VirtualBox Error: Failed to open/create the internal network

While starting the Virtual Machine on VirtualBox in Windows 11, encountered with this unpleasant VirtualBox Error: Failed to open/create the internal network ‘HostInterfaceNetworking-VirtualBox Host-Only Ethernet Adapter’. In this post, know how we solved the issue.

VirtualBox Error: Failed to open/create the internal network

We installed the Rocky Linux in VirtualBox 7 version hosted on Windows 11 Operating System. The solution approach we have taken were pretty simple. We will try to share all the steps which we have taken to solve this problem.

Here are the steps which we followed in Windows 11.

1. First close all the application and restart the Laptop/Desktop whatever you are using.
2. Now start the Virtual Machine in VirtualBox to check if the error is gone.
3. If it did not work as per above point number 2, then reinstall the VirtualBox with Administrator privileges.
4. And again restart the Laptop/Desktop.
5. now start the VM in VirtualBox and most probably it should be running.

The problem was not ended here. The real problem started for us when we tried to add the HostOnly Adpator to the VM and even on attaching, we were not able to ping/ssh the VM’s ip address.
So what next to fix this. To solve this isssue.
1. We opened the Network Manager (Run > nspa.cpl).
2, Select the HowtOnlyAdpator Network Adaptor. Do disable and re-enable the Network Adaptor.
3. Now start the VM in VirtualBox and try to SSH/Ping. It was working for us.

We hope the troubleshooting is helpful for you and could have solved the problem.