HOW TO RESOLVE VIRTUAL MACHINE INACCESSIBLE ON VIRTUALBOX.

I recently encountered a problem with the virtualbox software on my PC. At first it will like start-up and after sometime it brings a message "virtual machine inaccessible". Before I continue, for the benefit of readers of articles here who do not know what a virtual machine is all about, here is a rundown.

A virtual machine is a software based make believe computer. It accepts and executes operating systems programs like a real computer while also allowing the OP to accept and execute other programs. It provides a complete system platform that supports the execution of many OPs. It does everything which a real computer can do except that it has no hardware. This software helps you to run several OS on a computer. The need being that several fields of endeavour have softwares which are not adaptable  to some some particular OPs. Having a virtual machine installed on your computer with a different OP saves you the stress, time and money of getting another computer that is built for your desired OP. Some of this virtual machines can take-up to five OPs at once. 

This therefore means you can run a maximum of six OPs on that particular computer.

Having explained that, I will continue with the solution to the problem. Whenever this problem comes up, it appears in a form like the one below:

Runtime error opening 'C:\Users\joe\VirtualBox VMs\Linux Mint\Linux Mint.vbox' for reading: -102 (File not found.).

E:\tinderbox\win-rel\src\VBox\Main\src-server\MachineImpl.cpp[685] (Machine::registeredInit).
Result Code:
E_FAIL (0x80004005)
Component:
VirtualBox
Interface:
IVirtualBox {c28be65f-1a8f-43b4-81f1-eb60cb516e66}

To solve this problem follow the sequence outlined below:

1. Shutdown virtual box completely.
2. Check the virtual machine folder ( where the file is supposed to be). Computer >> user >> VirtualBox VMs >> OP
3. Observe the name extension of the file, you may see either .vbox-tmp or .vbox-new.
4. If either of these exists, rename the extension to .box.
5. If and only if neither of those files on (3) above exists, there should be a .vbox-prev file in the same folder. This you can again change to .box.
6. Restart virtual box, expectedly it should be able to run now.

The solution above should be able to resolve the problem as it helped solve mine. What really happened was that the extension of the file concerned was erroneously auto changed and the file can no longer be read. You can proceed with the 5th solution above only after trying the first four without getting the desired result.

Have you ever encountered a problem like this while working with virtualbox? Share your experience using the comment box below.

  

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