When creating a virtual machine, we are sometimes unable to go beyond the insertion of the operating system’s ISO file as the machine folder already exists and can not be overwritten. In this post, we will see what you can do if VirtualBox can’t overwrite the machine folder.
Fix VirtualBox can’t overwrite the machine folder
If you can’t create a VM because VirtualBox can’t overwrite the machine folder, follow the solutions mentioned below.
- Change the folder
- Navigate to the existing path and delete the existing folder
- Avoid creating the Virtual Machine folder in the Download location
- Reinstall VirtualBox
Let us talk about them in detail.
1] Change the folder
Since we are unable to overwrite the machine folder, there must be an existing directory with the same name. If you are not sure who that directory belongs to or are having a dilemma about what to do with it, just change the folder location when creating a VM. In the Create Virtual Machine wizard, click on the drop-down menu next to Folder, click on Browse, navigate to a different folder, and select it. Finally, try adding the ISO file and creating the virtual machine; hopefully, it will work this time.
2] Navigate to the existing path and delete the existing folder
If you don’t have permission to create a virtual machine elsewhere or you just don’t want to do that, we have the option to delete the folder that already exists and which our VirtualBox is trying to overwrite. To do the same, you need to navigate to the path given in the Folder option. Now, delete the existing folder and create your VM. Hopefully, it will create the folder and install the operating system in it without any errors.
3] Avoid creating the Virtual Machine folder in the Download location
If you are attempting to create a folder for a virtual machine in the same location where the ISO file is located, an error will occur. This is because the ISO file and the virtual machine folder cannot have the same name. So, avoid creating the Virtual Machine folder in the Download location, switch to a different path, and check if the issue is resolved.
4] Reinstall VirtualBox
If all else fails, your last resort is to uninstall VirtualBox from your computer and then install a fresh copy of the same. So, first of all, uninstall VirtualBox from your computer, now go to C:\Users\<YOUR_USER>\VirtualBox VMs in the File Explorer and then delete it. If there is an important VM there, make sure to take its backup. Finally, install a fresh copy of VirtualBox and check if the issue is resolved.
Hopefully, you will be able to resolve the issue using the solutions mentioned in this post.
Read: Fix VirtualBox Installer Installation failed error
Why can’t I create a machine folder in VirtualBox?
You might be unable to create a machine folder at the particular location if the folder with the same name already exists. You can either change the folder’s name or delete it if it’s redundant. Then, check if the issue is resolved.
Read: How to install VirtualBox Guest Additions on Windows?
How do I change the VM folder in VirtualBox?
When you create a Virtual Machine using Oracle VirtualBox, you will be prompted to select a location to save the machine. This option is called “Folder.” You can change the default folder by selecting “Preferences” from the “File” menu in the main VirtualBox window. This way, you can ensure that your Virtual Machines are saved in the desired location.
Also Read: VirtualBox Aborted: The VM session was aborted on Windows PC.
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