Copy/paste not working

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newbie34
Posts: 6
Joined: 8. Apr 2021, 11:14

Copy/paste not working

Post by newbie34 »

Hi all,

I installed Virtualbox 6.1 (the latest) on my Debian.

The issue is copy/pasting. I installed the latest extension pack on my host and installed guest additions ISO file on both of 2 Windows 7 guests. The weirdest thing i can copy text (not file) from guest to guest, guest to host or host to guest but i can't copy/paste any file. I did some research and some websites are telling to install guest-x11 package and installed that too but no luck. I couldn't achieve.

Any help would be appreciated..
Last edited by mpack on 9. Apr 2021, 10:27, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Remove references to a second issue - one issue per topic please.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Copy/paste not working

Post by mpack »

The usual reasons for copy/paste failures are (a) the Guest Additions are not installed, or (b) the relevant functionality is disabled in the VM settings General|Advanced|Shared Clipboard, or (c) the clipboard data type is not plain text or an image - e.g. you can't copy and paste files.

Further discussion will require a VM log: make sure the VM is fully shut down, then right click it in the manager UI. Select "Show Log" and save "VBox.log" (no other file) to a zip file. Attach the zip here.
newbie34
Posts: 6
Joined: 8. Apr 2021, 11:14

Re: Copy/paste not working

Post by newbie34 »

mpack wrote: Further discussion will require a VM log: make sure the VM is fully shut down, then right click it in the manager UI. Select "Show Log" and save "VBox.log" (no other file) to a zip file. Attach the zip here.
I have 2 VMs.

First one is ==> h t t p s://pastebin . com/YNgdVftL
Second one is ==> h t t p s://pastebin . com/fdPcrXQ2

By the way thank you for your interest..
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Copy/paste not working

Post by mpack »

Please review my instructions, I don't need two logs, nor do I want to click any offsite links. You can use the "Upload attachment" tab on the reply form to attach the zipped log locally.

Also, it would be nice if you commented on some of things suggested already before I spend time on your log.
newbie34
Posts: 6
Joined: 8. Apr 2021, 11:14

Re: Copy/paste not working

Post by newbie34 »

mpack wrote:Please review my instructions, I don't need two logs, nor do I want to click any offsite links. You can use the "Upload attachment" tab on the reply form to attach the zipped log locally.

Also, it would be nice if you commented on some of things suggested already before I spend time on your log.
dear mpack, website says the file is too big. what can you recommend me?
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Copy/paste not working

Post by mpack »

That is why the instructions said to zip the log.
newbie34
Posts: 6
Joined: 8. Apr 2021, 11:14

Re: Copy/paste not working

Post by newbie34 »

mpack wrote:That is why the instructions said to zip the log.
Here
Attachments
VBox.log.tar.gz
(32.17 KiB) Downloaded 20 times
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Copy/paste not working

Post by mpack »

Thanks for the log.
  1. You are not using VirtualBox, you are using an unofficial (Debian) third party build of the open sources. These forums exist to support official builds only.
  2. You also have the unofficial VNC extension pack loaded.
  3. Win7 could use a second CPU core.
  4. Your Guest Additions are installed (so suggestion (a) is eliminated), but slightly out of date (6.1.2). Since you are reporting problems with a Guest Additions feature it would make sense to be using current code.
  5. I can see in the log that clipboard functionality is enabled and set to bidirectional, so that eliminates (b).
  6. The log tells me nothing about (c), so I need to see that addressed.
Looking back at your first post (after deleting all the second issue stuff) I see that the answer is obvious: copy/paste of files has never been supported. The only things you can copy on the clipboard is plain text and graphics. Not files.
newbie34
Posts: 6
Joined: 8. Apr 2021, 11:14

Re: Copy/paste not working

Post by newbie34 »

mpack wrote:Thanks for the log.
  1. You are not using VirtualBox, you are using an unofficial (Debian) third party build of the open sources. These forums exist to support official builds only.
  2. You also have the unofficial VNC extension pack loaded.
  3. Win7 could use a second CPU core.
  4. Your Guest Additions are installed (so suggestion (a) is eliminated), but slightly out of date (6.1.2). Since you are reporting problems with a Guest Additions feature it would make sense to be using current code.
  5. I can see in the log that clipboard functionality is enabled and set to bidirectional, so that eliminates (b).
  6. The log tells me nothing about (c), so I need to see that addressed.
Looking back at your first post (after deleting all the second issue stuff) I see that the answer is obvious: copy/paste of files has never been supported. The only things you can copy on the clipboard is plain text and graphics. Not files.
  1. If i install official VirtualBox from the website with .deb file can i use file copy/paste feature? And is VirtualBox in your website opensource?
  2. I installed virtualbox package from my repo and it came preinstalled, i didn't install manually.
  3. If i use second core what is their advantages to me?
  4. I guess you missed the latest logs because i uninstalled 6.1.2 completely and restarted the VM and installed the latest version 6.1.18
  5. Yes they are enabled.
Copy/paste file issue never supported on Debian repo VBox or it is never supported officially. May i ask which one?

By the way thank you for your help.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Copy/paste not working

Post by mpack »

No version of VirtualBox in existence since 2007 has ever supported copy and paste of files. If you want to ask about what third party builds do, I suggest you go to those that support it.

I missed nothing in the latest log. Look for yourself.
00:00:10.676599 VMMDev: Guest Additions information report: Version 6.1.2 r135662 '6.1.2'
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