Mac OS X freezes when attempting to start VM

[jimmykane]

I have a really bad problem here:

When I try to start a VM my iMac completely freezes. I have to shut it down by holding the power button. Some additional backgrounds:

I reinstalled Mac OS X yesterday because I built a SSD into my iMac. I reinstalled Mac OS X Snow Leopard. I updated everything and reinstalled the software I already used before.

Then I copied back my VM's Hard Disk file I had before (Windows XP Professional). I created a new VM with this Hard Disk file. I configure it the same as before. But when I try to start it my iMac freezes completely.

I tried to assign less RAM: didn't help.

I reinstalled VirtualBox and created a fresh VM: Windows XP copied all the files but when it tried to start my iMac froze again.

I have 8GB of RAM and it didn't cause any problems before today. And I use Aperture which took almost 2GB while creating thumbnails and nothing crashed.

Any help would be really useful

Thank you.

[tpierry]

What version of Virtualbox are you running? If you look around here you will see a few posts from other people reporting that the latest version (3.1.4) completely crashes OS X when it tries to run Windows XP Pro on new iMacs. I had to revert to version 3.1.2 to get it working again.

[jimmykane]

I was running 3.1.4. But I also tried Vista and the Mac completely froze again. I also tried 3.1.2 and I had the same problem. I removed 4 GB memory and it didn't change. I installed Mac OS X again on an external hard drive and I had the same problem.

BUT: I installed Virtual Box on Windows 7 (Boot Camp) and I didn't encounter any problems!


I'm desperate and don't know what to do...

[tpierry]

It sounds like your problem is different than mine was, although they might be related, I have a new iMac 27" with core i7 processor and 8 GB memory. I used Virtualbox 3.1.2 running Windows XP Pro SP2 and it was working perfectly. I had assigned 1 GB of memory to the VM. Then I received notice of the new version 3.1.4. I downloaded and installed it. With that version every time Windows tried to boot up the whole Mac OS X would crash completely. I re-installed 3.1.2 and it boots and works perfectly again. I'm staying away from 3.1.4 until something gets fixed. I found similar complaints about 3.1.4 in this forum and elsewhere. Sorry, that's all I know.

[jimmykane]

I found a solution!

First I removed VirtualBox and the folders and files it leaves behind (StartUp Items, Preferences, HardDisk and Machines folders...). Then I installed VirtualBox 2.2 which worked with a newly created VM with Windows XP Pro! I installed the windows updates and so on...

Then I backupped the VirtualBox files (again StartupItems and the others...) and installed VirtualBox 3.1.4 which had the fatal freeze-problem before.

It worked! My VM didn't cause any problems.

To say it again: on my MacBook a fresh installation of VBox 3.1.4 worked perfectly. Only on the iMac it didn't.

I'm sorry that's not really a solution for you as you can't go back to VirtualBox 2.2 now. Or can you? Maybe removing the guest extensions and then go back to an older version works. I don't know.

The problem I encountered and solved might be interesting for the VirtualBox developers as it is very special and should be solved. I'm happy I found a workaround for me.

Greets,
Ken

[troy]

Just to chime in, I'm having the exact same problem on my new 27" iMac. I just downgraded to 3.1.2, and can now boot without any issues.

[dineybomfim]

YYEEEH!!!!

I HAD EXACTLY SAME PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have an iMac 27" core i7 with 8Gb RAM.
When i updated my VirtualBox to version 3.1.4, this AMAZING BUG started!!!

I never see anything like that in the Mac OS!!! the screen become more dark and a message in 6 language says to shut down directly on the button...

Holy God!!!!! How a program can freeze the Mac OS like that???

VirtualBox was made in Carbon, right?
And why a version 3.1.2 works perfect and that upgrade, crashes like that??? This realy don't make any sense!!!

Yeh, i know that VirtualBox is like an "OpenSource"....
But for GOD!!!!!! The brands of Oracle (Sun before, whatever) is behind it!!!!!!

I don't find any notice that this "AMAZING" CRASH will be repaired. Any notice of a new release with excuses. WHY???????