Critical Error when Starting in XP 32-bit

[Peien Liu]

I've been trying to get Virtual Box versions 1.4-1.6 working on my Windows XP SP2 32-bit machine for a while with no success. I've tried the methods in the FAQ's and forums and they haven't worked (i.e.: starting VBoxSVC.exe manually). This is the error message that comes up after I try to start the program:

Virtual Box- Critical Error Failed to Create the VirtualBox COM object. The Application Will Now Terminate.

Assertion failed at 'C:\vbox\32\w32-rel\src\VBox\Main\VirtualBoxImpl.cpp' (271) in VirtualBox::init.
Unknown exception
.
Please contact the product vendor!.

Result Code: E_FAIL (0x80004005) Component: VirtualBox Interface: IVirtualBox {2d3b9ea7-25f5-4f07-a8e1-7dd7e0dcf667} Callee RC: E_NOINTERFACE (0x80004002)

I appreciate your help in resolving this ticket.

Best Regards,

Peien Liu

[Andrei Tulai]

I am also having this issue.

My problem was my external HDD. If I keep it plugged in, then attempt to run VirtualBox, I get the exact error mentioned above. If I don't have the external HDD connected, then it works perfectly. If I then try to plug in the HDD, it crashes and becomes unusable.

I am also using XP Pro SP3 32 bit. I will try this in Vista to see if there is any difference.

[Frank Mehnert]

Andrei, was your external HDD a USB device? And did you set up any USB filters? cubsftw, from which version did you report the above error?

[Andrei Tulai]

Yes, the HDD was a USB device and no I didn't set up any filters. VirtualBox itself won't start up because of my HDD being connected to the computer, so unless I can set a USB filter for the HDD without the HDD being connected, there is no way for me to set a filter anyway.

Although I'm fairly sure I tried removing or making sure that no USB devices were enabled in VBox and then tried it only to get the same thing.

[Andrei Tulai]

This is not an XP only issue, nor is it a 32bit only issue. It's happening on my Vista Business 64 installation also. The error was a little different though. I will post it as soon as I get the chance.

[Andrei Tulai]

In Vista Business 64 I get:

Failed to create the VirtualBox COM object.

The application will now terminate.

Callee RC: CO_E_SERVER_EXEC_FAILURE 0x80080005

[Lawrence Esker]

XML file of active process detected by dwwin.

[Lawrence Esker]

Dwwin dump file in binary. I couldn't capture equivalent on-screen text.

[Lawrence Esker]

COM related file created at same time as dump.

[Lawrence Esker]

I have nearly the same problem described (the callee code is different), with the same conflict with the USB subsystem appended by "andrei.tulai". I am not sure if this should be a different ticket since the error code differs from the originator "cubsftw", but since he has not replied if his problem matches, I am assuming the ticket has evolved. This bug is still not fixed as of v2.0.0. My problem history is in forum topic:

​VirtualBox fails to start, assertion failure

A fresh install of VirtualBox (with no machines and empty .VirtualBox directory) crashes on start with:

Assertion failed at 'C:\vbox\32\w32-rel\src\VBox\Main\VirtualBoxImpl.cpp' (301)
 in VirtualBox::init.

I get more detail on the error using VBoxManage:

C:\Program Files\Sun Microsystems\xVM VirtualBox>vboxmanage createvdi
 -filename xxx -size 64
VirtualBox Command Line Management Interface Version 2.0.0
(C) 2005-2008 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
All rights reserved.

[!] Failed to create the VirtualBox object!
[!] Primary RC  = E_FAIL (0x80004005) - Unspecified error
[!] Full error info present: true , basic error info present: true
[!] Result Code = E_FAIL (0x80004005) - Unspecified error
[!] Text        = Assertion failed at 'C:\vbox\32\w32-rel\src\VBox\Main\
VirtualBoxImpl.cpp' (301) in VirtualBox::init.
Unknown exception
.
Please contact the product vendor!
[!] Component   = VirtualBox, Interface: IVirtualBox, {557a07bc-e6ae-4520-
a361-4a8493199137}
[!] Callee      = <NULL>, {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}

C:\Program Files\Sun Microsystems\xVM VirtualBox>

As indicated by "andrei.tulai", the conflict is with having an attached USB hard drive. With the drive attached, VirtualBox fails to start. With the drive removed, all runs OK. If the USB hard drive is attached while VirtualBox is running, it immediately crashes with the Microsoft error window:

Error signature
    AppName: vboxsvc.exe    AppVer: 1.0.0.1    ModName: vboxrt.dll
    ModVer: 0.0.0.0    Offset: 00027676

I have also attached the debug and trace files that XP would phone home to report the crash to Microsoft.

Interesting, the problem does not occur on other computers with similar attached USB hard drives. So there must still be some third party catalyst that is triggering the conflict on select systems and preventing Sun from duplicating the problem. Hopefully, I have attached enough information to finally trace the bug through a debugger and source code.

Also interesting is the problem is not all USB drives. With a 16 GB flash, the program runs, but with a 300 GB hard disk, the program fails.

[Stephen]

I'm also having the exact same problem as lwesker above.

VirtualBox just dies when my Seagate 120gb usb drive is plugged in.

[Lawrence Esker]

I found the problem follows the drive. I moved it to four other VirtualBox installations. In all cases, the program fails to start when the drive is attached. In my case it is a Seagate 300 GB. Maybe its a Seagate conspiracy ;-)

[Andrei Tulai]

Hmmm that's kinda funny mine is also a Seagate HDD, except it's inside a Western Digital MyBook Case.

[LNRDGHN]

I got this exact problem (Assertion Failed) too when trying to open VirtualBox 2.0.2. In my case it was due to my USB modem.

I reinstalled with the USB support option disabled and it starts up fine for me now.

[Yunus KALDIRIM]

Also I got this problem. I have closed USB support and reinstalled. But nothing changed. It is again crashing.

[Frank Mehnert]

So most people except colderthanice agree that this has something to do with USB support, right? Please could you test this with VBox 2.0.2 and attach a minidump in case VBoxSVC crashes again?