[vbox-dev] VirtualBox COM works on Linux, but CRASHES on Windows !

[Alexey Eromenko]

Hi All,

After porting GNS3 simulator to VirtualBox engine, I came across bad
experience on Windows hosts.

Hosts: Technologov's XRig 2011 hardware + Debian Linux 6.0 + VBox 4.0.6
Hosts: Technologov's XRig 2011 hardware + Windows 7 x64 + VBox 4.0.6
(also 4.0.4)
Hosts: Technologov's XRig 2011 hardware + Windows XP + VBox 4.0.6 (also 4.0.4)

When I initialize COM interface twice, that is make 2 objects of
VirtualBoxManager(), VirtualBox COM loops endlessly on Windows hosts,
but this works on Linux !

Example crash code provided in: (works on Linux, crashes/loops on Windows)
vboxcaller_crashy.py
vboxstarter_crashy.py

I have tried with both python 2.6.6 and python 2.7.1. on both WinXP
and Win7 x64 to eliminate any potential bugs from host side. (used
pyWin v216)

The example workaround I did, is to create one object of
VirtualBoxManager(), documented in files:
vboxcaller.py
vboxstarter.py

However this example code won't work in real GNS3, because the
"vboxcaller" is a remote process connecting via TCP/IP.

Why this problem happens ? Difference between MS COM and XPCOM ?
Can you please fix VirtualBox MS COM on Windows (to behave like on Linux) ?

Or maybe allow to use XPCOM on Windows along with MS COM ?
Why MS COM was chosen on Windows hosts ? Because it allows theoretical
integration with Visual Basic and C# ?

Please help ! It blocks further development of GNS3 project.
-- 
-Alexey Eromenko "Technologov"
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