virtualbox.org

Hello.

I seen it mentioned in another fourm that the Guest Additions are the only drivers which will allow the guest OS to communicate with the physical hardware on the mother board. Is this true?
I would think that you still need to install certain drivers so that the guest OS can communicate with the hardware controllers on the mother board, How would the Guest Additions have drivers for every hardware controller out there, (such as chipsets, Nics, Sound cards)?
One user-(from another site) mentioned that you should treat the guest OS as though it were a real install, and install any drivers you would normally install. which is correct? From what I'm seeing in the manual, it sounds like all the drivers are virtual drivers bundled as the Guest Additions.
On the other hand (I haven't figured it out at the moment) I can’t access my other data drives to install chipset drivers because I have the guest running in a static .vdi file.

Thank you.



-----running----
Sun VirtualBox
V2.2.2 r46594

Host: XP Pro
Guest: Vista 32
Guest: Ubuntu

You should NOT try to install drivers for your real hardware. You are running in a virtual machine that only sees virtual hardware.
In some guests you might have to install extra drivers for the hardware that VirtualBox gives you. For Example in XP you need to add an intel driver if you want to use VB:s virtual sata controller. But once again this has nothing to do with your real diskcontroller that one might be say scsi and the disks can still be presented to your guest as if they were on an IDE controller.

waveform wrote:Hello.

I seen it mentioned in another fourm that the Guest Additions are the only drivers which will allow the guest OS to communicate with the physical hardware on the mother board. Is this true?

Yes this is true.

I would think that you still need to install certain drivers so that the guest OS can communicate with the hardware controllers on the mother board, How would the Guest Additions have drivers for every hardware controller out there, (such as chipsets, Nics, Sound cards)?

The VBox drivers connect to the hardware and emulate the proper device to the OS that it needs (Vbox Video, Vbox audio, Standard USB, Etc..)

One user-(from another site) mentioned that you should treat the guest OS as though it were a real install, and install any drivers you would normally install. which is correct?

For the most part this is not a good idea. You must use the VBox drivers or it will not work properly.

Because (I just haven't figured it out at the moment) I can’t access my other data drives to install chipset drivers because I have the guest running in a static .vdi file.

You need to start looking at these units as if they were (2) seperate computers. Then it will all make sense.

Thank you.



-----running----
Sun VirtualBox
V2.2.2 r46594

Host: XP Pro
Guest: Vista 32
Guest: Ubuntu

Questions answered above, in your quote.

Thanks baf!

Edit
sorry, Perryg;
I didn't see your post while I was typing this.
sorry about that, And thank you.
when you say emulate, is it safe to say that VB is using the already installed drivers that the host uses to communicate with the hardware?

waveform wrote:But still, being that Sun is making these guest driver interfaces, how are they able to cover all the physical controllers out there? Are the guest additions generic enough in that they just do the essentials, sort of like a plug-and-play display driver?

They hook into the Host system, so if the Host supports it so do they.

Sorry, was editing my post when you typed vbox4me2, You guys are quick!

but vbox4me2, I think you answered my last question above. So it sounds like they do hook into the drivers that were installed for the host.

Thank you
And thank you to all of you, for such quick responses! I appreciate the assistance!

waveform wrote:Hello. I seen it mentioned in another fourm that the Guest Additions are the only drivers which will allow the guest OS to communicate with the physical hardware on the mother board. Is this true?

Perryg wrote:Yes this is true.

Actually even the GA can't communicate with the hardware on the M/B. It's bound by the same VM constraints enforced by the VBox VMM as any other guest code. What the VMM adds is a hidden interface, the Host-Guest Communications driver which is more a device interface that allows the guest to call special host functions. It is not an open interface. It is a closed one. Probably the nearest analogy is the hardware interface that some graphics adaptors offer the host CPU. The host VMM is configured to allow the functions that the guest code can then call. There are currently functions to support time synchronisation, property passing and a filesystem interface. Yes, the GA drivers and the VBoxControl interface use them, but they can't use more than is offered.

However if you are a developer then you can extend the host side though the VBox Pluggable Device Manager, and thus extend the interface on the guest side.