kept failing.
- Googling and troubleshooting led to no results, but having had similar problems in the past with buggy installers for various apps, I tried one more time using the default path... and surprise! VirtualBox launched fine.

Conclusion:
- There is a bug with the installation program. It gives the option to change the destination folder, but VirtualBox is obviously incapable to run on a different drive.

Not a big deal, as there is a simple fix... to accept the default install directory.

[scottgus1]

Thanks for your report. It does seem strange. There could be a bug in the installer. Do you have anything specially operating on your host, such as aggressive 3rd-party antivirus, etc?

FWIW the actual Virtualbox app takes "only" 250-300MB on the host drive. The VMs can go on any drive.

[BrunoGenovese]

There is nothing too special on my setup, which works quite well with most apps even though it is a bit more "Enterprise" and resilient than most. But since VirtualBox kind of tries to take over some functions, it might be relevant to mention some things that are usually transparent but might not be for VirtualBox:

- Windows 10 (the motherboard does not have the special chip required for Windows 11).
- My D: Drive is a virtual drive established through StableBit Drivepool. A software-based RAID. Nothing ever clashed with it.
- I use BitDefender Total Security antivirus. It is quite strong but never caused false positives.
- I use the SurfShark VPN.
- I use Carbonite cloud backup that relies on Windows features to backup flies "on the fly" as they change without interfering with read/write file locks.

I hope that helps if you try to duplicate the issue.

[scottgus1]

My D: Drive is a virtual drive established through StableBit Drivepool.

wonder if this might be the problem? It would be curious if you attached a regular USB platter or SSD drive to the host and tried to install Virtualbox to that, or tried a different standard partition on an internal disk, or a different folder on the C drive. See if any of these works.

[BrunoGenovese]

I did install in the end on the C drive. That was the band-aid and it worked fine.

But I really doubt that D: being a virtual/softRAID drive would be the problem. If so most applications would fail to install, as it is I've come across maybe 2-3 problem apps that forced me to install in C: in well over 10 years that I've been using it.

[scottgus1]

OK, do you wish to proceed with this further, per the diagnostic suggestions offered? Or are you good?

FWIW we get lots of folks installing Virtualbox to non-default paths on C or other drives, so it isn't impossible.

[BrunoGenovese]

I am good. Ty.

And by the way, from what I've seen so far, I like it a lot.