VM crashes host system

[ThaGrInkat]

So as some of you may know, I have a virtual machine with Kali Linux installed, I also have a external HDD and I plug it in with Kali running, my virtualbox’s USB config makes any new USB device go directly to Kali, I sometimes want to read it from the host system (it’s a Windows 11 Pro 22H2 updated from windows 10 with the same edition)

The problem is that I tell VirtualBox to free that HDD and return it to the host, and in half a second, I find myself staring at my screen and wanting to throw my laptop out of the window because it has the death screen everyone fears

I don’t have the death code or any information, but just ask for it and maybe later or even tomorrow, I would respond with it

I can answer any question to get this thing fixed, I just hate staring at a blue screen because a HDD and Kali have managed to crash my pc

 

[Brickwizard]

If you are using Windows 8/10/11 then you could try WSL [Windows subsystem for Linux] instead of a VM

 

[ThaGrInkat]

If you are using Windows 8/10/11 then you could try WSL [Windows subsystem for Linux] instead of a VM

Ok, I’ll try

 

[f33dm3bits]

If you are using Windows 8/10/11 then you could try WSL [Windows subsystem for Linux] instead of a VM

Just be aware that almost no one here as experience with WSL.

I don't know if it will make a difference for this problem but did you remember to enable virtualization in the bios/uefi? Have you install Virtualbox Guest additions as well?
I found a post on the Virtualbox forums where someone has the opposite problem of what you describe, someone there has a few suggestions to try but it was never solved.

virtualbox.org • View topic - Windows 10 host crashes when running Ubuntu VM when USB device is connected.

And it might be worth trying to change try different version of usb controllers on the vm to see if that changes anything, ie: USB controller to USB 3.0 vs. 2.0.

 

[Brickwizard]

Just be aware that almost no one here as experience with WSL

Agreed, but whatever any of us think about Windows, or how up to date our practical knowledge of it is, we must still mention the option,

 

[sphen]

Alternatives for VirtualBox on Windows:

If VirtualBox keeps crashing, you may want to try VMware Workstation Player, which is a commercial product. I use VMware on Mac and have used VMware on Windows and Linux in the past. It is free for non-commercial use.

If you are running Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education versions, then Microsoft's Hyper-V is included. Hyper-V is not included in the "Home" edition.

(If you feel very energetic, you could debug the crash in VirtualBox and submit a fix for it. VirtualBox is open source. Okay, just kidding, but it is possible.)

 

[ThaGrInkat]

If you feel very energetic, you could debug the crash in VirtualBox and submit a fix for it. VirtualBox is open source. Okay, just kidding, but it is possible.

Yeah, but the thing that crashes is Windows, not the VM

 

[sphen]

Yeah, but the thing that crashes is Windows, not the VM

Well, no application running entirely in user space should ever crash Windows. It can happen.

I do not know anything about virtual machine software architecture and design. My feeling is that VirtualBox and similar virtual machine applications may need special kernel level drivers to do their magic. If true, those drivers may be good first targets for finding the bug.
-> Does anyone know whether VirtualBox installs kernel level components (drivers)?

-> I still say that trying VMware Workstation Player could be an easy fix.