Guest additions install from command line

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peteb
Posts: 4
Joined: 5. Mar 2009, 20:54

Guest additions install from command line

Post by peteb »

I'm don't know Linux very well so I apologize in advance...

I am running Virtual Box 2.1 on Ubuntu 8.1 Server and need to do everything from the command line. I am trying to update my Windows XP guest additions...

I've done countless searching but I'm still stuck and am here as a last resort. I believe I need to mount the guest additions ISO using the "VBoxManage controlvm dvdattach" command, however my problem lies in the fact that I have no idea where the guest additions ISO is or where to get it from.
I cannot find an additions folder as mentioned in the manual, and if I truly don't have it, I have no clue where to get the additions from. Everything I've read says it should have been included with the install.

Any and all help is most appreciated.

Thanks,
Pete
peteb
Posts: 4
Joined: 5. Mar 2009, 20:54

Re: Guest additions install from command line - Solved

Post by peteb »

A new day, clear head, and some more searching, I found my answer via a screenshot of an error someone else received...

The manual states that the ISO should be located at "/opt/virtualbox-2.1.4" however, I found the ISO file at "/usr/share/virtualbox".

Once I found the ISO, I was able to mount it using "VBoxManage controlvm machinename dvdattach /usr/share/virtualbox/VBoxGuestAdditions.iso" then went to my guest and ran the install from the mounted CD.

Problem solved...

Regards,
Pete
rdo2000
Posts: 3
Joined: 17. Mar 2009, 00:16

Re: Guest additions install from command line

Post by rdo2000 »

Thanks for posting this. This helped me to reinstall the guest additions after losing GUI functionality.

- rdo
TerryE
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Re: Guest additions install from command line

Post by TerryE »

There is this wonderful utility called find. Try doing a man find and this will tell you to try something like find / -name "*.iso". Seek and ye shall find.
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Sasquatch
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Re: Guest additions install from command line

Post by Sasquatch »

You can also use locate, which might be faster. You might have to update the database for it first using updatedb before it shows up.
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.
TerryE
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Joined: 28. May 2008, 08:40
Primary OS: Ubuntu other
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Re: Guest additions install from command line

Post by TerryE »

Using locate means that you need to add a crontab entry to do the updatedb otherwise it is no faster or more convenient that the older find.
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Sasquatch
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Posts: 17798
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Primary OS: Debian other
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Guest OSses: Windows XP, Windows 7, Linux
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Re: Guest additions install from command line

Post by Sasquatch »

That might be needed, but IIRC, there is already a cronjob sheduled for daily run when you have mlocate installed. It does that on both my Ubuntu systems. Might be different for each distro, but I doubt that, as it would fail the purpose of locate.
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.
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