Cannot change settings/create VM for Virtual Box on Windows

[Thomas d]

Hello,

I'm new on Virtual Box.
I tried to install Virtual Box on Windows. Everything seemed to work fine.
Then I tried to change the Preferences -> default Machine Folder.
But I had the following error:

Failed to set global VirtualBox properties.

Failed to replace 'C:\Users\Utilisateur Maboite/.VirtualBox\VirtualBox.xml' with 'C:\Users\Utilisateur Maboite/.VirtualBox\VirtualBox.xml-tmp': -38 (Access denied.).

D:\tinderbox\win-4.2\src\VBox\Main\src-server\VirtualBoxImpl.cpp[4151] (long __thiscall VirtualBox::saveSettings(void)).

Result Code: E_FAIL (0x80004005)
Component: VirtualBox
Interface: IVirtualBox {3b2f08eb-b810-4715-bee0-bb06b9880ad2}
Callee: ISystemProperties {1d7aca29-97f0-4287-9874-a60ec4f80ea6}

I can open and copy manually VirtualBox.xml-tmp to VirtualBox. but then I have the same kind of problem when creating a VM.
Has anyone an idea?

[noteirak]

Seems like the permissions of the global Virtualbox config file are screwed.
Check that you have write access on C:\Users\Utilisateur Maboite/.VirtualBox\VirtualBox.xml, and if not, give it to yourself.

[Thomas d]

Well, it seems that VirtualBox needs to be executed as an administrator.
Everything seems to work fine now.
Thx for your answer.

[noteirak]

That's a workaround of your probem, your issue is still present, you're only bypassing it with the Admin rights.

[Perryg]

Right click the icon used to start VirtualBox -> Shortcuts -> advanced, and make sure that it does not have a check mark on run as administrator.