Installing Guest Additions on Windows does not check for admin rights

[GBartlettPrior]

Host is Windows 10, 64-bit, all latest updates. As good practise in our corporate environment, our accounts do not have admin rights. All PCs have the same admin account set up, to which we all know the password, so if we need to install something then we can - but it stops viruses (and incompetence!) from doing major damage.

I've just upgraded VirtualBox from 6.0.10 to 6.0.12. As expected, running the installer asked me for my admin password, which I entered, and 6.0.12 was installed correctly. At the time, it also asked me if I wanted to upgrade Guest Additions. I'd already downloaded the 6.0.12 "vbox-extpack" file, so I said no.

When VirtualBox started back up, I went to "Preferences" and tried adding the new 6.0.12 Guest Additions. It failed on installation with just the error message "E_FAILED". Upgrading via the "Check updates" option also failed the same way, and so did attempting to remove the 6.0.10 Guest Additions. Rebooting the PC didn't help.

Looking in the log file, I found the following line:

00:11:43.122154 ExtPackUninst ExtPack: enmReason=1 iStatus=1 stderr='VBoxExtPackHelperApp.exe: error: Membership in the Administrators group is required to perform this action

Then I realised. I ran VirtualBox using "Run as administrator", and this time installing the 6.0.12 Guest Additions worked perfectly.

So VirtualBox internally *IS* aware why installation failed - but the UI is not reporting this to the user. Even if it just passed through that text unchanged, it would still be more meaningful than "E_FAILED"!

I'm listing this as a defect, because the program is not working to reasonable user expectations for a reasonable user action. I'm savvy enough to try to interpret a log file, and I know where to find the log file, but most users don't.

[Socratis]

Replying to GBartlettPrior:

At the time, it also asked me if I wanted to upgrade Guest Additions. I'd already downloaded the 6.0.12 "vbox-extpack" file, so I said no.

You've got to be careful with the terminology:

• The Extension Pack (ExtPack) get installed on the host and it has to match the VirtualBox version. It provides functionality such as USB2-3, Webcam, VRDP, PXE, PCI passthrough on Linux hosts, VDI Encryption. You have to download it and install it separately from the main VirtualBox program, due to its license.

• The Guest Additions (GAs) get installed on the guest and it would be good to match the VirtualBox version, for anything other than enhanced graphics support. It provides functionality such as shared folders, shared clipboard, drag and drop, pointer sharing, enhanced graphics support. You do not have to download it separately from the main VirtualBox program, since it comes bundled with it.

When VirtualBox started back up, I went to "Preferences" and tried adding the new 6.0.12 Guest Additions.

When VirtualBox started back up, I went to "Preferences" and tried adding the new 6.0.12 Extension Pack.

There, I fixed it for you... ;)

So VirtualBox internally *IS* aware why installation failed - but the UI is not reporting this to the user. Even if it just passed through that text unchanged, it would still be more meaningful than "E_FAILED"''

+1 from me... FYI, if you try to install the ExtPack in version 5.2.x and earlier, you don't get the same message, but you get:

Failed to install the Extension Pack U:/VirtualBox/_Downloads/5.2.x/Oracle_VM_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack-5.2.32-132073.vbox-extpack.

The installer failed with exit code 1: VBoxExtPackHelperApp.exe: error:
Membership in the Administrators group is required to perform this action.

Result Code: E_FAIL (0x80004005)
Component: ExtPackManagerWrap
Interface: IExtPackManager {edba9d10-45d8-b440-1712-46ac0c9bc4c5}

So I'd say this is a 6.0.x regression.

I'm listing this as a defect, because the program is not working to reasonable user expectations for a reasonable user action. I'm savvy enough to try to interpret a log file, and I know where to find the log file, but most users don't.

I would take it one step further. On OSX and Linux hosts, the "VirtualBoxHelper" application is actually prompting the user for an Admin Username/Password.

BTW, you're getting the exact same error if you go to "Preferences" » "Extensions" and you try to remove the ExtensionPack, same fundamental problem.