VirtualBox, a popular open-source virtualization software, has released its latest version, 7.2.2, a new maintenance update designed to enhance stability and address several issues affecting users across various platforms.
Windows users on ARM systems get relief from a long-standing problem where virtual machines failed to start. On the Linux side, the update tackles VBox Manager freezes at startup and during VM creation, while also adopting newer KVM APIs for kernels 6.16.0 and above.
macOS hosts benefit too, with fixes for broken internal networking and VM crashes on Apple Silicon.
The update also brings several improvements to the graphical interface. Multiple crashes related to snapshots and error notifications have been resolved, and the VM list handling is now more reliable.
A visual tweak was made for Windows 11 users, who can now use legacy light and dark themes originally from Windows 10. On Linux desktops, VirtualBox now forces the use of the xdg-desktop-portal theme when available for more consistent integration.
Networking and USB support see notable attention as well. A new experimental e1000 network adapter (82583V) has been introduced, though it requires the ICH9 chipset. Potential issues with DNS servers in the 127/8 range being passed to guests have been fixed.
On the USB side, passthrough for devices exposed via USB/IP has been corrected, and the virtual USB webcam is now included directly in the open source base package.
Guest additions also received fixes. On Linux guests, VBoxClient no longer fails to load shared libraries on startup, while on Windows, the long-troubled installation on XP SP2 64-bit is now resolved. Additionally, EFI improvements mean TPM devices should work properly with more guest configurations.
Refer to the changelog for more information about all the changes in the new version. VirtualBox 7.2.2 is available from the project’s website’s download section. After updating, remember to install the latest Extension Pack version, which enhances VirtualBox’s functionality by adding features.
