Kernel driver not installed (rc=-1908) Getting Errors in macOS Big Sur 11.0.1

I just want to work with VirtualBox but now I am getting this type of error.

I could not find a proper solution.

Kernel driver not installed (rc=-1908)

Make sure the kernel module has been loaded successfully.

where: suplibOsInit what: 3 VERR_VM_DRIVER_NOT_INSTALLED (-1908) - The support driver is not installed. On linux, open returned ENOENT. 

MAC with BIG SUR -- Kernel driver not installed (rc=-1908)

Make sure the kernel module has been loaded successfully.

where the error is:

suplibOsInit what: 3 VERR_VM_DRIVER_NOT_INSTALLED (-1908) - The support driver is not installed. On linux, open returned ENOENT.

Download and install the latest VirtualBox 6.1.18 or higher. And then follow the below steps to resolve.

Step 1 - run:

sudo kextload -b org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxDrv

Step 2: Go into System Preferences->Security & Privacy

Step 3: Unlock the security center

Step 4: Approve the software by Oracle

Step 5:

sudo kextload -b org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxNetFlt
sudo kextload -b org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxNetAdp
sudo kextload -b org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxUSB

Step 6: Reboot

Registering the .kext directly via terminal solved this issue for me.

sudo kmutil load -p '/Library/Application Support/VirtualBox/VBoxDrv.kext'

There should be a prompt in System Preferences to allow the kernel, which will require a reboot.

Reboot and run command cd ˜/Homestead && vagrant up

Big Sur disables the VirtualBox kernel extensions as part of the installation process. You can verify this by running:

kextstat | grep -v com.apple

If the kernel extensions are installed, you will see something like this:

Executing: /usr/bin/kmutil showloaded
No variant specified, falling back to release
Index Refs Address            Size       Wired      Name (Version) UUID <Linked Against>
  184    3 0xffffff7fa232d000 0xb2000    0xb2000    org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxDrv (6.1.18) 9C1C33DF-8061-30A2-9266-C9284816A6A2 <8 6 5 3 1>
  187    0 0xffffff7fa240a000 0x5000     0x5000     org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxUSB (6.1.18) 51E577B4-43B6-359F-B817-9C63A69E7943 <186 184 62 8 6 5 3 1>
  188    0 0xffffff7fa2405000 0x4000     0x4000     org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxNetFlt (6.1.18) 96E530DE-E34D-3447-89A5-FCF6646AE47E <184 8 6 5 3 1>
  189    0 0xffffff7fa23ff000 0x2000     0x2000     org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxNetAdp (6.1.18) 63EFABA5-3341-3BEB-B47A-AAFCDD7312A5 <184 6 5 1>

If you don't see the extensions loaded, the easier fix is to delete your current VirtualBox app, download and install the lastest version and then go the Security & Privacy System Preferences Pane. You should see a message that some applications require a restart to work correctly.

Restart your Mac and VirtualBox should now work. You can re-run the kexstat command just to be sure the extensions were loaded.

Here is how I solved the issue on MAC with MONTEREY

Update 09 december 2021 : installing the latest version (VirtualBox-6.1.30-148432-OSX.dmg when updating this post) completely solve the issue on my machine

Initial post :

1. Download the latest installer of VirtualBox (VirtualBox-6.1.28-147628-OSX.dmg when writing this post)
2. Launch the installer
3. Double click on the file VirtualBox_Uninstall.tool in order to uninstall VirtualBox
4. Reboot
5. Reinstall VirtualBox

I also got the same error while trying to run Windows 10 on macOS Big Sur 11.6, but I was easily able to fix the issue by navigating to System Preferences > Security & Privacy. There, under allow apps downloaded from section I found something like Oracle wants to install additional updates, and I gave permission. My Win 10 VM started to work. I hope this help.

Solution worked for Big Sur (no need to delete anything):

1. Update VirtualBox

2. Install VirtualBox Extension Pack https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

3. Settings -> Security -> General settings -> Unlock settings

4. On "General settings" form turn allow application usage checkbox from "App Store and others..." to "App Store" and back to "App Store and others..." (to make sure Mac recognised the changes made before on steps 1-2)

5. Go to "Additional settings" ("General settings" form button right after application usage checkbox), system will show Applications changes made before (steps 1-2), push "Ok" and system will ask for reboot

6. After reboot VirtualBox will work

after googling for few days and no solution worked for me on macos

I run the below commands

sudo kextload -b org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxDrv
sudo kextload -b org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxNetFlt
sudo kextload -b org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxNetAdp
sudo kextload -b org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxUSB

then go to "https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads" and download "VirtualBox 6.1.30 Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack" all platform

then open your virutalbox preferences --> choose extension --> and add the extension you just downloaded and eveything will be ok

Another restart of the system solved my problem as I was already at the most current version of virtualbox. My macOS upgrade was from Big Sur 11.6.1 to 11.6.4.

None of the methods here worked for me, the option to approve the driver in System Preferences / Security & Privacy never appeared.

The only way I could get to approve the extension was rebooting in recovery mode, and then giving consent to the Oracle Developr ID running in the Terminal the following command:

spctl kext-consent add VB5E2TV963

Then after a reboot, I could approve the driver and VirtualBox works just fine. Tested in Monterey 12.3.1

Full credits to this site: https://appuals.com/kernal-driver-not-installed-rc-1908-error-mac/

I had face this issue before and I tried all the threads in this question and doesn't work, then I tried to add the iso file from the setting tab like shown in screenshots, and it worked well.

VirtualBox kernel error

VirtualBox kernel error