virtualbox.org

running VirtualBox 4.3.2 on OS X 10.9
running the current Linux appliance (from Developer Days)
have created a shared folder in "Media" with params automount and permanent
the shared folder is visible, but I do not have permission to access it

To gain permission I need to be either root or in the group vboxsf.

How do I get into vboxsf?

What did I do wrong?

Vboxsf isn't relevant to true network shares, which you seem to be describing. To use GA shared folders you need to install the GAs. To access a true network share you must configure your network and host permissions to give you access. The latter is a networking config problem, not a VirtualBox problem.

Please consider the following information and tell me (an accomplished Oracle application programmer but Unix novice), if possible, exactly what I have to do:

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The Shared Folder ("Rpo_stuff") was created in the host OS (Mac 10.9).

Under "Shared Folders" in the VM's "Settings" we have:

Machine Folders: Rpo_stuff
Auto-mount: Yes
Access: Full

Under the VM's "Machine" menu, "Runtime Information", "Session Attributes" we have:

Guest Additions 4.2.4 r81684 (suggesting to me that the GA are installed. Right?)

The VM's "Media" folder lists three items, including "Rpo_stuff".

If "Rpo_stuff" in the "Media" folder is selected, opening the "File" menu, "Properties", "Permissions" produces this information:

Owner: root
Folder access: Create and Write

Group: vboxsf
Folder access: Create and Write

Others
Folder access: None
...

You are not the owner, so you can't change these permissions.

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Thanks very much for your help.

Automatic shared folders require that you are in the vboxsf group on the guest.
In a host terminal run this: Replace <your username> with the name you use to log in. Type your user password when prompted.


Be sure to log off and back in to finalize the change in permissions

Thanks. I got it working but I'm not sure how.

For the record, here's the terminal session verbatim:

[oracle@localhost ~]$ sudo usermod -aG vboxsf oracle
[sudo] password for oracle:
sudo: usermod: command not found
[oracle@localhost ~]$

Before shutting down VirtualBox yesterday, under the VM's "Machine" menu, ""administration", "Users and Groups" I added user oracle to group vboxsf.

This did not appear to have any effect.

Maybe this morning's reboot did the trick. Maybe this morning's terminal session - despite appearances ("command not found") - did the trick.

In any case, your help is much appreciated.