Cannot remove Virtualbox bridged networking device

[simmatt]

I have installed Virtual box on a 64bit Server 2008. Since installing I have not been able to get to the networking components of my host Nics. Device manager shows Virtualbox bridged networking Driver miniport with a splat.

I cannot remove this driver. I have tried uninstalling, repairing and reinstalling virtual box 3.1.4. I unstalled one of 2 NICs in ther server and then tried to reinstall it now it have an error unable to load driver.

My impression is that the Virtualbox bridged networking Driver is greating a ghost NIC that I cannot see. Does anyone know how I can remove this networking devise for good.

Regards

Matthew

[BillG]

I doubt that this is the real reason for your problem.

HAve a look at the properties of each NIC. You should see an entry there for the VirtualBox Bridged Networking Driver. If it has a check mark in the box, clear it. That should disable the filter driver.

Problems with the filter driver are usually caused by an incompatibility with the NIC driver in the host OS. See if you can find an updated driver.

[PeterLairo]

I have the same problem. After installing a new motherboard, CPU and RAM and updating from VBox 3.x to Vbox 4.x, I have a yellow exclamation mark in my Device Manager next to "VirtualBox Bridged Networking Driver Miniport #3" and cannot delete the device. The exact "Device Status" in the Properties dialog is: "Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The driver may be corrupted or missing. (Code 39)".

What I've tried:

• gone to the "Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network and Sharing Center"
• clicked on the "Connections" of each "View your active networks" (I have two)
• selected "Properties"
• Removed the checkmark by "bridged networking" (or similar - forgot the exact term)
  
  
  
  
• Rebooted

I am still not able to remove the "VirtualBox Bridged Networking Driver Miniport" device in my Device Manager.

[BillG]

I have installed Virtual box on a 64bit Server 2008. Since installing I have not been able to get to the networking components of my host Nics. Device manager shows Virtualbox bridged networking Driver miniport with a splat.

I cannot remove this driver. I have tried uninstalling, repairing and reinstalling virtual box 3.1.4. I unstalled one of 2 NICs in ther server and then tried to reinstall it now it have an error unable to load driver.

My impression is that the Virtualbox bridged networking Driver is greating a ghost NIC that I cannot see. Does anyone know how I can remove this networking devise for good.

Regards

Matthew

This is not a driver, it is a device (a miniport). Windows device manager is telling you that you have a device which the OS cannot find a driver for.

The VirtualBox Bridged Networking driver is installed in the host OS, not in the guest. It allows the vm to use the physical NIC in the host by bridging and filtering traffic. If you look at the properties of your NIC from the host OS you will see it with the other network protocols. You can disable it by clearing the checkbox, just as you can for the others.

[jorgensen]

Maybe this could be of help http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=29365

[PeterLairo]

If you look at the properties of your NIC from the host OS you will see it with the other network protocols. You can disable it by clearing the checkbox, just as you can for the others.

I disabled and even uninstalled the protocol (Windows 7: Control Panel\Network and Internet\Network Connections), and I am still unable to uninstall the "virtualbox bridged networking device miniport #3" device from the Device Manager. Do I have to reboot the PC after uninstalling the protocol?

Any other suggestion for getting rid of the virtualbox bridged networking device miniport #3?

[PeterLairo]

Maybe this could be of help http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=29365

None of those suggestions worked. They are trying to install the driver; I am trying to uninstall the driver.

[jorgensen]

None of those suggestions worked. They are trying to install the driver; I am trying to uninstall the driver.

Reinstalling a driver often solves the uninstallation problem.

[PeterLairo]

Reinstalling a driver often solves the uninstallation problem.

That didn't work - at least the way I tried it:

• Device Manager
• right-click on "Virtualbox bridged networking Driver Miniport #3"
• Update Driver Software
• Browse my computer to C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\drivers\ (incl. subfolders)
• Error message (see screenshot)

Link to screenshot: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_lP5T ... oard01.jpg

[PeterLairo]

I think the device appeared when I still had some version 3 of VB, so I also tried uninstalling my current version (VirtualBox-4.0.2-69518-Win.exe) and installed VirtualBox-3.2.8-64453-Win.exe (incl. reboots). I still cannot uninstall the "Virtualbox bridged networking Driver Miniport #3".

[PeterLairo]

I think the device appeared when I still had some version 3 of VB, so I also tried uninstalling my current version (VirtualBox-4.0.2-69518-Win.exe) and installed VirtualBox-3.2.8-64453-Win.exe (incl. reboots). I still cannot uninstall the "Virtualbox bridged networking Driver Miniport #3".

For some reason, I was now able to finally remove the device. I don#t know what finally made it work - perhaps that one extra reboot...?

PS. Now to get Ubuntu (in VB) to run in more than 800x600 resolution... (I hate Linux more every time I retry it)