Need help enabling guest/host sharing

Discussions about using Linux guests in VirtualBox.
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DavidSpector
Posts: 21
Joined: 11. Apr 2021, 17:54

Need help enabling guest/host sharing

Post by DavidSpector »

I have installed Slax Linux in Virtualbox on my Windows 10 Home host OS, to experiment (carefully) with malware downloaded via browser. Slax comes with a version of Chromium (not Chrome).

Slax runs quite quickly under Virtualbox, which was a nice surprise, but doesn't share any resources (clipboard, USB drive, a main disk directory) with the host. I need sharing that I can turn on and off, for safety; almost any kind of sharing would be helpful.

I do have Virtual Support enabled in the BIOS on my host OS. I do have the Virtualbox Extensions installed. I have read the Virtualbox instructions and received help in another subforum here, that indicated that stuff must be done on the guest OS to make sharing happen. However, I don't have a strong background in Linux that would let me understand any of these instructions.

I certainly don't want to compile and Make C programs and headers, which I believe was recommended by one person.

When I simply (this is from my poor memory) select Devices in Virtualbox, then try to run VBoxGuestAdditions.iso, I get an error message, which I can't remember (I am writing this from a different computer).

Yet several people have assured me that sharing can be done, and suggested I ask for help here.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Need help enabling guest/host sharing

Post by mpack »

Distribution in binary form is not the norm for Linux - it was designed and built for an open source model - so if you are not prepared to learn how to download and build source packages then maybe you should abandon your Linux idea.

Clipboard functionality requires the Guest Additions to be installed. USB2/USB3 support requires the host extension pack to be installed. These are different features.

If you don't intend to install the GAs then the only kind of sharing available to you will be a full network share: which might ironically require you to install and build the SAMBA "windows file sharing" package (though in fact most distros I've used install this by default).
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