MacOS Host (Catalina) sharing files with MacOS Guest (High Sierra)

[altajason]

I am having no luck in sharing files from my MacOS host (Catalina) with a MacOS guest (High Sierra).

I need to use a 32-bit application on the guest to edit files that are on the MacOS host which is running Catalina.

I am using VBox 6.1 and have the GA installed on the guest. I have tried regular NAT networking (by default), and then based on what I read in another thread, HostOnly networking. Neither way has worked. The Hostonly mode allows me to see the folders that I want to share after I have authenticated as the admin user, (just as the top level folders), but clicking on any of those folders simply shows me the "Sharepoint" and none of the actual files in that folder. At one point I had assigned GA shared folders, but after reading that it wasn't supported in the GA, I removed all of those and am trying to make regular MacOS shared folders work. I have those folders shared with other Macs in my house/network, so I know I can make that work fine Mac to Mac.

The documentation does not cover this in depth and I am wondering if anybody else has it working.

I am running as a host a 2017 iMac with 32GB of memory running patched MacOS Catalina, the guest has four CPUs assigned and 8GB of memory and is running MacOS High Sierra which is also patched.

[dbudde]

File sharing between MacOS hosts and MacOS guests is easy using MacOS networking and file sharing.

In Virtualbox File>Host Network Manager..., create a network interface (vboxnet0) and enable it. Edit: disregard this step.

Set your Virtual box network settings to Bridge Adapter, en0: Wi-Fi (wireless), Adapter type: Intel Pro/1000, Promiscuous mode: Allow all, enable adapter, cable selected.

Then in your host system preferences, turn on file sharing and add whatever folders you want to share. Your guest will now be able to see them.

Also, and this has nothing to do with file sharing, but if you set your guest system preferences to allow screen sharing and then access your guest using screen sharing, the UI will work much better than using the guest display directly.

[fth0]

In Virtualbox File>Host Network Manager..., create a network interface (vboxnet0) and enable it.

Set your Virtual box network settings to Bridge Adapter

This combination doesn't seem to make sense, because the Host-only interface is only used with the Host-only networking mode, and not with the Bridged networking mode. Or am I missing something?

[dbudde]

I think that's right. I had this in there from when I was experimenting with different networking options. I was just copying my settings. So disregard that first step.

[socratis]

Just to correct a misconception; host-only networking works as expected with any host and any that supports networking. Just try it...

[ant]

Hmm. Finder keeps saying "Connection Failed" even though my updated guest mac OS El Capitan v10.11.6 can see the host 13.3" 2012 MBP's updated mac OS v10.14.6. I even tried to log in as me to it with full access.