Resolved: VirtualBox Cannot register the DVD image

I recently upgraded our virtual Windows 10 machine to Windows 11 and then moved them to another drive due to the storage issue. Now, when I try to run Windows 11 on a virtual machine, it refuses to launch. You can read the complete error in the below image, “Cannot register the DVD imageVBoxGuestAdditions.iso.'”

Why this error comes in Oracle VirtualBox? You may see this error when you transfer virtual machine files from one drive to another or from one PC to another. You will be unable to open your previously installed Windows, and you will see an error message, “Failed to open virtual machine.” You will see more error details, “Cannot register the DVD Image ‘VBoxGuestAdditions.iso’ because a CD/DVD image ‘VBoxGuestAdditions.iso’ with UUID ….. already exists.”

It’s a very frustrating moment if you have stored some critical data on a virtual machine. By just transferring your files from Windows virtual machine to a new drive, you lost all data? No, it’s not true. Your data, as well as virtual Windows, is still safe, and you can use it. There is no need to install your Windows again on a virtual machine.

If you also have a similar issue on your PC, you can resolve them by referring to this post.

“Cannot register the ‘VBoxGuestAdditions.iso’ DVD image in VirtualBox,” How do I fix it?

Here are the steps to fix “Cannot register the ‘VBoxGuestAdditions.iso’ DVD image in VirtualBox”:-

Step 1. Open Windows Explorer by pressing Windows + E and navigate to the location where the VirtualBox machine’s .vbox file is stored.

Note: You can find the location of the .vbox file by seeing the error message on the top. For my example, it is “F:\VirtualBox VMs\Windows 10\Windows 10.vbox.”

Step 2. Right-click on the .vbox file and select Notepad from the context menu.

Step 3. Select and delete the lines starting from <DVDImages> to </DVDImages> (Please refer to the below image).

Step 4. When done, save the Notepad file and close it.

Step 5. Now, start the Virtual Machine.

The error “Cannot register the DVD image ‘VBoxGuestAdditions.iso‘” is fixed now.

Good luck.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the error message “Cannot register the DVD image ‘VBoxGuestAdditions.iso'” can be frustrating for users trying to launch Windows 11 on a virtual machine, especially after transferring virtual machine files from one drive to another or from one PC to another. However, there is no need to worry as the data and virtual machine are still safe, and the issue can be resolved by deleting certain lines in the .vbox file using Notepad. By following the simple steps outlined in this post, users can fix the error and successfully start their virtual machine without losing any data.

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