I had VirtualBox 3.2.8 installed on my system (Windows XP, i686). When I tried to install latest version 4.1.8, the installation sequence asked to uninstall version 3.2.8 and that required executable file of VirtualBox3.2.8.
Which I had deleted! 😦
Now, what to do?
- I deleted VirtualBox folder from my program files directory.
- Then, my friend Chetan suggested me to remove registry entries. Run “regedit” in ‘Start->Run’.
- Now search(ctrl+F) for “virtualbox”; you would get many keys. The registry editor has two panes. Right side shows the key value and left side shows the containing location.
- On the left pane, look out for folder that is in “open” icon (there would be only one folder looking different from others). Delete this folder.
- Keep searching for the string by “F3” and keep deleting these folders.
- You should get a message from Windows that registry scan finds no such word now.
- Now, try installing VirtualBox. It worked for me 🙂
Simplify Complexities 
Hello:
I followed your steps. For Windows7. They didn’t rork for me. Only broke my Local Area Network driver. No more internet, that meant. And me frustrated. Maybe I deleted container folder of some registry keys that should have other, very important ones I should not have messed with ¿?.
Fortunately there’s System Restore, gave me an additional life to try again.
I tried a direct method (at least while it holds):
1- Download the installer executable (.exe) of the required version to uninstall, from http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Download_Old_Builds.
2- cmd (run as Administrator), then cd to location of executable just downloaded.
3- Type ‘.exe -extract’ (without quotes), where is the name (full) of that executable.
4- A messagebox confirms that installer files (.msi) where extracted on %temp%\VirtualBox folder. (You may confirm it by yourself, going to that location by winkey+r (run command), %temp%, enter (explorer opens), VirtualBox)
5- Run again the installer of the version you want to update to. This time it wont complain, as the *.msi files it needs to uninstall previous version are there on default location.
(Sorry for english).
A shame that Oracle does not make easy (clean, I must say) to update their software.
Cheers.
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Thank you so much!
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