Oracle VirtualBox users will finally be able to use Windows 11

Windows 11
(Image credit: Microsoft)

Oracle VirtualBox users can now finally use Windows 11 after the company addressed a known issue that caused virtual machine failures whenever Hyper-V or the Windows Hypervisor were installed.

The failures were the reason Microsoft set up safeguards for Windows 11, essentially preventing the users from upgrading. Since Oracle fixed these issues, Microsoft announced it has now removed the safeguards. 

"Oracle has resolved this issue in VirtualBox 6.1.28 and later,” Microsoft said. “To remove the safeguard hold on your device, you will need to update to VirtualBox 6.1.28 or later."

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However, virtual desktop users will still need to exercise a little patience, to get their hands on the latest iteration of Microsoft’s operating system

"Please note, if there are no other safeguards that affect your device, it can take up to 48 hours before the update to Windows 11, version 21H2 is offered," the announcement reads.

It was also said that some remote desktop users could still have been prevented from upgrading to Windows 11, even if they didn’t have VirtualBox installed. Those users, it was said, most likely had an application based on VirtualBox, or bundled with VirtualBox within their installation.

"If you have any applications that use or create VMs or system images, you might need to update or uninstall them to remove this safeguard hold,” the company explained.

While Oracle was working on a patch, there was also a workaround that allowed VirtualBox users to run Windows 11 anyway. By passing through the TPM on a host machine, VirtualBox could remain in line with Windows 11 requirements without providing a fully-fledged virtual TPM.

Prior to removing the safeguards for VirtualBox users, Microsoft also removed some for Intel Smart Sound Technology drivers users, as well as users of apps that were using non-ASCII characters in their registry keys. 

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Via: BleepingComputer

Sead Fadilpašić

Sead is a seasoned freelance journalist based in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He writes about IT (cloud, IoT, 5G, VPN) and cybersecurity (ransomware, data breaches, laws and regulations). In his career, spanning more than a decade, he’s written for numerous media outlets, including Al Jazeera Balkans. He’s also held several modules on content writing for Represent Communications.