Shared folders stopped working, how to update the Guest Additions

[adhoc3]

I have the latest version of Oracle VirtualBox running on latest Windows 10.

The shared folder feature stopped working, I got the message to reinstall the Guest Additions. Why isn't this installed by default?

This is running Oracle Linux FWIW.

When I go to Devices / Insert Guess Additions CD. I do not have a CD and how do I do without a CD?

Could not mount the media/drive 'C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxGuestAdditions.iso' (VERR_PDM_MEDIA_LOCKED).

[adhoc3]

The problem is very similar to this thread (if not identical)

viewtopic.php?t=88281

I am not understanding what this means. Where is "Media Manager" located?

Go to the Media Manager, Optical Disks. See what's there and Release/Remove all the entries. It helps if you have the "Properties" » "Information" showing if the CD/DVD is attached to a VM or not...

[scottgus1]

Web-searching VERR_PDM_MEDIA_LOCKED shows that the ISO is probably loaded in two VM CD drives at the same time, which gives Linux the heebee-jeebees.

Check your VM's Storage settings for the CD drives, remove all but one of them if you have more than one, and empty the last one. Then use the VM window's Devices menu, Insert Guest Additions CD Image command to load the GAs ISO, then run the prerequisites https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch02. ... nux-prereq then the Guest Additions from the VM's CD drive.

If you cannot get this to work, please right-click the VM in the main Virtualbox window's VM list, choose "Show in Explorer/Finder/File Manager". In the window that opens, zip the VM's .vbox file, and post the zip file, using the forum's Upload Attachment tab. (If you have a Windows host, please make sure all file extensions are shown, so you will be able to see the .vbox extension easier.)

[mpack]

Web-searching VERR_PDM_MEDIA_LOCKED shows that the ISO is probably loaded in two VM CD drives at the same time

I don't think that is necessarily true. Linux always does this IME. It's a result of trying to eject a CD/DVD whose filesystem is still mounted and locked by the guest OS. Windows quietly unmounts the filesystem (at least in the case of removable media such as CDs), but nobody ever accused Linux of being user friendly.

In the case of the "Insert Guest Additions CD" menu item, it nearly always means that the CD is already inserted (or not unloaded since last time he updated the GAs).

The two CD drives scenario comes about when, instead of unmounting the filesystem, our hero adds another CD drive to the VM recipe. That allows a one time only ability to insert the GAs again... but leads to even nastier confusion next time.

[adhoc3]

Web-searching VERR_PDM_MEDIA_LOCKED shows that the ISO is probably loaded in two VM CD drives at the same time, which gives Linux the heebee-jeebees.

Check your VM's Storage settings for the CD drives, remove all but one of them if you have more than one, and empty the last one.


Do you mean remove all of them? I did that.

Then use the VM window's Devices menu, Insert Guest Additions CD Image command to load the GAs ISO,

I keep getting the same error.

then run the prerequisites https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch02. ... nux-prereq then the Guest Additions from the VM's CD drive.

If you cannot get this to work, please right-click the VM in the main Virtualbox window's VM list, choose "Show in Explorer/Finder/File Manager". In the window that opens, zip the VM's .vbox file, and post the zip file, using the forum's Upload Attachment tab. (If you have a Windows host, please make sure all file extensions are shown, so you will be able to see the .vbox extension easier.)

What do you mean by the VM .vbox file? There are several. VirtualBox Machine definition. VBOX-PREV file. Virtual Disk Image (I assume not what you want) and VirtualBox Machine definition. I cannot tell what extension they have in the Explorer.

[scottgus1]

Linux always does this IME. It's a result of trying to eject a CD/DVD whose filesystem is still mounted and locked by the guest OS...the CD is already inserted

Interesting, thanks! Has to go in my notes.

[scottgus1]

What do you mean by the VM .vbox file?...I cannot tell what extension they have in the Explorer.

please make sure all file extensions are shown, so you will be able to see the .vbox extension easier.

windows show all file extensions