virtualbox.org

New to virtual machines, and now I've got my first, and amazed how well this works. Does the antivirus protection of the host cover the guest as well or is separate protection needed in the guest as well? Another issue is that I can't seem to get the printer configured. Host runs Windows 7 64bit home premium, while the Guest is Windows XP 32bit. The printer is a HP 5510 all-in-one. I haven't been unable to get drivers installed in the guest. An HP technician took control of my machine and failed to be able to install a driver in the guest. In settings with the guest off, Enable Network Adapter is checked and NAT is selected. If I try to select Bridge Adapter I get an Invalid settings error. Putting the mouse pointed over the error icon gives Network Adapter page 1 : No bridged network adapter selected. I have drag 'n drop selected which I assumed was between Host and Guest, but doesn't work.

Antivirus is needed in the guest, too, only if you go on the internet with the guest. XP shouldn't be on the web nowadays. Network routers often have a web access restrictions page that can block by IP address or MAC address, to keep accidental web use from hosing a PC, whether guest or host.

Drag-n-drop is experimental, and only on Linux, I think. Use a shared folder - either Virtualbox's shared Folders, with Guest Additions installed in the guest, or through a regular Windows shared folder, if you can get the network set up right.

You'll need to give some more info to get the network glitch fixed. See viewtopic.php?f=24&t=48476

Additional info :

VirtualBox version 4.3.24r98716

Host - Windows7 64bit Home 6gb installed RAM (?)
Guest - Windows XP 32bit 192mb RAM

Don't see any way to attach the log files ?

I would set the guests NIC to BRIDGED and not NAT. How is this printer connected to the host, via the network or USB or??? If it's on the network it may work with the bridged network. If it's USB driven I would advice against trying to get it to work directly on the guest and instead share it on the HOST and then use it on the guest via teh share.

When I try to select Bridge Adapter, I get an error, Invalid Settings detected, Network Adapter 1 page : No bridge network adapter is currently used. HP has told me that they don't support an adapter for a virtual machine in this case

SteveGG wrote:When I try to select Bridge Adapter, I get an error, Invalid Settings detected, Network Adapter 1 page : No bridge network adapter is currently used. HP has told me that they don't support an adapter for a virtual machine in this case

That's total BS. You are not connecting to anything HP you are connecting to the hosts network adapter.
I suspect they say this to stop any further questions. Why not post the guests log file ( as an attachment ) and the following:

From the hosts terminal/command window type VBoxManage showvminfo <VM Name> --details and post here. Replace <VM Name> with the actual name of the VM. Use " " if the name has a space in it.

Note if the host is Windows you need to be in the directory that has VBoxManage.exe for the command to work.

Windows 7 got rid of the terminal command window; where do I find it now? Also, don't see how files are attached to forum postings. I know, dumb questions, still ...

Well that's a Windows OS question and not VBox but you should be able to click on start run type cmd.

When you are typing the reply look below the reply window. two tabs labeled Options and Upload attachment.

Attached are the log files. However, when I run VBoxManage.exe with the switches, I get a very brief window in monochrome (looks like DOS) and all information scrolling very fast. Please tell me how to deal with this and thanks.

I posted the following summary of developments under the subject Guest Still Won't Print and was told to post under this original posting so here it follows :

Intel dual core, running Windows 7 64bit in the host, and windows XP 32bit in the guest. Printer is HP 5510 all-in-one. HP technician took control of my computer but failed, telling me something like HP doesn't have a driver for the guest in this case. In two other threads I got a variety of informative advice including: getting a network with sharing the printer Host to Guest, configuring the Guest setting network for Advance Bridge instead NAT, but then I get an error indicating that 1 page something is lacking a network something. Finally a step to provide the logs , NOW ATTACHED, but also something from running VBoxManager.exe with switches to also be attached, but when I try to run the utility I just get a quick monochrome (looks like DOS) window with information scrolling way to fast to read, hence nothing attached there. I use the guest to run well, many good old programs which won't run in later versions of Windows, but it sure would be nice to have printer capability! Please someone knowlegible in this stuff get me some help which will be greatly appreciated and thanks!

attachment in other posts ...

You need to use the shared printer function of the Windows host. Then you need to *not* use VBox NAT. For the guest to see the Windows network you would need to use Bridged ( if you have a router ) or add a second adapter in the guest to use host-only. Then you would map a network printer and the drivers would load.

As I previously said, I'm new to this, so please excuse dumb questions. Please explain your first sentence, as to how to use the shared printer function of the Windows host. How do I access and change this?

You would ask the Microsoft forums for assistance on how to share your printer. It is the exact same thing as on metal since you are doing a network share. This part has nothing to do with VirtualBox with the exception that you need to be using Bridged or host-only since VBox NAT will not allow you to see your LAN.