[Solved] trouble sharing files with msw10 guest on linux host

[andr]

host : 64 bit linux (mageia 6), with virtualbox 5.2.22 and virtualbox additions packages installed.
processor= amd a10, amd-v, hyper-v
12G memory
user is member of vboxusers group
guest : microsoft windows 10 64bit evaluation version, dynamic disk on separate partition with 130G free space
default memory & disk allocation

configured to share 2 directorys on same partition, one read-onlym, other read-write, both auto-mounted.
in msw, neither share shows up, expected as drives E: and F:
(C: is main virtual disk, D: is msw10 iso)
hovering over the folder icon on bottom edge shows the 2 shared drives, even though not seen by guest.

also, 3 usb filters configured without details, since 2 are used by host. (They all have the same brand.)
hovering over usb icon on bottom edge says no usb devices attached.

hovering over the mouse icon indicates mouse integration. The mouse works well.
The popup says it requires guest integration.

Is the problem a faulty configuration of vbox or msw10 ?
or a bug with vbox (at least the mageia package) ?

[socratis]

We need to see a complete VBox.log, from a complete VM run:

• Start the VM from cold-boot (not from a paused or saved state) / Observe problem / Shutdown the VM (force close it if you have to).
• With the VM completely shut down (not paused or saved), right-click on the VM in the VirtualBox Manager and select "Show Log".
• Save only the first "VBox.log", ZIP it and attach it to your response. See the "Upload attachment" tab below the reply form.

[andr]

That is essentially what I did, except for uploading the log file from it's storage location on my system.
There is a much smaller file, selectorwindow.log, which largely duplicates the begining of the main log file, which I'll upload now.

I forgot to mention an error message I got when trying to install the extension pack.
(I added white space to make the message more readable)

Failed to execute child process “/usr/lib64/virtualbox/VBoxExtPackHelperApp
    --stdout /tmp/VBoxExtPackHelper-1jh1cm/stdout
    --stderr /tmp/VBoxExtPackHelper-1jh1cm/stderr
    --elevated install
    --base-dir /usr/lib64/virtualbox/ExtensionPacks
    --cert-dir /usr/lib64/virtualbox/ExtPackCertificates
    --name 'Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack' 
    --tarball /plus/env.ms/Oracle_VM_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack-5.2.22.vbox-extpack
    --sha-256 779250666551b2f5426e86c2d21ceb0209b46174536971611025f753535131ef”
        (No such file or directory)

All directories and files listed are present.
When I first tried installing the extension pack, the --cert-dir wasn't present, so I created it (from root), and still got the error message. (only the /tmp/* files changed. /tmp/ is erased on reboot in my system.)

[socratis]

Your installation of the Extension Pack has absolutely nothing to do with your shared folders, so please do not bring additional issues in the thread. One thread per issue, one issue per thread.

As for the log... When I'm asking for a log and give specific, very specific instructions, I expect that very specific log after having followed the steps exactly. That log and only that log. ZIPPED if you follow the instructions exactly.

[andr]

@socratis
You could have explained that your method produced a much more detailed log file ...
As for "following the steps exactly", I had already done the first step,
as well as producing the log file (the second step), but according to the "Minimum information needed for assistance" post.
and also posting the log file (third step).
As far as I know, there is nothing installed in my system to produce a zip file.

As indicated in my initial post, the icons on bottom of the of the guest page show that the shares are recognized by Vbox, despite not showing up in the msw10 file listing.
Which means that either Vbox is not passing the info to the guest, or for some reason the guest is not recognizing and acting on the info.

As far as not being able to install the extension pack, I included that info because I thought it MIGHT be related in some way. In any case, it indicates a malfunction of Vbox.

[andr]

Found workaround for error installing extension pack.
Essentially installing as root.
details here : bugs.mageia.org/show_bug.cgi?id=18962

apparently caused by packagekit blocking permissions.

Problem sharing files persists. Maybe related to packagekit as well ?

[andr]

Also found posts on internet saying permissions too restrictive on /dev/vbox* entries.
(were 600, changed to 666)
After I restarted vbox + client, still shared directories not displayed in guest file manager.
Loading the vbox log file.
(At least the /dev/vboxdrvu error messages are gone.)

[andr]

Finally found the answer. (Unfortunately not much help here.)

Since I use Linux, I didn't realise that an extra step was required, to install VBoxAdditions.iso.
The iso wasn't included in the virtualbox additions package, and it took some time to eventually find it under

• http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/<version>

Download the iso to a convenient location.
Then it just requires defining the iso as a virtual cd/dvd (under configuration/storage).
Make sure that you belong to the vboxsf group.
Then start the guest.
Ensure that the iso is selected in the menu at the bottom of the guest window.
It will then appear as a virtual disk in the guest file manager. Select it to start the installation process.
After installation, select the reboot option, and the defined shared directories will appear as virtual disks.

[socratis]

The iso wasn't included in the virtualbox additions package

That's completely and utterly

WRONG
The VirtualBox Guest Additions (GAs) are included with each and every VirtualBox installation. With the VM window having the focus, you go to the host menu "Devices" » "Insert Guest Additions CD image...". Done.

Please do NOT download the ISO separately, unless instructed to do so for testing purposes, by an experienced user!

[andr]

Being a very experienced computer programmer, I'm quite capable of determining that a file was missing from the Guest Additions package I installed.
BTW, from my searches on the internet, numerous other users have encountered exactly the same problem, often NOT finding the solution.
From your posts, apparently you haven't bothered reading (in detail) my posts.
In addition to being rude, you certainly are not doing service to Virtualbox.

[Martin]

You wrote

The iso wasn't included in the virtualbox additions package

This is not correct for any official release of VirtualBox for many years now. The VirtualBox Guest additions ISO is always included and installed together with the main program.

[andr]

I didn't say it was an official release.
Most Linux distros will have some incompatiblity with the distros supported.
In my case, the Mageia naming policy, for example, is more strict and different than that of Fedora/RedHat, despite being a derivative of a derivative of RedHat. So generally RedHat/Fedora packages don't quite work properly on Mageia (if at all).
So Mageia packages Virtualbox. To the best of my knowledge, the packaging policy (like most Linux distros) prohibits including the GuestAdditions iso, since some of the code inside is compiled, rather than source code.
Mageia could have made a link to download the iso during install, similar to what is done for another package.
However that did not happen.
This problem will be common for Linux distros not directly supported by Virtualbox.
Which is why it would be important to provide a direct link to the actual download directories for at least the most recent versions of Virtualbox. (If that had been the case, I would probably have found the solution without posting on the forum.)

In any case, I like using Virtualbox, but this is the first time I wanted to use shared directories with it.

[socratis]

I didn't say it was an official release.

No, you didn't, but neither did the logs. More on that later...

I'm quite capable of determining that a file was missing from the Guest Additions package I installed.

I didn't see you talking about a missing file from the Guest Additions. All I saw, was you giving the wrong directions for the whole GAs ISO, that could lead future users on getting used to the wrong habits. If I see a wrong advice, I got to make absolutely sure that future users know about it.

In addition to being rude

Can you please point to me where exactly I was rude? Calling you on your wrong advice, yes. But rude? No.

To the best of my knowledge, the packaging policy (like most Linux distros) prohibits including the GuestAdditions iso, since some of the code inside is compiled, rather than source code.

Nothing in the Guest Additions ships as something that can be obtained only as a binary, pre-compiled code. Just download the source code and compile it for yourself.

Funny that you bring up a Mageia-specific build...

VirtualBox VM 5.2.22 r126257 linux.amd64 (Nov 25 2018 09:55:25) release log
00:00:00.422672 Package type: LINUX_64BITS_GENERIC (OSE)

There's something funny going on here, and I don't mean "haha" funny...

Either you didn't download the Mageia-specific build (in which case the whole not-bundling-the-GAs is the wrong premise), or the Mageia-specific build doesn't follow the rules of engagement!

Because if they were building and bundling their own "fork" of VirtualBox the least they should be doing is to have a specific build, and a log that starts like this:

VirtualBox VM 5.2.22_Mageia r126257 linux.amd64 (Nov 25 2018 09:55:25) release log

Just like any other fork out there does.

You may need to have a talk with the Mageia people...

[R Taylor]

With all due respect to the folks responding andr is correct in his post of January 19th at 8:23 at least with regards to the impact on users. I have an Ubuntu 18.04 host using Vbox 6.0.2 with a windows 10 pro guest. I could not get the "Insert guest additions" to work. The box was checked but it was never visible in my windows guest. I followed the download link and found a folder for my vbox version. Once I mounted that ISO manually as a CD I was able to do the installation with no problem. So, for whatever reason, Virtual Box is not giving access to the guess additions even if it is part of the package.

Thanks andr for the pointers