MacOS – virtualbox installation failed on macOS Catalina

catalinamacosvirtualbox

I am unable to install virtualbox on macOS Catalina. Tried both the GUI installer and Homebrew.

Here is the installation error:

installer: The upgrade failed. (The Installer encountered an error that caused the installation to fail. Contact the software manufacturer for assistance. An error occurred while running scripts from the package “VirtualBox.pkg”.)

Is anyone else facing this issue? Any way to get around this?

Here's the output from install.log:

2019-10-14 21:35:29+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: ----- Begin install -----
2019-10-14 21:35:29+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: request=PKInstallRequest <4 packages, destination=/>
2019-10-14 21:35:29+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: packages=(
        "PKLeopardPackage <id=org.virtualbox.pkg.vboxkexts, version=6.0.12, url=file:///Volumes/VirtualBox/VirtualBox.pkg#VBoxKEXTs.pkg>",
        "PKLeopardPackage <id=org.virtualbox.pkg.virtualbox, version=6.0.12, url=file:///Volumes/VirtualBox/VirtualBox.pkg#VirtualBox.pkg>",
        "PKLeopardPackage <id=org.virtualbox.pkg.virtualboxcli, version=6.0.12, url=file:///Volumes/VirtualBox/VirtualBox.pkg#VirtualBoxCLI.pkg>",
        "PKLeopardPackage <id=com.github.osxfuse.pkg.Core, version=3.9.0, url=file:///Volumes/VirtualBox/VirtualBox.pkg#OSXFuseCore.pkg>"
    )
2019-10-14 21:35:29+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: Set reponsibility for install to 59047
2019-10-14 21:35:29+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: Extracting file:///Volumes/VirtualBox/VirtualBox.pkg#VBoxKEXTs.pkg (destination=/Library/InstallerSandboxes/.PKInstallSandboxManager/FA51811A-A5EE-438F-AB97-30B707A37E84.activeSandbox/Root/Library/Application Support/VirtualBox, uid=0)
2019-10-14 21:35:35+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: Extracting file:///Volumes/VirtualBox/VirtualBox.pkg#VirtualBox.pkg (destination=/Library/InstallerSandboxes/.PKInstallSandboxManager/FA51811A-A5EE-438F-AB97-30B707A37E84.activeSandbox/Root/Applications, uid=0)
2019-10-14 21:35:36+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: Extracting file:///Volumes/VirtualBox/VirtualBox.pkg#VirtualBoxCLI.pkg (destination=/Library/InstallerSandboxes/.PKInstallSandboxManager/FA51811A-A5EE-438F-AB97-30B707A37E84.activeSandbox/Root/usr/local/bin, uid=0)
2019-10-14 21:35:36+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: Extracting file:///Volumes/VirtualBox/VirtualBox.pkg#OSXFuseCore.pkg (destination=/Library/InstallerSandboxes/.PKInstallSandboxManager/FA51811A-A5EE-438F-AB97-30B707A37E84.activeSandbox/Root, uid=0)
2019-10-14 21:35:36+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: prevent user idle system sleep
2019-10-14 21:35:36+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: suspending backupd
2019-10-14 21:35:36+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: Executing script "./preflight" in /private/tmp/PKInstallSandbox.gnJCJ0/Scripts/org.virtualbox.pkg.virtualbox.rti5CB
2019-10-14 21:35:36+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro install_monitor[59061]: Temporarily excluding: /Applications, /Library, /System, /bin, /private, /sbin, /usr
2019-10-14 21:35:36+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: Executing script "./preinstall" in /private/tmp/PKInstallSandbox.gnJCJ0/Scripts/com.github.osxfuse.pkg.Core.9YnwPG
2019-10-14 21:35:37+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: Using trashcan path /var/folders/zz/zyxvpxvq6csfxvn_n0000000000000/T/PKInstallSandboxTrash/FA51811A-A5EE-438F-AB97-30B707A37E84.sandboxTrash for sandbox /Library/InstallerSandboxes/.PKInstallSandboxManager/FA51811A-A5EE-438F-AB97-30B707A37E84.activeSandbox
2019-10-14 21:35:37+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: Shoving /Library/InstallerSandboxes/.PKInstallSandboxManager/FA51811A-A5EE-438F-AB97-30B707A37E84.activeSandbox/Root (3 items) to /
2019-10-14 21:35:37+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: Executing script "./postflight" in /private/tmp/PKInstallSandbox.gnJCJ0/Scripts/org.virtualbox.pkg.vboxkexts.y8lJQi
2019-10-14 21:35:37+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: ./postflight: /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.virtualbox.startup.plist
2019-10-14 21:35:38+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: ./postflight: /Library/Application Support/VirtualBox/VBoxDrv.kext failed to load - (libkern/kext) system policy prevents loading; check the system/kernel logs for errors or try kextutil(8).
2019-10-14 21:35:38+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro install_monitor[59061]: Re-included: /Applications, /Library, /System, /bin, /private, /sbin, /usr
2019-10-14 21:35:38+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: releasing backupd
2019-10-14 21:35:38+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: allow user idle system sleep
2019-10-14 21:35:38+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: Cleared responsibility for install from 59047.
2019-10-14 21:35:38+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: Cleared permissions on Installer.app
2019-10-14 21:35:38+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: Install Failed: Error Domain=PKInstallErrorDomain Code=112 "An error occurred while running scripts from the package “VirtualBox.pkg”." UserInfo={NSFilePath=./postflight, NSURL=file:///Volumes/VirtualBox/VirtualBox.pkg#VBoxKEXTs.pkg, PKInstallPackageIdentifier=org.virtualbox.pkg.vboxkexts, NSLocalizedDescription=An error occurred while running scripts from the package “VirtualBox.pkg”.} {
        NSFilePath = "./postflight";
        NSLocalizedDescription = "An error occurred while running scripts from the package \U201cVirtualBox.pkg\U201d.";
        NSURL = "file:///Volumes/VirtualBox/VirtualBox.pkg#VBoxKEXTs.pkg";
        PKInstallPackageIdentifier = "org.virtualbox.pkg.vboxkexts";
    }
2019-10-14 21:35:38+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: Running idle tasks
2019-10-14 21:35:38+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro Installer[59047]: install:didFailWithError:Error Domain=PKInstallErrorDomain Code=112 "An error occurred while running scripts from the package “VirtualBox.pkg”." UserInfo={NSFilePath=./postflight, NSURL=file:///Volumes/VirtualBox/VirtualBox.pkg#VBoxKEXTs.pkg, PKInstallPackageIdentifier=org.virtualbox.pkg.vboxkexts, NSLocalizedDescription=An error occurred while running scripts from the package “VirtualBox.pkg”.}
2019-10-14 21:35:38+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: Removing client PKInstallDaemonClient pid=59047, uid=501 (/System/Library/CoreServices/Installer.app/Contents/MacOS/Installer)
2019-10-14 21:35:38+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro installd[554]: PackageKit: Done with sandbox removals
2019-10-14 21:35:39+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro Installer[59047]: Install failed: The Installer encountered an error that caused the installation to fail. Contact the software manufacturer for assistance.
2019-10-14 21:35:39+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro Installer[59047]: IFDInstallController 29385C0 state = 8
2019-10-14 21:35:39+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro Installer[59047]: Displaying 'Install Failed' UI.
2019-10-14 21:35:39+05:30 Anshs-MacBook-Pro Installer[59047]: 'Install Failed' UI displayed message:'The Installer encountered an error that caused the installation to fail. Contact the software manufacturer for assistance.'.

Here's what happens if I try to create a VM even after the failed installation:

Best Answer

To install and/or use virtualbox you may need to enable its kernel extension in: System Preferences → Security & Privacy → General

For more information please refer the documentation or this Apple Technical Note: https://developer.apple.com/library/content/technotes/tn2459/_index.html

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MacOS – Unexpected error when installing OS update in OS X

The Console.app found in the Application -> Utilities folder (or Other folder in Launchpad) gives you access to the logs for the machine.

Under /var/log, the file named install.log (and any variants named install.log.x.bz2) will give you the information about the last install.

Note the files named install.log.x.bz2 are older versions of the same file created duting a process called rolled over when the file size of the current install.log file reaches 1000K

You need to search your install.log for the string "OSXUpd10.8.2Supp.pkg" which will give you an idea of what happened during your install.

Update: From your log file, it would appear that your have a Kernel Extension that is causing this issue. Either it has a permissions problem, or is somehow causing this annoying issue.

can you paste this line into Terminal, and post the results?

kextstat -kl | awk ' !/apple/ { print $6 $7 } '

Update 2: This would appear to be at least a trial and error solution. There are multiple threads on the Apple Support forums, from installing 10.8.2 to installing Xcode. Each one has different people each having issues with different kernel extensions that when removed resolved their issues.

I'm afraid I don't have any way to determine which of your kernel extensions is the cause; someone else may be able to shed more light. I would however expect the Virtual Box and Parallels extensions to be fine, not the least since I have them both also, but that this issue would be more widespread if they were the issue.

Finally: the manual for kextcache advises that using the touch command on /System/Library/Extensions/ forces the kext cache to be rebuilt. You could use this as a method to determine which kext is causing the issue by uninstaling each in turn, performing the cache update and checking the logs to see if the cache was updated successfully.

MacOS – MacBook updated to OS X Yosemite version 10.10 and experiencing problems with hard drive & iPhoto

Unsigned kexts are no longer allowed to run by default in Yosemite.

Solutions include...

upgrade to one of the [paid] NTFS apps that still work - Tuxera or Paragon
Requires you to fully uninstall NTFS-3G first
disable the Mac's kext policy - easiest way might be to install TRIM Enabler, which will do it for you [though I don't know if it would install with no SSD present, never tested]
or the long way - [this is untested, method from cindori, the makers of TRIM Enabler - it might only be for that app]
Boot your Mac in Recovery Mode by holding ⌘ Cmd R during boot
Open the Terminal from the menu bar
Run these commands, replacing YourDisk with the name of your Mac disk
- rm -rf /Volumes/YourDisk/System/Library/Extensions/IOAHCIFamily.kext
- cp -r /System/Library/Extensions/IOAHCIFamily.kext /Volumes/YourDisk/System/Library/Extensions/IOAHCIFamily.kext
- touch /Volumes/YourDisk/System/Library/Extensions
- kextcache -u /Volumes/YourDisk
Wait until it finishes (can take up to 1 min)

Best Answer

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