[Solved] Installer problem network ("Invalid Drive: S:\")

[Menthix]

During my upgrade to the latest VirtualBox version (3.0.6 r52128) I got the following error message:

Invalid Drive: S:\

Which was odd, since I told it to install to C:\Apps\VirtualBox. But looking deeper into it, the error happens when the installer is dealing with the desktop icons, which is indeed on S:\Storage\Desktop in my system.

My S: drive is a network share on my NAS mapped as a network drive. Using Windows' built in functionality I moved my desktop to this network drive. But the network drive is working fine and I never ran into this error with another application either.



I did manage to install the update correctly by moving the desktop location back to my C: drive temporarily and moving it back after the installation. The installer clearly doesn't like the network drive while other applications were accessing it at the same drive just fine.

I am using Windows 7 64 bit RTM (Home Premium)


Wasn't sure to report this on the bugtracker. Perhaps somebody can try to recreate this. On Windows Vista and 7 simply rightclick the Desktop folder in explorer, go to Properties -> Location, and move it to a network drive. After that try installing Virtualbox (have it create desktop shortcuts).

[vbox4me2]

It might be that the install process uses a different user which doesn't know about the mapped drive the current users has.

[Menthix]

There only is one user on this system.
UAC windows pops up when launching the installer, so admin rights shouldn't be the problem either.

[vbox4me2]

The UAC is a different user, thats the point.

[Menthix]

Well, depending at how you look at it, yes. But in a UAC elevated state you can still access all the files of the normal user.

[vbox4me2]

Yes but not to drives mapped to external sources.

[Menthix]

I see.

Looking at it from a user perspective though, what would I do to fix it? And why did none of the other applications I installed ever encounter the same problem?

[vbox4me2]

Its quite simple, open a elevated commandprompt and try to go to a network mapped drive, same thing.
However inside this prompt you can do a net use and then type in the setup command of whatever you are installing.

[Menthix]

Its quite simple, open a elevated commandprompt and try to go to a network mapped drive, same thing.

Hmm, indeed. Never knew that.

I guess other installers have a way to work around that or I would have encountered sooner. Would be nice if VirtualBox could do something about it, but I guess I can live with it too, at least I know why it's happening.

Thank you.