How to add physical disk to VM?

[MIRKOSOFT]

Hi!

I want to ask how to add physical disk to VM?
No matter if partition only or whole disk.

I mean as data disk, not OS disk.

Thank you for help.
Miro

[socratis]

The easiest way would be to use Shared folders and share the hard drive that you want from the host. That's a quick and easy solution for copying data back and forth between host and guest. That is *if* your guest supports guest additions. But I don't know because you didn't say anything about your setup. Nothing at all...

Next question that you have, please make sure to include the full details of your host, guest and VirtualBox versions. Complete details about the versions. "Win10" is not enough, "Win10 1703" is better...

[MIRKOSOFT]

Host:
Windows 10.1709 x64 Pro
Intel Core i5, 20GB DDR4 RAM
5 SATA HDDs, 1 SATA DVDRW, USB 2.0/3.0
4 desktops on separate LCDs, Intel GPU and nVidia GPU

Guests:
Reason for adding real harddisk is that Windows ME and earlier, also DOS have not possible to install addons.
I need to use real disk - have one free whole device IDE 60GB - no matter if is possible to use only whole device or select partitions
So, guests are old operating systems without VBox additions.
Reason - my hobby is retrocomputing

Thank you for help.
Miro

[mpack]

Guests:
Reason for adding real harddisk is that Windows ME and earlier, also DOS have not possible to install addons.
I need to use real disk - have one free whole device IDE 60GB - no matter if is possible to use only whole device or select partitions

I doubt those guests could use a 60GB drive, without or without partitions on it. 2GB is seen as a pretty big drive for Win98.

If you are asking for a way to share files with the host then please say so, rather than assert your solution as being the only one available. For example, in the case of Win98 and WinME it is quite possible to create a network folder share. And on that note, please also be specific about the guest OS, don't just wave in the general direction of a couple of decades worth of different OS's.

[MIRKOSOFT]

No, I don't want to use any network folders.
I want to have host as clear as possible - I'm using always if is possible portable apps and have also Windows 10 on VM with apps which I'm using few times - named Windows 10 Workstation...there want to add physical disk too.
So, I don't have smaller HDD than 60GB and I know that MS-DOS uses max. 2GB, but also MS-DOS 7.10 supports also FAT32 - so is possible to use larger space.

Again I'm asking how to use physical disk - I know that for Windows 95, 98 and Me it is large space, but I see it not so big 'cause I have disk space 5,5 TB + 60GB.

So, please tell me anybody how to use physical disk in VBox?
I know that VMware it can, but I'm not so rich to buy it.

Miro

[mpack]

I have a long standing policy of not helping anyone to understand raw disks. It is an experts-only feature clearly described as dangerous in the user manual. If you're an expert then you don't need instructions from me on how to use the feature.

[socratis]

I too avoided mentioning "raw disk acccess" in my reply. But on the other hand, and after the WARNING ABOUT COMPLETELY LOSING THE DATA, you can always read the manual. It's like searching on the webs "How can I easily shoot my foot?"

@MIRKOSOFT, take a look at ch. 9.9.1. Using a raw host hard disk from a guest. You might also notice that warning in the red box. And remember, if you use rawdisk, you're on your own.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

[MIRKOSOFT]

Thank you for help.
Also thank you for warning.

I'm not expert in VirtualBox - I can't to compare, but I know Windows to details, I'm programmer and do hardware and software servis.
Of course can't to know all -
I'm not genius.

Thank you again.
So, thread can be closed.
Miro