MacOSX VirtualBox 1.4 upgrade error - Cannot handle settings version '1.2-macosx'

Came across this annoying bug when attempting to install VirtualBox so as to run Vagrant on my iMac. 

Not realising I had already installed VirtualBox a couple of years ago, I completed the new install (obviously more an upgrade) and had the following error when attempting to start the software:

Failed to create the VirtualBox COM object.

The application will now terminate.

 

Error in /Users/rjjm/Library/VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml (line 3) -- Cannot handle settings version '1.2-macosx'.

/Users/vbox/tinderbox/4.1-mac-rel/src/VBox/Main/src-server/VirtualBoxImpl.cpp[485] (nsresult VirtualBox::init()).

Result Code: NS_ERROR_FAILURE (0x80004005)
Component: VirtualBox
Interface: IVirtualBox {c28be65f-1a8f-43b4-81f1-eb60cb516e66}

To cut to the chase the resolution was to delete (or backup and delete, if you're paranoid like me) the file at  /Users/rjjm/Library/VirtualBox/VirtualBox.xml (replace 'rjjm' with your username). 

Then restarted the app - and ping! New config file created.

Robin Mayfield

Robin Mayfield

Screenwriting, geeky thought crunching, breadmaking, wife-and-kids loving dude.
Twitter: @rujmah
blogs at rjjm.net

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