Upgrade from 3.1.2 to 3.1.4 breakes network connectivity permanently - even after a subsequent downgrade

[pvoigt]

I have just been asked by Perryg in the forum to open a ticket as my issue is reproducable.

After an upgrade from 3.1.2 to 3.1.4 on a Windows XP SP3 32bit host, network connectivity is completely broken. In particular the host-only network interface has not been installed properly. In Windows device manager it appears as unknown device and under the VirtualBox GUI there is no host-only device at all. Without host-only interface I cannot start any of my VirtualBox guests anymore.

So I try to dowgrade to 3.1.2 performing the following steps:

• Uninstall 3.1.4 and reboot
• Re-install 3.1.2 and reboot
• Windows device manager shows deactivated host-only network device.

Activation of host-only interface in Windows device manager turns host-only interface into an unknown device

I repeat this upgrade and downgrade procedure for several times with allways the same result.

Finally I end up in a situation where I cannot start any of my VirtualBox guests anymore, regardless of the installed VirtualBox version (3.1.2 or 3.1.4).

It's worth to be mentioned that I have tried to manually create the host-only interface using the VirtualBox GUI for serveral times. Every time I get the "Failed to create host-only interface" message and in Windows device manager an additional unknown host-only device appears.

Currently I do not know what logfiles or whatever information could be helpful. So please give me feedback how I can give you further information to solve this issue.

[misha]

Replying to pvoigt: Please attach ​msi & setupapi logs for VBox installation and setupapi log for subsequent host-only creation you do via VBox GUI.

[Erwin Van Onderbergen]

to pvoigt from erwinvo1964 it seems you have almost the same problem as me, can you do something ? if you install VBox again and you see the first unknown device in network area from device manager , try to install driver manually and tell what error you got ...if its the same ( system resources ) it will help the author if he knows that it is on different systems the same fault message. thanks Erwin

ps the first adapter created is the bridge adapter , the driver is already in the list.

[pvoigt]

Replying to erwinvo1964:

to pvoigt from erwinvo1964 it seems you have almost the same problem as me, can you do something ? if you install VBox again and you see the first unknown device in network area from device manager , try to install driver manually and tell what error you got ...if its the same ( system resources ) it will help the author if he knows that it is on different systems the same fault message. thanks Erwin

ps the first adapter created is the bridge adapter , the driver is already in the list.

I have tried this for several times but forgot to mention it in my posting and my bug ticket. When I try to manually install the driver the installation procedure terminated smoothly - without any error. But as soon as I check the device, it turns out to be unknown again in the device manager.

I am not aware of your posting or ticket allthough I have done a search. I have only seen posting ​http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=27881#p124703 which is similar regarding the host-only interface problems. Could you please post a link or an ticket number, so I will study, how similar our problems are or to what amount they may be even identical.

Could you please explain your last sentence - is it a statement or a question or a polite correction of my remarks? In my German Windows XP device manager the first device shows up as "VirtualBox Host-Only Ethernet Adapter".

I am going now to perform a clean installation with the logging as desired by misha.

[pvoigt]

I have just cleanly installed VirtualBox-3.1.2-56127-Win.exe under a German Windows XP SP3 32bit. Please find attached the installer log "MSI4bcc9.LOG" and the driver installation log "setupapi.log".

A quick scan of the interesting logs reveals some "file not found" errors in German ("Das System kann die angegebene Datei nicht finden") when installing the host-only device using the GUI.

Hope it helps to find the error as I need my VirtualBox machines again.

[pvoigt]

Inspired by the above comment of erwinvo1964 I have searched the bug tickets again and found his Ticket #6230 (​http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/6230). I am almost sure, that his bug under Linux is identical with mine under Windows XP. As I am using VirtualBox 3.1.2 under openSUSE 11.0 64bit besides Windows XP SP3 32bit, I am sure now, that I have to delay any upgrade of VirtualBox until this issue is fixed. Otherwise I would lose my virtual machines under Linux as well.

[pvoigt]

Oops - just see that host OS of #6230 is Windows as well. Sorry for that. Nevertheless bug seems to be the same. Need some sleep to avoid further errors...

[misha]

Replying to pvoigt: Thanks for the logs. Unfortunately it's hard to tell what exactly causes that "file not found" error since the log does not contain any detail on that, while device files installation seems to succeed.

One thing that might cause such problem is corrupted inf cache. Uninstall VirtualBox, reboot (just for sanity), remove the C:\Windows\inf\INFCACHE.1 file (for XP), reboot and try to install again.

If the problem remains please check the logs if the error reported there is still the same, or attach the logs here.

[pvoigt]

Replying to misha: Thanks for this hint. I have just done as suggested: Uninstall VirtualBox 3.1.2 - reboot - clear C:\Windows\inf\INFCACHE.1 - reboot - clear log - fresh install of VirtualBox 3.1.2. However, I have the same result: No host-only network device in VirtualBox GUI and initially deactivated "VirtualBox Host-Only Ethernet Adapter" in device manager of Windows. An attempt to activate this device results in an unknown device in device manager of Windows.

A quick log scan shows to my opionion no additional valuable information. Nevertheless, the logs will be attached as "vbox_logs_2010_02_19.zip". Hope you find it more usefull than me and find the source of errors.

[Erwin Van Onderbergen]

Could you please explain your last sentence - is it a statement or a question or a polite correction of my remarks? In my German Windows XP device manager the first device shows up as "VirtualBox Host-Only Ethernet Adapter".

hmm...sorry for the delay ( cause of my illness (bone marrow and doublelung transplant, 2*coma ) I'm not always on the net, it is possible that i express myself wrong , therefor sorry. what i meant was if you open device manager and you let the install run you see on a certain moment a new unknown device in the network adapters area ( at my system mostly i end up with only one unknown device the first one disapears after the install ended ) i think it comes up after the 3th driver install window. if you wait now before giving permission at the 4th driver install you see that unknown device . well if you try to install the driver in the device manager by searching manually for the driver and choosing for the driver network bridge ( i think that the first network adapter created is the bridged adapter after this you got the host-only , correct me if i'm wrong ( i try'd both drivers ) ) and install it , at mysystem i got error ' not enough system resources to proceed ' ( something like that translated from dutch. The question was if you could try this also and if you got the same error. i also try'd to remove the cache but i didn't help ( after this he always asked where the .sys file was but after 2 reboots that was oke )also cleaning out the reg didn't help. what i also saw was this in the windows/drverstore/filerep..... this dir /vboxnetadp.inf_x86_neutral_4003d032ed2b643f was empty and there where two more map beginning with vboxnetadp.inf_x86_neutral_ with the old drivers and the new drivers. this is also for the other vboxnet drivers 3 maps one empty and two with different drivers and for vboxusb drivers hope this help you out

again sorry if i express myself wrong.... Greeting Erwin

[pvoigt]

Replying to erwinvo1964: OK, thinks are getting more clear now. I aggree with you: The first adapter created during VirtualBox installation is the "VirtualBox Host-Only Ethernet Adapter". Its driver is offered by Windows in its drivers list, if you try to install the driver, after you have seen the created adapter to be unknown in device manager.

Currently I am left with no running VirtualBox installation under Windows XP. I cannot use my urgently needed mail server in openSUSE 11.0 64bit when working under Windows XP 32bit host.

The really annoying circumstance is that I had a perfectly running VirtualBox 3.1.2 installation before my upgrade attempt. I have several years of computer experience but have never before been left in a situation where a downgrade is no option anymore due to a previous upgrade attempt.

Unfortunately, the logs only reveal my experience, that at least one driver installation error occurs, but they do not show the details. I am unsure, what to conclude from the situation. A quick and dirty analysis might be, that the 3.1.4 installation process has deleted something that is needed by the 3.1.2 installation process. But what the hell could this be? I hope the developers have further ideas on this.

When scanning the bug tickets and the forum you can see that the host-only interface has had numerous similar problems in the past. These problems seem to re-appear with the 3.1.4 release. Our problems and the above referenced forum post seem to confirm this. As my Windows XP installation is in a well cared state I expect similar problems with other users.

[pvoigt]

Replying to misha: Just to make live easer for you and your developer colleagues I summarize all found references to the host-only interface refering to at least 3.1.2/3.1.4:

• Ticket #6200
• Ticket #6230
• ​http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=27881#p124703
• ​http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=27923#p124415
• ​http://www.vmlite.com/index.php/forums/9-vmlite-xp-mode/774-installation-issue?limit=6&start=72

I hope it helps.

[Erwin Van Onderbergen]

Replying to pvoigt:

Currently I am left with no running VirtualBox installation under Windows XP. I cannot use my urgently needed mail server in openSUSE 11.0 64bit when working under Windows XP 32bit host.

sorry to ask ....do you have a firewall that is based on network adapter filters ( if you have f.e. intel adapter you have a second intel adapter but this is the adapter layer between the network adapter and your system. i have such a system ( ESET smart security 4.x ) it came in my mind that maybe this was one of the reasons that VB not worked ( if you install smart sec then he makes those layers , so if you put a networkcard later in the system you have normally reinstall smart sec ), so i thought if i uninstall it and try to install VB again it must be working , nothing such vb not working unknown devices ect..... as on top i couldn't reinstall smar sec again ...he refuses to make the layers again , it seems that VB change something on the system that is killing it ..... i had to revert to a early'r point with system restore .....the problem is that w7 doesn't have a lot of restore points he overwrite always the 10th point. so i couldn't go back to the moment of before i upgrade the system ....i know that xp pro keeps its restore point until he does not have any place anymore ( do you have the point where you upgraded the system ? ).

so if you have a program installed what created a network or other adapter it is possible that you have problems , anyone here with good backups and smart sec who want to try it ?.

greetings Erwin

ps ; this is only for information , it is possible i only suffer from this phenomena.

[Erwin Van Onderbergen]

try' to install vmlite (uses the same driver from virualbox) not working installed vmware workstation ....works well it installed all drivers and filters reintalled virtualbox ...filter install success , host-only unsuccesfull (not enough system resources.

installed virtualbox 3.1.2.x in vmware ...works oke simulated what i did before such as remove hostonly adapter create two more deleteed again reboot ect, after this upgraded with version 3.1.4.x successfull, but i'm thinking it is networkadapter dependable , in vmware i have intel pro adapter. in my system i have intel wifi linl 5100 agn and marvel yukon 88E8040T PCI-E intel wifi resources : irq = 0xFFFFFFFD (-3) memory range = FEBFE000-FEBFFFFF marvel yukon resources : irq = 0x00000011 (17) memory range = FE7FC000-FE7FFFFF i/o Range = EC00-ECFF.

maybe start a sticky on the forum where whe can ask who has troubles and i let them give adapternames with irq/mem range/and is there is i/o range from the adapter ....maybe this shines a light on the problem.

greetings Erwin

[pvoigt]

After many attempts I successfully downgraded to 3.1.2!

After the unsuccessfull upgrade attempt from 3.1.2 to 3.1.4 the installation procedure of 3.1.2 is unable to install the host-only device. Moreover, any attempt to install that device from the VirtualBox GUI fails.

Therefore I wanted to try a more clean install of version 3.1.2. I deceided to simulate a virgin installation. B e f o r e the installation I renamed the directory where the machines and harddisks are stored - and suddenly the installation process flawlessly installed the host-only network device. None of the previously described problems occured. Right b e f o r e the first start of VirtualBox I renamed the directory back and all my guests are usable again. Never before this was neccessary with any VirtualBox version. I am using it from version 2.1.

So we have a solution for all those who could not downgrade anymore.

To give you a chance to find the correlated error I have to give you some more details about my current setup:

I have four virtual machines defined running all kinds of operating systems: Windows XP 32bit, Windows 7 64bit, openSUSE 64bit and Generic Linux 64bit. All of them use a bridged network adapter with virtual network card beeing Intel PRO/1000MT Desktop or Intel PRO/1000T Server.

My VirtualBox harddisks and machines are stored under %HOME%\.VirtualBox. Yes, I use a custom HOME environment variable under Windows, because I am working very often under Linux besides Windows. It is a nice feature that VirtualBox evaluates HOME before USERPROFILE. I do not use the variable VBOX_USER_HOME.

However, the problem itself is not yet solved. The main question is:

Why did every upgrade process with versions <= 3.1.2 succeed, without previously renaming the directory with the machines and harddisks? Here must be the source of the problem.

[misha]

Replying to pvoigt: Glad you have a problem solved.. However the workarund you describe does not make any sense to me at all, since neither Host-Only nor Bridged drivers know nothing about VMs and their settings, they even can be successfully installed without installing any other VirtualBox components. Although this seems related with your custom %HOME% dir. Are there any other changes that you've made to it before the installation?

[pvoigt]

Replying to misha: Well, I aggree with you: The installation s h o u l d not care about the existing machines, no matter where they are located on the harddisk. On the other hand, all other versions since 2.1 definitely behaved like this - only version 3.1.4 is the first one which cares. More over, from now on subsequent downgrades to either. I have tested subsequent downgrades to 3.0.12 without success.

Do you recommend to use VBOX_USER_HOME besides HOME? HOME is needed by many other applications and I therefore cannot unset it. Currently HOME is set to "d:\home\pvoigt". Or do you suspect the drive letter beeing a possible source of errors as it differs from the drive where VirtualBox is installed (drive c:)? Or do you suposse VirtualBox 3.1.4 should not have evaluated HOME at all under Windows? Under Linux it is standard. I suppose at least that with 3.1.4 the order of evaluation of these variables has changed.

To get more information, it would be nice to hear, if my workaround helps [erwinvo1964] as well. Maybe my workaround is even worth to be checked out by some of the users of the above referenced tickets and posts - it takes little time and they can only win.

To answer you last question: No, I did no make any other changes (no new programs, no uninstalled programs, no driver updates/upgrades, no Windows patches).

Finally, I suppose that I could even install version 3.1.4 flawlessly with respect to the host-only device, if I apply the same workaround. If I have some time left, I will give it a try. But I am going to wait for your response and advice before doing so.

[Erwin Van Onderbergen]

Replying to misha:

Replying to pvoigt: Glad you have a problem solved.. However the workarund you describe does not make any sense to me at all, since neither Host-Only nor Bridged drivers know nothing about VMs and their settings, they even can be successfully installed without installing any other VirtualBox components. Although this seems related with your custom %HOME% dir. Are there any other changes that you've made to it before the installation?

well try"d also. did the same as you .....renamed the map where the machines resides in; downgraded from 3.1.4 to 3.1.2 got fault message "msi error 1603" reinstalled 3.1.4. and try'd to rename the folder back ( in seven this is an almost impossible task because seven protest if there is no string before the point of virtualbox ....but i managed it ) after this i rebooted en restarted vb , not any luck no host-only adapter and impossible to create one via gui. it was the try word but i didn't believe in it . i stay with the explanation that there is something wrong with leftover drivers . is it possible that on install the new filter is installed and when he try to make the hostonly he try to use the old drivers .. as i told you before that both drivers exist in the driverstore/filerep....... just a thought.or some fault or leftover in the registry ..is it possible to write a install that only remove all the stuff from vb and hunt also to old and new drivers and remove them .....

gonna sleep its 3.30 in the morning ..... doctor is not happy with what i'm doing now... due all the test and try's i don't sleep that much anymore what reflect in blood values..... had last week chance that i got permission to go home after prof visit.:-( just want to find it without a reformat off my machine

sleep well Erwin

[Erwin Van Onderbergen]

Replying to erwinvo1964:

Replying to misha:

Replying to pvoigt: Glad you have a problem solved.. However the workarund you describe does not make any sense to me at all, since neither Host-Only nor Bridged drivers know nothing about VMs and their settings, they even can be successfully installed without installing any other VirtualBox components. Although this seems related with your custom %HOME% dir. Are there any other changes that you've made to it before the installation?

well try"d also. did the same as you .....renamed the map where the machines resides in; downgraded from 3.1.4 to 3.1.2 got fault message "msi error 1603" reinstalled 3.1.4. and try'd to rename the folder back ( in seven this is an almost impossible task because seven protest if there is no string before the point of virtualbox ....but i managed it ) after this i rebooted en restarted vb , not any luck no host-only adapter and impossible to create one via gui. it was the try word but i didn't believe in it . i stay with the explanation that there is something wrong with leftover drivers . is it possible that on install the new filter is installed and when he try to make the hostonly he try to use the old drivers .. as i told you before that both drivers exist in the driverstore/filerep....... just a thought.or some fault or leftover in the registry ..is it possible to write a install that only remove all the stuff from vb and hunt also to old and new drivers and remove them .....

gonna sleep its 3.30 in the morning ..... doctor is not happy with what i'm doing now... due all the test and try's i don't sleep that much anymore what reflect in blood values..... had last week chance that i got permission to go home after prof visit.:-( just want to find it without a reformat off my machine

sleep well Erwin

small typo downgrade to 3.1.2 got msi error and reinstall 3.1.2 not 3.1.4

[STR1KER]

Hey Peter (pvoigt) I am having the same problem can anybody explain me how to fix it !

[pvoigt]

Replying to STR1KER:

Hey Peter (pvoigt) I am having the same problem can anybody explain me how to fix it !

Well, my workaround is described above (comment:14 pvoigt) in this ticket. It worked for me, allthough it seems to be not logical. Just try and see, if it works for you as well.

I have asked misha to give some more advise on testing it, but have got no response. Without any new ideas I do not continue testing. I am going to wait for the next post 3.1.4 release.

[pvoigt]

Yesterday I successfully upgraded from version 3.1.2 to 3.1.6 under Windows XP SP3 x86_32. I even did the same under openSUSE 11.0 x86_64.

The installation procedure finished flawlessly. The above described problems when upgrading from 3.1.2 to 3.1.4 with the "VirtualBox Host-Only Network Adapter" did not arise anymore.

I do not know, if the installation procedure of the 3.1.6 version has changed. However, I am glad to perform upgrades again without problems. Now, when it is documented that the current issue is gone with the 3.1.6 version, I suggest to close this ticket.