Solved Yet another Sandbox failure

Jabiru · Jan 15, 2024

Hello,

I have just cloned my C: drive (Win 11 23H2/22631.3007) using Acronis for WD and now on the cloned drive I can't get Windows Sandbox to initialize. At first it gave me a wierd error and research indicated if I deleted the VHDX files in the container folder the system would recreate the virtual drive. I did that but now it refuses to initialize. I have tried everything I can find to fix this including unchecking/restarting, and checking/restarting anything virtual in the programs & features. I've compared the files structure on the old drive and the new drive and they are identical.

Anyone have a fix I haven't already tried for this?

Jabiru

OAT · Jan 15, 2024

Jabiru said:
Hello,

I have just cloned my C: drive (Win 11 23H2/22631.3007) using Acronis for WD and now on the cloned drive I can't get Windows Sandbox to initialize. At first it gave me a wierd error and research indicated if I deleted the VHDX files in the container folder the system would recreate the virtual drive. I did that but now it refuses to initialize. I have tried everything I can find to fix this including unchecking/restarting, and checking/restarting anything virtual in the programs & features. I've compared the files structure on the old drive and the new drive and they are identical.

Anyone have a fix I haven't already tried for this?

View attachment 84120

Jabiru

Hi,
Let's start with the basics:
Have you tried uninstalling and re-installing Sandbox rather than just deleting the VHDX file?
If not, do so and reboot after each step.

cereberus · Jan 15, 2024

How much spare space do you have on cloned drive?

Jabiru · Jan 16, 2024

Yes, I have uninstalled and reinstalled Sandbox rebooting after the uninstall. and again after the reinstall.

C: drive is a WD Black 1TB with 529GB available.

Research indicates the .vhdx (virtual HD) files associated with Sandbox are stored in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Containers, but I don't see any vhdx files there. I'm assuming that's because the initialization process creates them and that's failing for some reason.

OAT · Jan 16, 2024

Jabiru said:
Yes, I have uninstalled and reinstalled Sandbox rebooting after the uninstall. and again after the reinstall.

C: drive is a WD Black 1TB with 529GB available.

I'm assuming that's because the initialization process creates them and that's failing for some reason.

No, the .vhdx is not created on the fly and should be present whether Sandbox is in use or not.
Please run the following script, it is much more involved than a mere install/uninstall and therefore will take a little while to run.
Please select the uninstall option the first time around.
from Windows 11 und 10 Home Windows Sandbox installieren und nutzen - Deskmodder.de
Script has been modified by me from the original. It has been tested as well.

Code:

@echo off

echo Checking for permissions
>nul 2>&1 "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\cacls.exe" "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\config\system"

echo Permission check result: %errorlevel%

REM --> If error flag set, we do not have admin.
if '%errorlevel%' NEQ '0' (
echo Requesting administrative privileges...
goto UACPrompt
) else ( goto gotAdmin )

:UACPrompt
echo Set UAC = CreateObject^("Shell.Application"^) > "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
echo UAC.ShellExecute "%~s0", "", "", "runas", 1 >> "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"

echo Running created temporary "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
timeout /T 2
"%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
exit /B

:gotAdmin
if exist "%temp%\getadmin.vbs" ( del "%temp%\getadmin.vbs" )
pushd "%CD%"
CD /D "%~dp0"

echo Batch was successfully started with admin privileges
echo .
cls
GOTO:menu
:menu
Title Sandbox Installer

echo --------------------------------------------------
echo What do you want to do?
echo 1 Install
echo 2 Uninstall
echo 3 Exit
set /p uni= Select 1/2/3 :
if %uni% ==1 goto :in
if %uni% ==2 goto :un
if %uni% ==3 goto :ex

:in
cls
Title Install Sandbox

pushd "%~dp0"

dir /b %SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages\*Containers*.mum >sandbox.txt

for /f %%i in ('findstr /i . sandbox.txt 2^>nul') do dism /online /norestart /add-package:"%SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages\%%i"

del sandbox.txt

Dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:Containers-DisposableClientVM /LimitAccess /ALL /NoRestart

goto :remenu

:un
cls
Title Uninstall Sandbox

pushd "%~dp0"

Dism /online /disable-feature /featurename:Containers-DisposableClientVM /NoRestart

dir /b %SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages\*Containers*.mum >sandbox.txt

for /f %%i in ('findstr /i . sandbox.txt 2^>nul') do dism /online /norestart /remove-package:"%SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages\%%i"

del sandbox.txt

goto :remenu

:remenu
cls
echo Do you want to restart now?
echo 1 Yes
echo 2 No
set /p uni= Type in Option :
if %uni% ==1 goto :re
if %uni% ==2 goto :ex

:re
shutdown /r /t 0 /f
goto :ex

:ex
exit

Jabiru · Jan 17, 2024

Thanks for the script. My experience in running scripts is almost non-existant, so I tried it first in PowerShell where I got all kinds of errors. (I assumed I just copy it and paste it). Then I tried it as an admin in a command prompt and got the following: ( I pressed a key and nothing happened....). I'm assuming user error at this point

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22631.3007]
(c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\System32>@echo off

echo Checking for permissions
Checking for permissions
>nul 2>&1 "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\cacls.exe" "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\config\system"

echo Permission check result: %errorlevel%
Permission check result: 0

REM --> If error flag set, we do not have admin.
if '%errorlevel%' NEQ '0' (
More? echo Requesting administrative privileges...
More? goto UACPrompt
More? ) else ( goto gotAdmin )

:UACPrompt
echo Set UAC = CreateObject^("Shell.Application"^) > "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
echo UAC.ShellExecute "%~s0", "", "", "runas", 1 >> "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"

echo Running created temporary "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"
Running created temporary "C:\Users\Toby\AppData\Local\Temp\getadmin.vbs"
timeout /T 2

Waiting for 1 seconds, press a key to continue ...

Jabiru · Jan 17, 2024

I managed to find another sandbox installer script and ran it. The uninstaller seemed to work fine, but the installer had all kinds of errors when I ran it. The errors seemed to center around not being able to open certain packages. Needless to say sandbox still won't work. Now I get the following error:
I've attached the script. Is there an install log for this? Maybe the errors could shed some light on what went wrong.

OAT · Jan 17, 2024

Jabiru said:
I managed to find another sandbox installer script and ran it. The uninstaller seemed to work fine, but the installer had all kinds of errors when I ran it. The errors seemed to center around not being able to open certain packages. Needless to say sandbox still won't work. Now I get the following error:
I've attached the script. Is there an install log for this? Maybe the errors could shed some light on what went wrong.
View attachment 84317

That is the same script I gave you.- translated along with its linked source .

Sorry, I should have said paste the content above using notepad and save as a .cmd or a .bat file and run as admin by right clicking on the file.
If you have errors pertaining to packages, it means you have a source problem.
Have you used the DISM command at all to see that your image is not corrupted?
Command line:

Code:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

Jabiru · Jan 18, 2024

Still getting "Couldn't load Message String" error when starting Sanbox after following the below procedure.

1. Ran SFC /Scannow (CBS log is too big to attach) There is lots of verbage regarding what appears to be a language pack (31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.22621.1). Lots of errors associated with this, but unsure itf it's related to Sandbox. SFC said there were no integrity violations.

2. Ran DISM/Restore Health (DISM log too big to attach) Cursory scan of the log doesn't show anything noteworthy.

3. Ran your "uninstall" script. Looked ok, didn't see any errors. Verified Sandbox "box" unchecked in Programs & Features.

4. Rebooted.

5. Ran the "Install" script. (took awhile) Everything scrolled by quickly, but did not notice any errors. (Would liked to have a log available to check for sure).

6. Verified Sandbox "box" checked in Programs & Features.

7. Rebooted.

8. Tried to start Sandbox.... Failed with the above error.

I am at a loss to undertsnd how "cloning" a C: drive could cause this problem.

Jabiru

OAT · Jan 18, 2024

(Would liked to have a log available to check for sure).

It is a script, not an executable with built-in logging capabilities.

If you want a log, all you would have to do is to get the screen output redirected to a text file
command line, replacing the name between { }

Code:

c:
cd\
cd c:\{mydirwhenthescriptresides}
sandbox.bat >output.txt

The problem then would be no screen feedback at all, which is a problem when prompted for a choice.
I do not believe it would tell you anything anyway.
Just run a repair-installation.

Jabiru · Jan 19, 2024

Ok, here's a little more background. After extensively researching this online. I tried several other potential solutions, none of which worked. So, I re-installed the old C: drive and tested SandBox, and it worked fine. On the (non-working) clone, I also verified several things associated with the services required to run SanBox. I found entries in the services menu that had failures for the services descriptions (Failed to read description ERROR 15100) . These were "Network Virturalization Service", "NPSMSVC_ff53f, CEXECSVC, Container Manager Service, Host Network Service, Hyper V Guest Compute Service, MCP Management Service, and WAASMEDIC Service". Although all but one of these were already running a restart didn't fix anything. Attempting to start the Hyper V Guest Compute Service brought forth a BSOD!. First one I've seen in years. A check of the original C: Drive services menus showed no error 15100 in the description boxes.

Based on the above behavior, I surmise that the WD Acronis Clone applet is either not copying certain files necessary to run Sandbox, or they are being corrupted in the cloning process, or somehow the Sandbox initialization process examines the host drive and compares some drive ID and if it sees a different drive it chokes. I don't know what's going on "under the hood" of the WD Acronis Clone Applet to see if the "copy" process is file based or some other low-level (sector copy?) process.

Since I have a working system on the old C: drive including Sandbox, I'll try a "system repair install" on the cloned drive to see if that fixes it.

Sorry to be a "dog with a bone" on this but I must have a working Sandbox to do what I need to do. I'm not at all happy with having to reinstall Windows, so any alternative idea will be entertained.

Anyone ever have a problem like this before?
Anyone have possibly a better cloning app?

Thanks,

Jabiru

Jabiru · Jan 20, 2024

Update.....

Yesterday I performed a "Windows Repair Install" which under the circumstances went pretty well. It apparently over-wrote core system files and solved the Sandbox problem. Sandbox now works again on my main baseline. There are some interesting "quirks" as a result of the effort. Somehow the "repair" dropped the AMD Radeon Adrenalin video driver instead of the PRO edition. In the past I've had some problems with that driver so I had to reinstall the correct video driver. In addition, I discovered that my Firefox no longer performed downloads, I'd get a "failure". A quick reinstall fixed that one too. Undoubtedly I will discover other (hopefully) minor problems which I can fix.

Now for some speculation on what may have caused the original problem.....

I'm told that certain windows apps (Sandbox may be one of them) have registry paths using the \Device identifier scheme. You may have seen this in antivirus notifications like Windows Defender, when it forbids changes to some files on your system. These references take the form of \Device\HarddiskVolume3 or sometimes just \Harddisk\0. These identifiers may also include more device embedded addresses but I haven't checked on that yet. This might explain changing the C: drive SSD, having a different "hard" address, which could cause the system to not find the correct location of the necessary files to execute the app. (It's just an idea).

I ran acoss this which provides some background: https://www.windowsdigitals.com/device-hard-disk-volume-3-4-5-windows/

At any rate, it looks like it's fixed.

Jabiru

OAT · Jan 20, 2024

Jabiru said:
Update.....

Yesterday I performed a "Windows Repair Install" which under the circumstances went pretty well. It apparently over-wrote core system files and solved the Sandbox problem. Sandbox now works again on my main baseline. There are some interesting "quirks" as a result of the effort. Somehow the "repair" dropped the AMD Radeon Adrenalin video driver instead of the PRO edition. In the past I've had some problems with that driver so I had to reinstall the correct video driver. In addition, I discovered that my Firefox no longer performed downloads, I'd get a "failure". A quick reinstall fixed that one too. Undoubtedly I will discover other (hopefully) minor problems which I can fix.

Now for some speculation on what may have caused the original problem.....

I'm told that certain windows apps (Sandbox may be one of them) have registry paths using the \Device identifier scheme. You may have seen this in antivirus notifications like Windows Defender, when it forbids changes to some files on your system. These references take the form of \Device\HarddiskVolume3 or sometimes just \Harddisk\0. These identifiers may also include more device embedded addresses but I haven't checked on that yet. This might explain changing the C: drive SSD, having a different "hard" address, which could cause the system to not find the correct location of the necessary files to execute the app. (It's just an idea).

I ran acoss this which provides some background: https://www.windowsdigitals.com/device-hard-disk-volume-3-4-5-windows/

At any rate, it looks like it's fixed.

Jabiru

It would make sense using an identifier as hard coded path for a VM system would not be suitable.
As far as Firefox, if you try to use a profile that has been upgraded and use a previous version executable, some issues like the one you experienced will occur.
Glad it's solved.
Please mark your thread as solved IYDM.