Oracle Virtual Box
 

Win XP SP3:

I installed this to look at it - all went well, and 2 OS's set up. Next boot, no sign of the desktop icon or quick launch icon nor programme folder. Just one of the virtualbox ethernet 'adapters' left in device manager. Reinstall, 2 'virtual' OSs still there and functioning. Now this am on reboot all has 'disappeared' again. Only item left is a vbox folder with cab and msi in docs and settings/local settings/apps plus the one virtual adapter.

WTF???

Is XP SP3 your virtual or host machine?

Which virtual PC software do you use? I've had a lot of success with the free version of VMWare, excellent piece of kit. Never used it for Oracle though.

XP is host: VM is(was!) Oracle Virtual Box

System Restore will get you back to where you were. Select the restore point just before you installed VirtualBox.

PS. One of the advantages of VirtualBox over VMWare is that you can create new machines in VB, which you can't with the free version of VM. However, there is a great online site for creating new machines for VM.

EasyVMX!: Virtual Machine Creator

That was how I got it back last time, but it has gorn again! I cannot fathom this - I am left with a VB folder but zero executables.

I hope this might be of some use.
 

BOAC, Have you have tried a restore from a bit further back in time. (I''m not certain that restore overwrites everything. Have you got a recent image backup ? It might be the best option.)

(I'm on Acronis 8 for backup - But if your'e using another package say Norton Ghost, the same applies.)

I'm using the new version of Virtual box under linux (Ubuntu 9.04) on two PC's without any probs at all. But my use has been really experimental. ( Ubuntu 10.05 LTE - I do not like the new interface !)

I am about to install it on my XP SP3 box and I will let you know how I get on.

As an alternative, there's a utility called WUBI. It's an installer that claims to install/uninstall Ubuntu without the hassle of GRUB.

As yet I have not tried the utility.

CAT III

Ta CATIII - there is no problem in 'getting it back' - it is why and how it is uninstalling itself/disappearing that foxes me. Interested to hear how you fare.

EDIT: I am unsure how the Windows Malicious S Tool works - can this be the reason? Maybe the msrt 'sees' VB as a 'threat' and removes it?

- any news?

BOAC:

I run virtualbox on my PC's (of of which is XP SP3) all the time and it works fine. Never had a case of a disappearing virtualbox installation though.

How about removing Malicious Microsoft's Tool and try again? I seriously doubt this has anything at all to do with Restore points.

I have dug out MRT's logs and it shows no sign of 'naughtiness', so I'll reinstall VB and see. The reference to 'Restore' was in response to CATIII and how I returned the prog last time.

Please get back to the thread after your next install and let us know how it goes.
Very interesting indeed!

I had to give up! I had been left with a folder in Program Files containing only a cab and msi file. I reinstalled from there and my machine went into constant reboots (having 'seen' the Virtual Network bits). No sign of VB in 'Add/remove' so sys restore put me back to normal. I now (again) have an Oracle folder with what looks like a 'full set' of files but no exe!

Lots of head scratching.

BOAC:

Are you sure you're looking in the right place? My Virtualbox installation is contained within the C:\Program Files\Sun\Virtual Box folder. Are you saying yours are in an Oracle folder?????

Yes - system drive progs/oracle.:confused: No sign of sun

EDIT: To add V 3.2.4

Very, very odd BOAC. I have Virtualbox installed on two PCs here at work (Linux) , a PC at home (Win XP SP3) and on two laptops (1 WinXP Pro and 1 Win 7) as well. In ALL cases the program files reside in the Sun directory of the Apps directory.

I have never seen an Oracle folder as pertaining to Virtualbox. And, yes, I am using v3.2.4

Oracle bought out Sun a short while ago, and the last release of VirtualBox removed all references to Sun and replaced them with Oracle. So it is now Oracle VirtualBox.

I have only used it on Mac OS X, so cannot help with the original problem, sorry.

I am fully aware that Oracle bought out Sun a short while ago.

However, the latest version of Virtualbox (v3.2.4) was released on 7 June 2010 which is well after Sun's being devoured.

On all my systems where v3.2.4 is installed, the installation is put into a Sun directory/folder. Not an Oracle one. There are no Oracle directories/folders
on any of my systems.

Sorry for the Delay in replying
 

BOAC: I did briefly - installl Wubi - but as I'm an Acronis 8 usr - I got an MBR Error 2 Message on boot up and did not proceed with the idea.

My main P.C is needed 24/7 at the moment, so I cannot experiment - That's a shame.

BTW - There has been a change in versions of Virtual Box - The Sun Sys ver has to be removed under Ubuntu 9.04 before the Orical Ver will install ?

I do not know if it's a similar prob with Win OS'es.

Would it not be great if someone could design a universal boot loader that easily allows editable boot options across various OS'es.


CAT III

If you're doing an upgrade the installation directory won't change. A clean installation will use the new default install location.

I also wouldn't put any faith in System Restore; it's a very crude tool.

You can also quite happily create new machines in VMware Player, you just need the vmx config file which the software won't give you the option to create. These can be acquired from numerous websites.

I'd be tempted to temporarily disable the Windows Installer service and see if that prevents the mystery deinstalls. MSI is a great idea on paper, but the implementation is prone to all sorts of strange issues such as this. Don't be confused by the installer being an EXE, it's just a wrapper for the MSI.

However, if you install VMware Server you'll have the ability to create VMs and no discernible performance difference between that and VMware Player....and then you can migrate those to ESXi and then to vSphere Foundation....

I know that's what i'd choose rather than Virtualbox, Parallels, Xen, or HyperV. :ok:

- far from it! It was the ONLY way I could get rid of the Virtual network adapters that were left after the 'disappearing' VB 'disappeared'. They were blocking my 'normal' adapter and would not go away! I'm sure some reg editing would have done it, but SR is so straightforward - and works.

I'm taking a breather on VB - I'll see if I feel enthusiastic for another battle - your last idea noted, thanks. NB The last few goes had been run direct from the msi since the exe had 'vanished'.