Can not uninstall or install newer version of VirtualBox

[dananarama]

I, too have had the same problems with 2.2.2, and thought that this 2.2.4 installer would fix the issue. I feel like digging in now and getting it installed, as I have already tried simply removing the .VirtualBox and Program Files\Sun directories and am stuck.

I agree that this issue should be addressed with the installer.

I got through it. I had to use Revo-uninstaller to quickly delete all the VirtualBox-associated registry keys before the 2.2.4 installer would work.

When I was done, I just brought back the contents of .VirtualBox under Documents and Settings, ran my guest, and installed the new Linux guest additions.

I am using XP SP3 with a Ubuntu 8.04 guest, by the way.

[johnelee]

Lack of response from vbox team is disappointing - after all it's one of the vbox versions that's screwed up our registry.

However as a diy fix, could someone tell me/us what to look for in registry. I've exported the whole registry & used a text editor to find about 100 keys containing the string vbox and about 50 containing virtualbox. Can these all be deleted safely & the new registry reimported? Or should I just edit hkey_current_user or hkey_local_machine part? Or which part?

What other strings does vbox put in there that need to be deleted?

TIA for an answer...still stuck & vboxless!

John

[Perryg]

Read this, Maybe it will help http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/3701

[vovocals]

install a software called

youruinstaller to unistall it

[johnelee]

Thanks for suggestions, Perryg & vovocals.

However, the uninstaller suggested doesn't find the vbox stuff in the registry for some reason, and the perryg link seems to relate to problems with 64 bit vbox version, so unforunately neither helped to fix the problem.

John

[Perryg]

Actually I was referring to the section about how to uninstall the previous version when it would not allow you to install/uninstall.

For those unable to uninstall VBox 2.2:
To be able to uninstall you would need to copy the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion?\DIFxApp\Components registry key (and its sub-keys) from the HKEY_CURRENT_USER to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE branch.

Here are the steps for doing this:
1. run the registry editor (press windows + R , type regedit and press OK)
2. in the left pane browse to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion?\DIFxApp\Components -> there should be some sub-keys having GUID names located under the "Components"
3. export the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion?\DIFxApp\Components to some file (right-click the "Components" key, select "Export", type a file name where you want to export the settings (e.g. C:\foo.reg) )
4. open the exported .reg file (either with notepad or some other text editor or right-click it in explorer and select "Edit")
5. substitute the HKEY_CURRENT_USER with HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE in the file, save and close the editor.
6. import the .reg file (either double-click it in the explorer or in the registry editor use menu File->Import-> browse to a file, select it and press "Open")

Once this is done you should be able to uninstall.

[RickBryan]

Thank you. The registry hack worked for me. Quite unbelievable that a user would need to go through these steps to upgrade software developed by a company like SUN. You'd like they would have tested the application, or at least developed a solution once users started reporting the uninstall/upgrade problem.

Thanks again.

Rick Bryan
New York, NY