How To Fix “Failed to Create Ubuntu Virtual Machine in Oracle Virtual Box on Windows 10” Error

In this article, we will delve into the issue of the “Failed to open a session for the virtual machine Ubuntu20” error that occurs when trying to create a virtual machine in Oracle VirtualBox on Windows 10. We’ll provide a step-by-step guide on how to fix this problem, ensuring you can successfully set up your Ubuntu Virtual Machine.

Understanding the Error

The error message you may encounter is as follows:

Failed to open a session for the virtual machine Ubuntu20. 
Failed to get device handle and/or partition ID for 00000000015f4340 (hPartitionDevice=0000000000000d00, Last=0xc0000002/1) (VERR_NEM_VM_CREATE_FAILED)

This error typically occurs when you have an AMD Ryzen 9 CPU, SVM (virtualization) enabled in BIOS, Hyper-V turned off, and are running Windows 10 version 2004 (build 20257.1).

Solution 1: Disabling Certain Windows Features

One of the potential solutions to this issue involves disabling certain Windows features. To do this, follow the steps below:

1. Open the “Turn Windows features on or off” settings. You can access this by typing “Turn Windows features on or off” into the search bar on your taskbar.
2. Once you have opened the settings, you will need to disable the following features:
   • Application Guard
   • Credential Guard
   • Device Guard
   • Any other Guard features
   • Containers
   • Hyper-V
   • Virtual Machine Platform
   • Windows Hypervisor Platform
   • Windows Sandbox
   • Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)
3. To disable these features, simply untick the boxes next to them.
4. Restart your system after making these changes.

Solution 2: Update VirtualBox

Another possible solution is to update your VirtualBox to the latest version, which at the time of writing is version 6.1.30. You can download and install the latest version from the official VirtualBox website.

Solution 3: Disable Windows Sandbox

In some cases, disabling the “Windows Sandbox” feature alone can resolve the issue. This can be done by following the steps in Solution 1, but only unticking the “Windows Sandbox” option. Remember to reboot your system after making this change.

Additional Notes

It’s worth noting that some users have reported that enabling Hyper-V for WSL 2 while using VirtualBox can also work. However, this solution may not work for everyone and could depend on your specific system configuration.

Conclusion

The “Failed to open a session for the virtual machine Ubuntu20” error can be a frustrating roadblock when trying to set up a virtual machine in Oracle VirtualBox on Windows 10. However, by following the solutions provided in this article, you should be able to resolve this issue and successfully create your Ubuntu Virtual Machine. Remember, always make sure your VirtualBox is up to date and that unnecessary Windows features are disabled. If you continue to experience issues, consider reaching out to the support communities for VirtualBox or Ubuntu.