can't access dvd drive using guest OS

[carlyn]

hi, i just started musing VirtualBox 4.6.10 and I used all the defaults for three vm's. Am running it on Win 7. The three OS I have within the three VM are XP, SUSE 12.? and Ubuntu. Under devices I have the dvd drive selected. I cannot access the dvd drive with any of these OS/VM ? I also need to stop all VM's to even access or open the DVD drive using my host Win 7. Can anyone help me ?

[Perryg]

Enable passthrough on the CD/DVD in the storage section of the guests. (guest must be shut down.)
Verify your version as 4 6.* has not see the light of day.

[carlyn]

Verify your version as 4 6.* has not see the light of day.

no wonder i couldnt join the forum yesterday, it kept knocking me back on version number. thankyou, i'll go ahead with your advice.

[carlyn]

Thanks for that last tip, now all OS's can access the DVD . Have a similar problem now with the Card Reader. it reads a micro SD card from my camera. Also have a second card reader atteched to the pc via USB cable. How can I get latest version of suse or ubuntu to recognise them ? is this a virtualbox issue for me or a linux issue for me ? I am new to virtualbox and linux. trying them all out at the same time.

I am using virtualbox to learn linux.

[carlyn]

Hi again, since i installed 'Guest Additions" it seems i cannot use my dvd drive. when i go into 'Storage" i cant find the 'Pass through' option. im also thinking it now thinks the dvd/cd drive is an
guest additions.iso . sorry for basic questions.

[Perryg]

You need to unmount (release) the CD from the guest. (like taking it out of the tray on a real PC).
You can only use pass through on the host (physical cd). Since the guest additions are an ISO this can't be the host drive but rather an emulated drive.
Either way you need to unmount the cd first then things should fall in place for you.

[carlyn]

ok thx Perryg. still confused. the XP virtualbox also thinks the guest additions.iso is now the cd/dvd drive. i think thats the pic i included. anyhow i just woke up this morning and ill play around with it.
{edit]
its looking ok i am getting there thx............

[Perryg]

Look to the right and see the little CD icon and the down arrow. Click that and a pull down will show where you can select the Host drive or a virtual drive (ISO).
It will be worded differently because this is running inside one of my guests.

CD-Attach.png (38.93 KiB) Viewed 23341 times

[carlyn]

thanks very much. all virtual boxes working now. just need to get usb devices going later and all, set.