VirtualBox "shared folders" dreadfully slow

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Linux hosts.
NetComrade
Posts: 24
Joined: 28. Aug 2009, 00:27
Primary OS: Ubuntu other
VBox Version: OSE Debian
Guest OSses: XP

Re: VirtualBox "shared folders" dreadfully slow

Post by NetComrade »

Thanks.. I am sure it would work great.. but defeats the whole purpose of 'shared folders' feature (which was supposed to be setup-free/problem-free).
I'll give it a shot when I have time.
issueperson
Posts: 1
Joined: 28. Sep 2009, 06:05
Primary OS: Fedora other
VBox Version: OSE Fedora
Guest OSses: Windows XP

Re: VirtualBox "shared folders" dreadfully slow

Post by issueperson »

I found this workaround (http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p= ... stcount=13), although I am not sure exactly what it does. I used it in addition to mapping my network drives.

Tested on Fedora 11 host with WindowsXP guest on VirtualBox 3.0.6.

Because I do not know how it works, I do not recommend it until someone else can verify that it does not present a security risk.

Hi,

if you are suffered by accessing share folder too slow, maybe you can try that:

1. if your vm is running Windows,
2. if your share folder name is like that : "\\vboxsvr\<share folder>"
3. if you install windows in disk c of your vm
4. please modify c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
5. modify the line "127.0.0.1 localhost" to "127.0.0.1 localhost vboxsvr"
6. reboot vm, and you can see there's a lot of improvement.

Original Poster rhynolu
Sasquatch
Volunteer
Posts: 17798
Joined: 17. Mar 2008, 13:41
Primary OS: Debian other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows XP, Windows 7, Linux
Location: /dev/random

Re: VirtualBox "shared folders" dreadfully slow

Post by Sasquatch »

It doesn't pose a security risk. All it does it tell the OS that the network name 'vboxsvr' can be found on the local machine. Without it, it would query the network for the name, before the GA take over and tell it where to find it.
Read the Forum Posting Guide before opening a topic.
VirtualBox FAQ: Check this before asking questions.
Online User Manual: A must read if you want to know what we're talking about.
Howto: Install Linux Guest Additions
Howto: Use Shared Folders on Linux Guest
See the Tutorials and FAQ section at the top of the Forum for more guides.
Try searching the forums first with Google and add the site filter for this forum.
E.g. install guest additions site:forums.virtualbox.org

Retired from this Forum since OSSO introduction.
scoday
Posts: 1
Joined: 19. Nov 2009, 23:00
Primary OS: OpenSolaris 11
VBox Version: OSE other
Guest OSses: Windows XP

Re: VirtualBox "shared folders" dreadfully slow

Post by scoday »

I am not sure if it's worth posting or not but this is still a rather large pain in the neck. I am on 3.0.10 r54216 and it's still very slow to copy to or read from a shared folder. Browsing them is just fine which is great. Anyway - for what it's worth I am on OpenSolaris 2009.06 with an XP Vbox..
Sasquatch
Volunteer
Posts: 17798
Joined: 17. Mar 2008, 13:41
Primary OS: Debian other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows XP, Windows 7, Linux
Location: /dev/random

Re: VirtualBox "shared folders" dreadfully slow

Post by Sasquatch »

I have a few XP machines, and I don't notice any slow down when accessing files on a Shared Folder. I don't have the hosts file adjustment.
Read the Forum Posting Guide before opening a topic.
VirtualBox FAQ: Check this before asking questions.
Online User Manual: A must read if you want to know what we're talking about.
Howto: Install Linux Guest Additions
Howto: Use Shared Folders on Linux Guest
See the Tutorials and FAQ section at the top of the Forum for more guides.
Try searching the forums first with Google and add the site filter for this forum.
E.g. install guest additions site:forums.virtualbox.org

Retired from this Forum since OSSO introduction.
bewst
Posts: 12
Joined: 6. Oct 2009, 03:23
Primary OS: OpenSolaris 11
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: win2k server

Re: VirtualBox "shared folders" dreadfully slow

Post by bewst »

I haven't yet got a reproducable sequence of steps, but I have a clue about the slowdown, which can still occur with the latest VBox:

I share the same host folder with a linux (ubuntu lucid x64 tested) guest and a windows (XP64 tested) guest. I had the linux guest suspended and access from windows was unbearably slow; off-the-cuff I estimate a 1000x slowdown. Really! When I shut the linux guest down, the windows guest became fast again.

FWIW-ly y'rs,
Dave
iPAS
Posts: 1
Joined: 25. Sep 2010, 02:13
Primary OS: Ubuntu other
VBox Version: OSE Debian
Guest OSses: Windows XP

Re: VirtualBox "shared folders" dreadfully slow

Post by iPAS »

Please use VBoxGuestAddition.ISO from Debian Package Management, Synaptic.
Sasquatch
Volunteer
Posts: 17798
Joined: 17. Mar 2008, 13:41
Primary OS: Debian other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows XP, Windows 7, Linux
Location: /dev/random

Re: VirtualBox "shared folders" dreadfully slow

Post by Sasquatch »

iPAS wrote:Please use VBoxGuestAddition.ISO from Debian Package Management, Synaptic.
NEVER EVER DO THAT IF YOU RUN THE PUEL VERSION. It will cause conflicts. Only install packages from repositories if they come from the same source. In this case, the PUEL doesn't come from the Debian repository.
Read the Forum Posting Guide before opening a topic.
VirtualBox FAQ: Check this before asking questions.
Online User Manual: A must read if you want to know what we're talking about.
Howto: Install Linux Guest Additions
Howto: Use Shared Folders on Linux Guest
See the Tutorials and FAQ section at the top of the Forum for more guides.
Try searching the forums first with Google and add the site filter for this forum.
E.g. install guest additions site:forums.virtualbox.org

Retired from this Forum since OSSO introduction.
the_mouse
Posts: 1
Joined: 3. Mar 2011, 15:18
Primary OS: Ubuntu other
VBox Version: OSE Debian
Guest OSses: WinXP, Ubuntu

Re: VirtualBox "shared folders" dreadfully slow

Post by the_mouse »

issueperson wrote:I found this workaround (http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p= ... stcount=13), although I am not sure exactly what it does. I used it in addition to mapping my network drives.

Tested on Fedora 11 host with WindowsXP guest on VirtualBox 3.0.6.

Because I do not know how it works, I do not recommend it until someone else can verify that it does not present a security risk.

Hi,

if you are suffered by accessing share folder too slow, maybe you can try that:

1. if your vm is running Windows,
2. if your share folder name is like that : "\\vboxsvr\<share folder>"
3. if you install windows in disk c of your vm
4. please modify c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
5. modify the line "127.0.0.1 localhost" to "127.0.0.1 localhost vboxsvr"
6. reboot vm, and you can see there's a lot of improvement.

Original Poster rhynolu
Thank you! I was having issues with shared folders opening delay and that solution worked pretty well for me!
Using VirtualBox 4.0.4
Host OS: Windows 7 x64
Guest OS: Windows XP x86
simbamangu
Posts: 1
Joined: 22. Jul 2011, 18:28
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: OSE other
Guest OSses: Windows XP, Windows 7

Re: VirtualBox "shared folders" dreadfully slow

Post by simbamangu »

Same issue ... and seems to be saved by this method and mapping the shared drives.
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