Can the host access the virtual drives directly?

[lwc]

That is, loading CD/DVD images in VirtualBox to use it as a virtual CD/DVD drive?

[Sasquatch]

No, that is not possible. If you want to use ISO files directly as CD/DVD drive, then use other tools.

[mpack]

The answer to the question in the title is yes, in general, using network shared folders, but that probably will not work with a virtual CD drive. Network shared folders work both ways: a folder marked as shared on the host is visible to the guest - and vice versa. You would need to be using Host Only or Bridged networking for this to work.

However you were probably after a convenient way to browse ISO images from the host, and you can't use this idea for that. However you can conveniently browse them from inside a guest, then copy any files you like to a shared folder on the host - that's one of things I use VBox for.

[Sasquatch]

However you were probably after a convenient way to browse ISO images from the host, and you can't use this idea for that. However you can conveniently browse them from inside a guest, then copy any files you like to a shared folder on the host - that's one of things I use VBox for.

Hehe, that's why I like Linux. One simple command, and you mount an ISO to an empty folder, ready to browse and start things from it.
But tools like Daemon Tools, UltraISO, MagicISO, or whatever can provide you with the same thing for Windows.

[mpack]

But tools like Daemon Tools, UltraISO, MagicISO, or whatever can provide you with the same thing for Windows.

Yep, so I've heard, though I've never gotten around to checking them out. I find the VBox method convenient enough already, and actually prefer it to an alternative which I suspect may mess up the drive letter assignments on my host.

[Sasquatch]

Not to mention that most of those tools are shareware, in other words, you need to pay for them. And it seems that Daemon Tools now demands hardware-V, yuk .

[lwc]

mpack, these softwares usually assign a drive only when it's needed.

http://wincdemu.sysprogs.org is free/open source. I just hoped VirtualBox could be my one-in-all virtual utility.

[mpack]

mpack, these softwares usually assign a drive only when it's needed.

I know that, but normally they assign the first available drive letter: 'F' on my system, which is normally my USB stick. If I then plug in the USB stick while the virtual ISO is still mounted then XP assigns a new drive letter (G) to the memory stick - and uses that new drive letter forever afterwards for all USB sticks. A second USB stick would then become (H). I just don't like that the drive letters are "shuffled along". In fact I really don't like that drive letters are messed with at all, I would prefer a mount point.

[Sasquatch]

Some virtual CD apps like UltraISO allow you to select a drive letter for it.
There is also a service for USB drives, called "USB drive letter manager" that allows you to do some neat things, like hide the drive letters of card readers when no card is inserted, define drive letters for them (e.g. H:, I:, J:, K:).