VirtualBox Critical Error "Failed to create Virtualbox COM Object

How did you install virtualbox?
Can you give the output of:
dpkg -l | grep -i virtu

Thanks

i just download it of the net and install it it has been working for couple of years i wonder what went wrong

this is the output

:~$ dpkg -l | grep -i virtu
ii erlang-base 1:13.b.3-dfsg-2ubuntu2.1 Erlang/OTP virtual machine and base applications
ii gvfs 1.6.1-0ubuntu1build1 userspace virtual filesystem - server
ii gvfs-backends 1.6.1-0ubuntu1build1 userspace virtual filesystem - backends
ii gvfs-bin 1.6.1-0ubuntu1build1 userspace virtual filesystem - binaries
ii gvfs-fuse 1.6.1-0ubuntu1build1 userspace virtual filesystem - fuse server
rc kvm 1:84+dfsg-0ubuntu12.4 Full virtualization on i386 and amd64 hardware
ii libgnomevfs2-0 1:2.24.2-1ubuntu2 GNOME Virtual File System (runtime libraries)
ii libgnomevfs2-bin 1:2.24.2-1ubuntu2 GNOME Virtual File System (support binaries)
ii libgnomevfs2-common 1:2.24.2-1ubuntu2 GNOME Virtual File System (common files)
ii libgnomevfs2-extra 1:2.24.2-1ubuntu2 GNOME Virtual File System (extra modules)
ii libgvfscommon0 1.6.1-0ubuntu1build1 userspace virtual filesystem - library
ii libvirt0 0.7.5-5ubuntu27.8 library for interfacing with different virtualizat
ii libxen3 3.3.0-1ubuntu11 library interface for Xen, a Virtual Machine Monit
ii virt-viewer 0.0.3-6ubuntu7.xul191.1 Displaying the graphical console of a virtual mach
rc virtualbox-3.1 3.1.4-57640_Ubuntu_karmic Sun VirtualBox
ii virtualbox-4.0 4.0.0-69151~Ubuntu~lucid Oracle VM VirtualBox
ii virtuoso-nepomuk 6.1.0-0ubuntu3.1 OpenLink Virtuoso Open-Source Edition (OSE)
ii vnc4server 4.1.1+xorg4.3.0-37ubuntu2 Virtual network computing server software

sudo dpkg -P virtualbox-3.1

May help

You have residual configs for the old version

after doing the above command it didnt help i still have the problem and i got the following output if may help

amadeus@Amadeus-desktop:~$ sudo dpkg -p virtualbox-3.1
Package: virtualbox-3.1
Priority: optional
Section: non-free/misc
Installed-Size: 86276
Maintainer: Sun Microsystems, Inc. <email address hidden>
Architecture: i386
Version: 3.1.4-57640_Ubuntu_karmic
Replaces: virtualbox
Provides: virtualbox
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.7), libcurl3 (>= 7.16.2-1), libgcc1 (>= 1:4.1.1), libgl1-mesa-glx | libgl1, libpng12-0 (>= 1.2.13-4), libpython2.6 (>= 2.6), libqt4-network (>= 4.5.1), libqt4-opengl (>= 4.5.1), libqtcore4 (>= 4.5.1), libqtgui4 (>= 4.5.1), libsdl1.2debian (>= 1.2.10-1), libssl0.9.8 (>= 0.9.8f-5), libstdc++6 (>= 4.4.0), libx11-6, libxcursor1 (>> 1.1.2), libxext6, libxml2 (>= 2.7.4), libxmu6, libxt6, zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4), psmisc, adduser
Pre-Depends: debconf (>= 1.1) | debconf-2.0
Recommends: libasound2, libpulse0, libsdl-ttf2.0-0, dkms, linux-headers, gcc, make, binutils, libhal1 (>= 0.5), pdf-viewer, libgl1, python-central
Conflicts: virtualbox, virtualbox-ose
Size: 44737874
Description: Sun VirtualBox
 VirtualBox is a powerful PC virtualization solution allowing you to run a
 wide range of PC operating systems on your Linux system. This includes
 Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, DOS, OpenBSD and others. VirtualBox comes with a broad
 feature set and excellent performance, making it the premier virtualization
 software solution on the market.
Python-Version: >= 2.4
amadeus@Amadeus-desktop:~$ sudo dpkg -p virtualbox-3.1
Package: virtualbox-3.1
Priority: optional
Section: non-free/misc
Installed-Size: 86276
Maintainer: Sun Microsystems, Inc. <email address hidden>
Architecture: i386
Version: 3.1.4-57640_Ubuntu_karmic
Replaces: virtualbox
Provides: virtualbox
Depends: libc6 (>= 2.7), libcurl3 (>= 7.16.2-1), libgcc1 (>= 1:4.1.1), libgl1-mesa-glx | libgl1, libpng12-0 (>= 1.2.13-4), libpython2.6 (>= 2.6), libqt4-network (>= 4.5.1), libqt4-opengl (>= 4.5.1), libqtcore4 (>= 4.5.1), libqtgui4 (>= 4.5.1), libsdl1.2debian (>= 1.2.10-1), libssl0.9.8 (>= 0.9.8f-5), libstdc++6 (>= 4.4.0), libx11-6, libxcursor1 (>> 1.1.2), libxext6, libxml2 (>= 2.7.4), libxmu6, libxt6, zlib1g (>= 1:1.1.4), psmisc, adduser
Pre-Depends: debconf (>= 1.1) | debconf-2.0
Recommends: libasound2, libpulse0, libsdl-ttf2.0-0, dkms, linux-headers, gcc, make, binutils, libhal1 (>= 0.5), pdf-viewer, libgl1, python-central
Conflicts: virtualbox, virtualbox-ose
Size: 44737874
Description: Sun VirtualBox
 VirtualBox is a powerful PC virtualization solution allowing you to run a
 wide range of PC operating systems on your Linux system. This includes
 Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, DOS, OpenBSD and others. VirtualBox comes with a broad
 feature set and excellent performance, making it the premier virtualization
 software solution on the market.
Python-Version: >= 2.4

You ran:
sudo dpkg -p virtualbox-3.1
I advised:
sudo dpkg -P virtualbox-3.1

Do NOT change commands or you may break your OS. Linux is HUGELY case sensitive

Stay accurate

that did not help i did run the command as u requested with all cases as required but no joy
what can be done? pls help

You can also ask help at http://forums.virtualbox.org/
For command please use copy/paste from forum instead of retyping.

You can go on System->Administration->Synaptic (Packet Management), select package virtualbox (not virtualbox-ose as it seems you use version from VirtualBox), and then uninstall.
After you have the choice between:
   reinstalling VirtualBox 3.1 (should be in apt cache)
   installing VirtualBox 4

Thanks all i have tried all these methods and never joy on my side...

Could you check in System->Administration->Synaptic (packet management) which version of virtual box you have (name and version).
Do you have some virtual machine to recover ?
Please, paste content of file /home/amadeus/.VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml in http://paste.ubuntu.com/

i have version 4.0.0-69151 which is said to be the latest version

The other command /home/amadeus/.VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml return PERMISSION DENIED not sure how to go about this m still newbie

this should do it:

cd /home; sudo chown -R amadeus:amadeus ./amadeus

You will see one or 2 errors but this is fine.

The command makes sure that YOUR data belongs to YOU. If you incorrectly use sudo for a GUI app or mess with permissions incorrectly, it can cause all sorts of annoyances like this.

/home/amadeus/.VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml is not a command but a file.
Type command
   cat /home/amadeus/.VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml
to see content

Thanks it returns NO SUCH FILE or DIRECTORY i believe this is not good news at all

Could you post result of:
  ls -a /home/amadeus/.VirtualBox

Seems to be a genuinely required file, rather than just some log file:
http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-669973.html

Seems to be a genuinely required file, rather than just some log file:
http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-669973.html

@ Delance this is the returned result for your requested line ":~$ ls -a /home/amadeus/.VirtualBox
. compreg.dat VDI VirtualBox.xml
.. Machines VirtualBox-1.3-linux.xml xpti.dat"

So you have file /home/amadeus/.VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml
Could you run command:
  cd
  cd .VirtualBox
  cat .VirtualBox
and paste result in http://paste.ubuntu.com/

I did and paste it into the link http://paste.ubuntu.com/557729/ seems some directory is missing

sorry, the command was:
   cat VirtualBox.xml

Ok that last command didn't return anything heres the link http://paste.ubuntu.com/557742/

You have lost your configuration file. I see no solution except reinstalling VirtualBox.
After I could try help you to recover previous virtual machine.
If virtual machine was made under a 3.x version, it should be better to install a version 3.x of VirtualBox to recover old VMs.
Else go directly to version 4.

You can also get help on VirtualBox forum.

Ok thanks.
how do i go about re installing it then?
thanks for your help in advance

I'm used to installed version from virtualbox site.
If you installed from Synaptic, uninstall also from Synaptic.
After you can:
  go to System->Administration->Synaptic (packet management) and install 3.2.8
or
  go to virtualbox site, download version ".deb" 4.0 (which was not approved yet by Ubuntu) and double-click icon file

when i try to download and install i get this error

Error: Dependency is not satisfiable: python2.4 (>= 2.3.90)

OMG it looks like i got problems more than anybody here

I manage to remove old VirtualBox through Synaptic and download version 3.1 try to install i did install correctly but guess what...when turn it on i get the original error

"Failed to create the VirtualBox COM object.
The application will now terminate.
Start tag expected, '<' not found.
Location: '/home/amadeus/.VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml', line 1 (0), column 1.
/home/vbox/vbox-3.1.8/src/VBox/Main/VirtualBoxImpl.cpp[420] (nsresult VirtualBox::init())"

On my computer, I get:

delance@delance-desktop:~$ python --version
Python 2.6.6

What version of Ubuntu do you use? 8.04.1, 10.04.1, 10.10 ?
Do you update periodically your system ?

i use

Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 10.04.2 LTS
Release: 10.04
Codename: lucid

and also
amadeus@Amadeus-desktop:~$ python --version
Python 2.6.5

and also
amadeus@Amadeus-desktop:~$ python --version
Python 2.6.5

may be this line will make sense why it says EMPTY

amadeus@Amadeus-desktop:~$ file /home/amadeus/.VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml/home/amadeus/.VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml: empty

"when i try to download and install i get this error
Error: Dependency is not satisfiable: python2.4 (>= 2.3.90)"
As now you have 2.6.5, could you try again ?

I have tried and did not receive the above error but i receive the original error any other way please

Failed to create the VirtualBox COM object.
The application will now terminate.
Start tag expected, '<' not found.
Location: '/home/amadeus/.VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml', line 1 (0), column 1.
/home/vbox/vbox-3.2.12/src/VBox/Main/VirtualBoxImpl.cpp[535] (nsresult VirtualBox::init()).

I have tried and did not receive the above error but i receive the original error any other way please

Failed to create the VirtualBox COM object.
The application will now terminate.
Start tag expected, '<' not found.
Location: '/home/amadeus/.VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml', line 1 (0), column 1.
/home/vbox/vbox-3.2.12/src/VBox/Main/VirtualBoxImpl.cpp[535] (nsresult VirtualBox::init()).

I have tried and did not receive the above error but i receive the original error any other way please

Failed to create the VirtualBox COM object.
The application will now terminate.
Start tag expected, '<' not found.
Location: '/home/amadeus/.VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml', line 1 (0), column 1.
/home/vbox/vbox-3.2.12/src/VBox/Main/VirtualBoxImpl.cpp[535] (nsresult VirtualBox::init()).

I have tried and did not receive the above error but i receive the original error any other way please

Failed to create the VirtualBox COM object.
The application will now terminate.
Start tag expected, '<' not found.
Location: '/home/amadeus/.VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml', line 1 (0), column 1.
/home/vbox/vbox-3.2.12/src/VBox/Main/VirtualBoxImpl.cpp[535] (nsresult VirtualBox::init()).

Could you post result of:
   ls $HOME/.VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml
   ls $HOME/.VirtualBox
Don't forget the dot before VirtualBox.
Why do you have a so old version of VirtualBox: vbox-3.2.12 ?
And could you close and reopen question with a summary of this thread. It is becoming too hard to read (and please avoid posting three times same message, remember that each time I read the whole thread).

Could you post result of:
   ls $HOME/.VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml
   ls $HOME/.VirtualBox
Don't forget the dot before VirtualBox.
Why do you have a so old version of VirtualBox: vbox-3.2.12 ?
And could you close and reopen question with a summary of this thread. It is becoming too hard to read (and please avoid posting three times same message, remember that each time I read the whole thread).

this thread will be reopen as helper requested

Thanks delance, that solved my question.

i was wondering hot to reopen this issues as i still need an answer....***Sorry has not been resolved***

This question was expired because it remained in the 'Open' state without activity for the last 15 days.