[Solved] XP host to XP guest folder sharing

[Pleek]

Ok, i need some help. Should be easy to answer. I have an xp host and a xp guest system running. Im trying to set up a shared folder in "shared documents/Machine Shared Files". I followed the network sharing wizard and all, but when I try to add it to the guest system is where my problem is. I browse for the folder but I can't click "OK". Im assuming its something to do with my virtualbox or my host XP. Can somebody run me through it?


thanks, Pleek.

[Perryg]

Pleek,

Are you trying a network share or are you trying to setup the VirtualBox shared folder?
For network share we would need more information about the network settings.
For the Shared folder you simply go to the shared folders of the guest settings and select what it is you want to share.
Then you start the guest and open a command window and type the following:

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net use z: \\vboxsvr\<sharename> -p

Replacing <sharename> with the name you gave the share in the settings. This will map the share and it will show up in the file manager as a mapped drive.

[Sasquatch]

Keep in mind that names for the Shared Folders in VB cannot contain spaces, these are officially illegal characters in network paths. VB won't let you continue if the name contains a space.

[mpack]

Then you start the guest and open a command window and type the following:

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net use z: \\vboxsvr\<sharename> -p

Perry, I've seen you offer this advice several times now, but I'm confused because I've never found it to be necessary in any of my XP guest VMs: assuming guest additions are installed, and assuming that I've listed a valid shared folder in the VM settings, then the shared folder works and is visible in the "My Network Places" branch in explorer. Can you expand a bit on why this command may sometimes be necessary, or what feature it enables over and above the functionality I normally see?

Btw, I'm still using VBox 2.1.4 - perhaps you are dealing with some regression in 3.x that I'm not aware of?

Or can this command enable shared folders in a VM that has no GAs installed?

[Sasquatch]

Mpack, it's in the manual to use that command. Also, with Windows 7, you can't browse the My Network Places to find the shared folders, but issuing this command will make it work. You can also just enter the UNC path in the address bar (\\vboxsrv\<sharename>) to access the share. And even though you can browse it, not every user sees what we talk about, and after they run the above command, they can see it like any other network mapping in Explorer. We could use something else as answer, like opening Explorer, going to Tools > Map Network Drive and enter the UNC path there, but this involves less steps.

[mpack]

Thanks for the info.

[Perryg]

Yup!
I find it easier (as I suspect VBox found out early) to show someone the way by using a visual approach instead of a tutorial description of how to use the file manager.
Add to this Windows 7 having a problem it is much easier for me and I suspect the user to show them the way instead of telling them the way.
Then there is the part that being older than dirt this is the way I do it anyway, old habits kind of thing.

And yes it is the same basic command for standard network shares. If you know the IP address of the VM that you have running and have a share in you can type the command replacing the information and the share will be created. net use x: \\192.168.0.2\Share -p Will map the share of the machine address and the -p makes it persistent.

By the way I have found that the network share is much faster then the shared folder too, so I do use it a lot.

[mpack]

If you know the IP address of the VM that you have running and have a share in you can type the command replacing the information and the share will be created. net use x: \\192.168.0.2\Share -p Will map the share of the machine address and the -p makes it persistent.

Thanks for the expansion, that is a lot clearer.

[Pleek]

Pleek,

Are you trying a network share or are you trying to setup the VirtualBox shared folder?
For network share we would need more information about the network settings.
For the Shared folder you simply go to the shared folders of the guest settings and select what it is you want to share.
Then you start the guest and open a command window and type the following:

Code: Select all

net use z: \\vboxsvr\<sharename> -p

Replacing <sharename> with the name you gave the share in the settings. This will map the share and it will show up in the file manager as a mapped drive.

Keep in mind that names for the Shared Folders in VB cannot contain spaces, these are officially illegal characters in network paths. VB won't let you continue if the name contains a space.

Thanks for those two replies. After i removed the spaces in my folder, and ran that command all is working perfectly. Thanks!

[Sands]

Mpack, it's in the manual to use that command. Also, with Windows 7, you can't browse the My Network Places to find the shared folders, but issuing this command will make it work. You can also just enter the UNC path in the address bar (\\vboxsrv\<sharename>) to access the share. And even though you can browse it, not every user sees what we talk about, and after they run the above command, they can see it like any other network mapping in Explorer. We could use something else as answer, like opening Explorer, going to Tools > Map Network Drive and enter the UNC path there, but this involves less steps.

Also, with Windows 7, you can't browse the My Network Places to find the shared folders, but issuing this command will make it work.

Thanks I have been pulling my hair out trying to get shared VB Folder to work on Win7!

So my only option is use the command line each time.

Before launching the OS in Virtual Box: In settings, I added a folder named shared that I made on my Host.

Then I Launched the Virtual Box Guest OS then used devices/install guest additions.

The I launched Fire Fox Browser In my guest OS and in the browser address bar i used //vboxsvr/shared

Bang There it is!

I can drag an drop the files as needed!

I never could get the command line method to work.

Thanks Sasquatch!