Window XP:host, Ubuntu 8.10:guest, Shared Folders

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Windows hosts.
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Carlos Xavier
Posts: 2
Joined: 10. Nov 2008, 18:59

Window XP:host, Ubuntu 8.10:guest, Shared Folders

Post by Carlos Xavier »

I have windows XP sp3 running as a host and Ubuntu 8.10 as a guest. I am trying to share a folder between the two platforms. I have created a folder in windows XP called ubuntu and set the sharing properties and with the VMUbuntu off I have gone to share folders and set the path C:\ubuntu
I have also installed the guess additions.

Here is where my problem starts. I try to set it in Ubuntu as well
I had created a folder

sudo mkdir ubuntu

then

sudo mount -t vboxsf ubuntu /media/share

I get this message:

/sbin/mount.vboxsf: mounting failed with the error: No such device

What am I doing wrong?
Also what can I do to make it run when it boots.
Sasquatch
Volunteer
Posts: 17798
Joined: 17. Mar 2008, 13:41
Primary OS: Debian other
VBox Version: VirtualBox+Oracle ExtPack
Guest OSses: Windows XP, Windows 7, Linux
Location: /dev/random

Post by Sasquatch »

Shared Folders need to be defined on the VM settings, not the Sharing properties of the folder in Explorer. You can add the mount line in /etc/fstab, but users (including me) reported that it doesn't mount properly and you have to manually run a sudo mount -a to mount it. The other, working method others have used, is to simply add the mount command in /etc/rc.local, so it runs after the VB modules are loaded.
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.
Carlos Xavier
Posts: 2
Joined: 10. Nov 2008, 18:59

Post by Carlos Xavier »

Thanks everyone for your help. I figured what I was doing wrong and I am posting a solution for the next person that has a similar problem.

This step might be kind of obvious for a lot of people, but it was not for me.

1. sudo apt-get install build-essential

2. then add the guest additions as indicated in the manual section 4

3. create a directory if you want

sudo mkdir /mnt/windowsxp

This step can be avoid as long as you know exactly where is the folder that you want to share

4. sudo mount -t vboxsf ubuntu /mnt/windowsxp

*ubuntu is the name of the folder that I created in Windows XP and I decided to share.

5. This step is not necessary, but I got a lot of references from previous versions of virtualbox, so you might need it.
This is to start the sharing at booting or something like that:

sudo gedit /etc/fstab

Add this line

ubuntu /mnt/windowsxp vboxsf rw,uid=1000,gid=1000 0 0

that is it!
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