Access raw disk vmdk with normal user

[davidshen84]

I have created a raw disk vmdk for my USB drive.

Code: Select all

"C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage.exe" internalcommands createrawvmdk -filename hd0.vmdk" -rawdisk \\.\PhysicalDrive3

And I have able to use this disk in the guest VM successfully. But every time I use it, I have to start vbox as Admin, which is very inconvenient. Is there's a way to allow normal user accessing this vmdk file and start my guest without escalated privilege?

[scottgus1]

One way to not have to run as admin is to not use raw access, but share the usb drive on the host and access the usb's data via regular shared folders. Or use Virtualbox's Guest-Additions-based shared folders, then you don't need any normal network - but you'd be limited to file sharing, probably not running programs off the usb.

Windows can and does change the drive number designation used to enable raw access, so PhysicalDrive3 today may not be PhysicalDrive3 tomorrow. Thus some of the warnings for being careful when using raw access.