How to Fix NtCreateFile (\Device\VBoxDrvStub) failed: 0xc0000034 (VirtualBox Error)

Quick Answer: The VirtualBox error NtCreateFile(\Device\VBoxDrvStub) failed: 0xc0000034 STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_NOT_FOUND means VirtualBox’s kernel driver (VBoxDrv / VBoxDrvStub) failed to load. The fastest fixes are: run VirtualBox as Administrator, repair/reinstall VirtualBox, and disable Windows Hyper-V and Core Isolation (Memory Integrity), which commonly block the driver.

What Does This Error Mean?

You’ll see the full message when starting a VM or launching VirtualBox on Windows:

NtCreateFile(\Device\VBoxDrvStub) failed: 0xc0000034
STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_NOT_FOUND (0 retries) (rc=-101)

VBoxDrv and VBoxDrvStub are the Windows kernel-mode drivers VirtualBox needs to run virtual machines. The error STATUS_OBJECT_NAME_NOT_FOUND means Windows could not find or load that driver — so the device object \Device\VBoxDrvStub doesn’t exist. It’s almost always a driver/permissions/Hyper-V conflict, not a broken VM.

Common Causes

• A corrupted or incomplete VirtualBox installation (often after a Windows update).
• Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, WSL2, or Core Isolation (Memory Integrity) holding the hypervisor, blocking VirtualBox’s driver.
• The VirtualBox driver was not started or was blocked by antivirus.
• Running VirtualBox without administrator rights.
• Virtualization (VT-x/AMD-V) disabled in the BIOS/UEFI.

How to Fix It (Step by Step)

Fix 1: Run VirtualBox as Administrator

Right-click the VirtualBox shortcut → Run as administrator. To make it permanent: right-click → Properties → Compatibility → tick Run this program as an administrator. The driver often needs elevated rights to load.

Fix 2: Repair or Reinstall VirtualBox

This resolves the error most of the time, because it reinstalls the missing driver:

1. Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps, find Oracle VirtualBox, choose Modify → Repair.
2. If Repair doesn’t help, uninstall VirtualBox, reboot, then download the latest version from the official site and reinstall (run the installer as administrator).
3. Approve any “Would you like to install this device software?” driver prompt during setup.

Fix 3: Disable Hyper-V and Core Isolation

Windows features that use the hypervisor conflict with VirtualBox’s driver. Turn them off:

• Turn off Hyper-V: Control Panel → Programs → Turn Windows features on or off → untick Hyper-V, Windows Hypervisor Platform, Virtual Machine Platform, and Windows Sandbox → reboot.
• Turn off Core Isolation: Windows Security → Device Security → Core Isolation details → turn Memory Integrity Off → reboot.

You can also disable the hypervisor from an admin Command Prompt and reboot:

bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype off

(To re-enable later: bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype auto.)

Fix 4: Start the VirtualBox Driver Manually

In an administrator Command Prompt, check and start the driver:

sc query VBoxDrv
sc start VBoxDrv

If it reports the service doesn’t exist, the driver wasn’t installed — go back to Fix 2 and reinstall VirtualBox.

Fix 5: Check Your Antivirus

Some antivirus tools quarantine VBoxDrvStub.sys. Check your AV’s quarantine/blocked list, restore the file, and add VirtualBox’s install folder as an exception, then reinstall.

Fix 6: Enable Virtualization in BIOS/UEFI

Reboot into BIOS/UEFI and enable Intel VT-x (or AMD-V / SVM Mode). Without hardware virtualization, VirtualBox’s driver may fail to initialize.

Still Not Working? Repair Windows Files

Run these in an admin Command Prompt to repair corrupted system files, then reboot and reinstall VirtualBox:

sfc /scannow
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Prefer to avoid the Hyper-V conflict entirely? Many developers run Linux VMs in WSL2 or containers instead. See our Docker tutorial and how to install Minikube.

Frequently Asked Questions

What causes the NtCreateFile VBoxDrvStub failed error?

VirtualBox’s kernel driver (VBoxDrv/VBoxDrvStub) failed to load — usually due to a broken install, a Hyper-V/Core Isolation conflict, antivirus blocking the driver, or missing administrator rights.

How do I fix it quickly?

Run VirtualBox as administrator, then repair/reinstall VirtualBox. If it persists, disable Hyper-V and Core Isolation (Memory Integrity) and reboot.

Does disabling Hyper-V affect WSL2 or Docker Desktop?

Yes — WSL2 and Docker Desktop rely on the hypervisor, so disabling Hyper-V can stop them working. If you need both, consider running VirtualBox VMs on a machine without Hyper-V, or use WSL2/containers instead of VirtualBox.