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The Host-Only Adapter fails to install in Windows 8.1 x64 with VirtualBox-4.3.20-96997.

  1. When VirtualBox is installed, Host-Only appears in the Device Manager as a failed device.

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  1. Therefore Host-Only is not visible in the Network Connections window.

  2. Reinstalling the device through VirtualBox returns:

Failed to create the host network interface.

E_FAIL (0x80004005).

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  1. Reinstalling VirtualBox duplicates the device as failed in the device manager:

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  1. Deleting the driver or a clean installation won't change the mentioned results.
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  • Which version of VritualBox are you trying to install? Dec 23, 2014 at 18:42
  • Have you tried this way?. 1. Remove manually the Virtual Host-Only adapter, rebooted and installed it again? Sometimes, reboot will clear all cache files before you try re-installing it again.
    – BDRSuite
    Dec 23, 2014 at 19:02
  • Yes I have removed Virtualbox along with the adapter, including all traces in the registry, rebooted, reinstalled and the problem persists.
    – Gabriel
    Dec 23, 2014 at 19:07
  • Try installing an older version of VirtualBox. Such as 4.3.12 and see if you still have the problem.
    – imtheman
    Dec 23, 2014 at 19:35
  • The problem persists with 4.3.12.
    – Gabriel
    Dec 23, 2014 at 20:20

3 Answers 3

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+50

This seems like a known bug : Ticket #12182 : Failed to create the host network interface.

The only claimed workaround is given by David.Requena :

In fact going back to 4.2.24 and creating some h/o adapter allows its use after upgrading to any 4.3.x release. Said adapter can be removed in 4.3.x but not modified. Under no circumstance can it be re-created.

Try going back to version 4.2.24 to create the adapter, or wait for the bug to be fixed by the developers.

Be careful to fully uninstall the current VB version and ensure that all its devices are deleted before installing version 4.2.24.

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  • Unfortunately the issue persists with version 4.2.24. Either by installing from scratch or manually adding the network in VirtualBox settings: Failed to create the host-only network interface. And Device Manager shows the device as failed: This device is not working properly because Windows cannot load the drivers required for this device. (Code 31)
    – Gabriel
    Dec 28, 2014 at 17:56
  • If this is an inherent defect in all versions of VB on Windows 8.1, then you are obliged to wait for a VB version that works on Windows 8.1. Your options as I see them are: (1) Try to execute the VB setup in compatibility mode of Windows 7 or earlier, (2) Try an even earlier version of VB, (3) Raise the question in the VB forums and wait for a fix, (4) Use Hyper-V instead of VB until the bug is fixed then convert the VM to VB.
    – harrymc
    Dec 28, 2014 at 18:45
  • Thank you, I just tried with every existing 4.0 version with no avail, also 3.0 versions get interrupted and rollback during the installation wizard in 8.1.
    – Gabriel
    Dec 28, 2014 at 23:15
  • There is also (5) Use another adapter than Host-Only; and I think that this exhausts the list of all possible actions on your side.
    – harrymc
    Dec 29, 2014 at 8:43
  • Can you elaborate on that (5)?
    – Gabriel
    Dec 29, 2014 at 19:11
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The issue is known to persist no matter what. Make sure you perform the following steps: - uninstall VirtualBox; - remove Host-Only network interfaces from Device Manager in Control Panel;

After that, you will have to run regedit.exe, and search and remove all entries with keys containing VBox, VirtualBox and Oracle (excluding the ones related to Oracle DB). After doing that I was able to install VB with all default options.

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My solution was to download and install version 5.0.6 of VirtualBox and it's Extension Pack. Tried various versions and methods before that without any luck. Now I'm virtual again ;)

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