VirtualBox COM server is not running

[rgarrigue]

Hi guys

I'm doing a destroy; up, and there's an issue with VirtualBox, I feel he's unable to follow the pace. I can't be very accurate about when I started having the issue, not so long ago. I just updated both VB and Vagrant to latest (4.3, 1.3.5 over windows 7 + cygwin), it didn't fixed it.

Here is an example:

[garriguer@PCCLT1009 /cygdrive/d/ansible] vagrant destroy -f; vagrant up
[lyr] Forcing shutdown of VM...
[lyr] Destroying VM and associated drives...
[lyr] Running cleanup tasks for 'shell' provisioner...
Bringing machine 'lyr' up with 'virtualbox' provider...
There was an error while executing `VBoxManage`, a CLI used by Vagrant
for controlling VirtualBox. The command and stderr is shown below.

Command: ["list", "hostonlyifs"]

Stderr: VBoxManage.exe: error: Failed to create the VirtualBox object!
VBoxManage.exe: error: Code CO_E_SERVER_EXEC_FAILURE (0x80080005) - Server execution failed (extended info not available)
VBoxManage.exe: error: Most likely, the VirtualBox COM server is not running or failed to start.

After this one I just tried destroy (wait a sec then separate command) up, it worked.

[mitchellh]

This is almost certainly a bug with VirtualBox, rather with Vagrant. But Vagrant 1.4 includes some new code that will retry commands a few more times to work around VirtualBox's shit. So hopefully that helps. Otherwise, raise this with VirtualBox.

[jrowny]

still getting this on 1.5.1 and vb 4.3.8

[hickeroar]

I started getting this issue once I upgraded to vagrant 1.5.1. It happens randomly and from then on out I can't use that VM anymore. I have to destroy it and make a new one. 1.3.5 didn't have the same issue, though it had its own annoying quirks.

[dgrant]

I'm getting this with latest VirtualBox (4.3.10) as well and the latest Packer (0.5.2). Sounds like a VirtualBox problem.

[hickeroar]

I downgraded to vagrant 1.3.5 and the problems ceased. Same version of vbox. I don't believe this is a vbox issue.

[mitchellh]

It is most definitely a VirtualBox issue: http://docs.vagrantup.com/v2/virtualbox/common-issues.html

The downgrade for you @hickeroar probably worked just due to timing and the COM server going away.

[hickeroar]

FYI, that workaround seems to be hit or miss. Usually miss. In trying about 15 times with it over the course of two days, it worked 4-5 times and failed the rest. I just ended up downgrading to 1.3.5 so I could reliably get some work done. Wherever the fault lies, it's bloody annoying. :)

[itgou]

It is the virtual Box compatibility problem.
I found the solution finally.

find the file VBoxManage.exe in virtualBox installation menu, right click it and select property, change to maybe compatibility label, and select Windows Server 2008, save, reuse vagrant up, no wrong anymore.

notice: my windows is chinese version, I google translate to get compatibility name , maybe not accurate.
my system is widows 7 x64, use virtual 5.0.24, and not sure the vagrant version