Guest Additions will not install

[John.Maher]

Hello

I am trying to map a folder from the host, Windows 7 64-bit to the guest, same OS. The folder is shared, all access for everyone. But is not visible. Neither is VBOXSVR. When I try to install the Guest Additions from the menu nothing happens. The menu has the trailing dots (...) which usually indicates a dialog is to follow. Unless it is lying. I get no message no error. Nothing to give me any idea as to what is happening. I've rebooted everything several times and it still fails. I've created 3 virtual machines but they are pretty useless if I can not install anything.

Anybody have any idea how to resolve this issue?
Thanks

[socratis]

The Devices menu does exactly what it will do; insert the GAs CD in the virtual CD drive.
The dots mean that something more needs to happen/will happen.
That "something more" is to actually run what's on the CD, if it doesn't run by itself with Autorun.
Details in the user manual, ch. 4.2

[John.Maher]

Thanks for your reply, but it does not work. That is why I created this post. I will provide the section from the manual.

In the "Devices" menu in the virtual machine's menu bar, VirtualBox has a handy menu item named "Insert Guest Additions CD image", which mounts the Guest Additions ISO file inside your virtual machine. A Windows guest should then automatically start the Guest Additions installer, which installs the Guest Additions into your Windows guest. Other guest operating systems (or if automatic start of software on CD is disabled) need manual start of the installer

Please examine the section in bold. This does not happen. This does not work.

It also says

Select "Mount CD/DVD-ROM" from the "Devices" menu in the virtual machine's menu bar and then "CD/DVD-ROM image".

But there is no Mount anything under devices. I was really hoping to find someone who knows how this stuff works so I don't have to spend hours trying to figure out what the manual means when it does not match the application.

If anyone has a link to a current manual that may help as well.
Thanks

[socratis]

I see your quote, and I raise you. But, I'll highlight a different part:

In the "Devices" menu in the virtual machine's menu bar, VirtualBox has a handy menu item named "Insert Guest Additions CD image", which mounts the Guest Additions ISO file inside your virtual machine. A Windows guest should then automatically start the Guest Additions installer, which installs the Guest Additions into your Windows guest. Other guest operating systems (or if automatic start of software on CD is disabled) need manual start of the installer

Please examine the section in bold. This does not happen. This does not work.

Please examine the section in red bold. Then launch the installer (VBoxWindowsAdditions.exe)...

If anyone has a link to a current manual that may help as well.

You shouldn't be asking for the current, but for the version that you have installed; Help » Contents. You should also have a searchable PDF included with your installation (VirtualBox_Installation/doc/UserManual.pdf). Take advantage of that fact, and use it to search the PDF for the terms that interest you.

Also, the current one is at http://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ but that as I said may be different from what you have installed...

[Oliver Jones]

I am also having issues with the GuestAdditions 5.2.6 image. When I've been here for one day (and am allowed to post the full details), I will put up the steps needed to replicate the issue I'm facing (5.2.6 kills graphics on RHEL 7.4 with latest updates, when installed on a Windows 7 SP1 host.)

[mpack]

Since the OP's problem is only a failure to read the user manual carefully enough, I am wary of your description of "I am also having issues".

[Oliver Jones]

Well, in this case, we're talking about a complete failure of the graphics in RHEL 7.4, after the VBoxGuestAdditions_5.2.6 ISO has been used.

Same procedure worked fine in 5.1.x, so perhaps the user manual has been updated since then...

[mpack]

In that case your post is off topic since it bears no rememblance to the issue mentioned in the topic title.

[John.Maher]

This forum provides good comedy. too bad I am trying to get something to work. Why can you not accept the fact the there are issues with the software? I really don't want to recompile under 32-bit but that may be my only option if VirtualBox continues to fail to work.

Secondly, the manual DOES NOT explain how to install the guest additions manually. I even pointed that out. Here's some advice, just cause the manualy says something does not mean that feature works perfectly in the product. Perhaps anyone who does not understand the process should actually USE the software. You would be surprised on the things you learn.

I will try again incase someone actually reads my post.

This is what the manual says "Select "Mount CD/DVD-ROM" from the "Devices" menu in the virtual machine's menu bar and then "CD/DVD-ROM image". "

That option does not exist in the software.
The option to "Mount" is not in the "Devices" menu.
The manual says to select "Mount" from the devices menu, there is no "Mount" from the devices menu.
There no valid instructions on how to manual complete the process. The Menu choice the manual says to select is not were the manual says it is supposed to be. In fact, it is not under any menu selection at the level the manual says it is. Is it buried somewhere? Could be.

Does anyone know where it is? Or what the manual means when the selections specified in the manual DOES NOT EXIST in the software?

If there is no one here who knows how to complete this process or is willing to provide the Information that the manual is lacking can you recommend a forum that may help? Stackoverflow is really good but this question does not fit their format.

Suggestion, if you do not understand the question try re-reading it. Or you can ask the poster to clarify. To keep telling someone to read the manual after they posted that the manual is incorrect does not help. It screams "this poster is more concerned about increasing their post count than actually helping people." That attitude is a liability in a forum. what a forum needs is assets.

Thanks

[John.Maher]

I am also having issues with the GuestAdditions 5.2.6 image. When I've been here for one day (and am allowed to post the full details), I will put up the steps needed to replicate the issue I'm facing (5.2.6 kills graphics on RHEL 7.4 with latest updates, when installed on a Windows 7 SP1 host.)

I can understand Oliver. There's definitely issues with this software. And it puzzles me as to the lack of effort in resolving issues but the effort exerted on the lack mof perfect format of the questions is plentiful. lol

[John.Maher]

In that case your post is off topic since it bears no rememblance to the issue mentioned in the topic title.

Well if I am having problems installing the guest additions and receive NO message, NO error and NO NOTHING with which to go on I have NO idea what problem the software is having so have NO idea what is wrong.

ESPECIALLY WHEN I'VE READ THE MANUAL AND THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE MANUAL FAILED TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE OR EVEN DO ANYTHING USEFUL.

I had to put that because there are people who seem to enjoy posting "Read the manual" even after you've told them you've read the manual and even quoted from it.

If you do not like the title then tell me what you want it to be and I'll change it.

Since the software is not working and I am trying to learn to use it a situation where the software fails can be difficult for someone who is trying to use it. It may be easy for people who know the software (which if it is then it is even more puzzling why someone can spend as much time complaining about a post not being perfect instead of spending the same amount of time providing a solution) to understand aspects of it. But for someone who never used it this can be difficult, especially when that said feature fails.

It can be helpful to try looking at a question from a point of view other than your own. Only using your own point of view, every question can seem stupid and cuase you to refuse to answer. But the reality is there is no such thing as a stupid question. The same can not be said for answers.

[socratis]

This forum provides good comedy.

Oh, for sure. If you stick around long enough, you'll see that from time to time we get a clown or two. They tend to break the monotony. Usually they're funny (Ha-ha funny). Sometimes they are "funny" (the yogurt tastes funny, kind of funny).

You have a problem understanding the manual. OK, you're not the first one. You have two options:

• Ask for clarification. Which you did. And clarification you got:

  if automatic start of software on CD is disabled, need manual start of the installer ... launch the installer (VBoxWindowsAdditions.exe)

• Once you know what you're talking about, post a clearer set of instructions to be included in the user manual. It might end up actually in the User Manual. It's an open source project and everybody can pitch in.

No more bitching and moaning please... OK?

[socratis]

Same procedure worked fine in 5.1.x, so perhaps the user manual has been updated since then...

The 5.2.6 release had an issue with the Guest Additions. See the "Important" paragraph in the Downloads section.

But, please read the topic more carefully next time and do not hijack a random thread, just because the title was as generic as they come...

[John.Maher]

I figured it out. I was hoping to be able to talk to someone who may know something about the software, but I did not. I will post the solution here because anyone else who tries to use this specific feature with this software can easily run into the same problem.

Someone should correct the manual. This whole problem was caused by BAD documentation. Bad documentation is worse than no documentation.

First off the manual is wrong, plain and simple. This is the manual bundled with the exe I downloaded from the virtualbox site. I don't know if the wrong manual was included or never changed from a code change, but it is WRONG.

Here is what the section from the manual says:
Select "Mount CD/DVD-ROM" from the "Devices" menu in the virtual machine's menu bar and then "CD/DVD-ROM image". This brings up the Virtual Media Manager described in Section 5.3, “The Virtual Media Manager”.

This selection does not exist anywhere in the Devices menu nor anywhere else in the application my limited search uncovered.

I did, however, find a "Optical Drives > Choose Disk Image..."
After some searching, I found "C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxGuestAdditions.iso"
After selecting that I was able to install the Guest Additions.
If VirtualBox is not stored in the default directory then you would need to browse to the proper location.

The main reason I was having a problem was because I was following the instructions in the manual.

The second problem was getting snide comments back when asking for help. Completely unproductive, however, I now expect that sort of thing from anything associated with Oracle.

[John.Maher]

Same procedure worked fine in 5.1.x, so perhaps the user manual has been updated since then...

The 5.2.6 release had an issue with the Guest Additions. See the "Important" paragraph in the Downloads section.

But, please read the topic more carefully next time and do not hijack a random thread, just because the title was as generic as they come...

Of course it was generic, that's what happens when the software provides no feedback. When an error occurs, and trust me, it WAS an error, some sort of message should be displayed to the user.

When the user clicks "Install Guest Additions" and it does not install, at the MINIMUM the application should tell the user that. It really should provide some sort of clue which is easily found if the developer spent a minute or two and included a return code or something, anything.

The type of snide comments are completely unproductive. The comment " just because the title was as generic as they come" is a poor response from someone answering questions on a forum. It is shocking that this came from a moderator. That just goes to show that they don't have any good choices for moderators and have to settle for what they get.

That explains a lot.

If you used the software at all beyond a casual use you may have learned something about it. And incase you are slow to figure it out, I will spell it out for you.

WHEN THE SOFTWARE PROVIDE NO, 0 ABSOLUTELY NO IMFORMATION TO THE USER you can't expect the user to provide anything useful. It does not exist. Common sense really. but for some people, that is a rare resource.