How to access host file system from VirtualBox installation

[ghettocounselor]

Ok, To start I'm pretty new to VitualBox but generally competent in the console provided not to many assumptions about a given breadth of knowledge are made. I use Kubuntu as a desktop and occasionally use VBox for running a WinXP installation for testing things in IE or for using the occasional MS Win software that I may be found of. At times it would be helpful to be able to access the Host File System (I'm assuming I'm using this term correctly when I say I'd like to access for instance a USB chip mounted by the Linux OS) when 'in' the VBox installation. How can I accomplish this? Thanks

[Perryg]

You can use VBox shared folders and map what ever you want in the guest.
You can find this answer and more here: VirtualBox FAQ for Linux and for the Windows world you can follow these instructions.

Process to share a folder for Windows Guest.

• Close the guest (shutdown)
• Open the VirtualBox program and click once on the guest.
• Click settings and then click on shared folders.
• Click the folder with the green + to add a new share
• Click the down arrow on the folder path then click the Folder that says other.
• This brings up a browse window. Browse to the folder that you want to share and click OK.
• This will put the full path in your folder path line
• Click on the box just below that and type shared then press enter.

At this point you have created the shared folder.

• Now open (start) the guest.
• Click the program start button and then open a command window or click in the run box and type cmd and press enter.
• Put this in the command window: net use x: \\vboxsvr\shared -p and press enter
• After this the share will show in the file manager as a mapped drive.

All of this is assuming that you have the guest additions installed. If you don't then it will not work for you until you do install the guest additions.

[ghettocounselor]

Good stuff, thanks for the prompt help.

I thought I'd round out this posting as a resource by adding a link to a good tutorial on implementing guest additions as this will stop you in your tracks trying to get this working if it's not in place and to be honest it's not real obvious how you 'tell' you have this implemented or not, especially if you've done the VBox configuration a while ago and are only now getting around to this aspect of it, e.g. you may not remember if you did this or not (as was my case).

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/virtualbox-guest-addons.html