Problem reading floppy drive

[ukdodger]

What you need to do is basic file usage, nothing fancy. Open the A drive window on the host. You should see all the folders and files on the floppy in the window. In the Organize dropdown pick Select All, then pick Copy. Open the host's shared folder, and in the Organize dropdown pick Paste. The drive should start up and gradually all the files will copy over. In the guest, you will find the files in the shared folder.

If your program is on multiple disks, see this: http://ask-leo.com/can_i_copy_a_multifl ... _work.html

Almost.. The files are listed in the host, I can highlight them and click copy but then the paste option is greyed out in the guest shared folder. And even if I try pasting to Notebook in the host it's greyed out.

[scottgus1]

I try pasting to Notebook in the host it's greyed out

If you're trying to copy the selected files then paste them into Notepad, I get the same thing. Never thought of pasting a file into Notepad, actually.

But you ought to be able to copy the files off the floppy onto the hard drive. Can you try to copy them one at a time or drag-copy them?

[ukdodger]

I try pasting to Notebook in the host it's greyed out

If you're trying to copy the selected files then paste them into Notepad, I get the same thing. Never thought of pasting a file into Notepad, actually.

But you ought to be able to copy the files off the floppy onto the hard drive. Can you try to copy them one at a time or drag-copy them?

Lol. Quite. You cant anyway. I can paste them to the host hard drive as 'all' or singly but nothing works into the guest shared folder.

[scottgus1]

paste them to the host hard drive as 'all' or singly

Good! So you get copies of the files on the host hard drive?

[ukdodger]

paste them to the host hard drive as 'all' or singly

Good! So you get copies of the files on the host hard drive?

Yes.

[scottgus1]

OK, that's good. Now move the files you have on the host hard drive to the host shared folder. Inside the guest, open the host's shared folder. Do you see the copied files?

[ukdodger]

OK, that's good. Now move the files you have on the host hard drive to the host shared folder. Inside the guest, open the host's shared folder. Do you see the copied files?

I think the shared folder is the problem. I dont think I specified the share correctly. I'll do it again and come back.

[scottgus1]

Keep in mind that you share the folder from the host, and you access that folder in the guest by opening Run... and typing \\hostpcname to see the host's shared folders.

[ukdodger]

OK, that's good. Now move the files you have on the host hard drive to the host shared folder. Inside the guest, open the host's shared folder. Do you see the copied files?

I think the shared folder is the problem. I dont think I specified the share correctly. I'll do it again and come back.

I created a shared folder in the guest with a path to a folder of the same name in the host (The copied files are in that folder). But I cant figure how to point to that folder in the guest XP. I tried creating a folder in the guest 'Shared documents' with the same name as the host folder and attempted to C&P but 'Paste' is still greyed out.

[ukdodger]

Keep in mind that you share the folder from the host, and you access that folder in the guest by opening Run... and typing \\hostpcname to see the host's shared folders.

Just seen this post. What is the \\hostpcname?

[ukdodger]

OK, that's good. Now move the files you have on the host hard drive to the host shared folder. Inside the guest, open the host's shared folder. Do you see the copied files?

I think the shared folder is the problem. I dont think I specified the share correctly. I'll do it again and come back.

I created a shared folder in the guest with a path to a folder of the same name in the host (The copied files are in that folder). But I cant figure how to point to that folder in the guest XP. I tried creating a folder in the guest 'Shared documents' with the same name as the host folder and attempted to C&P but 'Paste' is still greyed out.

Ok I found the host PC name but entering 'run \\hostPC-RD' returns 'Windows cannot access \\hostPC-RD' ??

[scottgus1]

Making one folder on your host and another folder on your guest both with the same name is not how to make a shared folder. Your best bet now is to google for how to make a shared folder on one pc and access that folder on another pc. Teaching that is beyond the scope of the Virtualbox forum.

Remember, as you try to keep things straight with virtual machines, that the guest is a completely different PC living inside your host PC. What you do in the host is not visible in the guest, and vise versa.

One thing we have not established during all this shared folder stuff is whether you have a network between your host and guest. If you don't, you need one. See section 6 of the manual. Or you can use Guest Additions Shared Folders. See section 4.3 of the manual. Post back when you have figured out how to open one PC's shared folder on another PC, or when you have a Guest Additions Shared Folder working, and you are able to transfer files between host and guest.

[ukdodger]

Making one folder on your host and another folder on your guest both with the same name is not how to make a shared folder. Your best bet now is to google for how to make a shared folder on one pc and access that folder on another pc. Teaching that is beyond the scope of the Virtualbox forum.

Remember, as you try to keep things straight with virtual machines, that the guest is a completely different PC living inside your host PC. What you do in the host is not visible in the guest, and vise versa.

One thing we have not established during all this shared folder stuff is whether you have a network between your host and guest. If you don't, you need one. See section 6 of the manual. Or you can use Guest Additions Shared Folders. See section 4.3 of the manual. Post back when you have figured out how to open one PC's shared folder on another PC, or when you have a Guest Additions Shared Folder working, and you are able to transfer files between host and guest.

Ok thanks for your time and help.

[ukdodger]

Making one folder on your host and another folder on your guest both with the same name is not how to make a shared folder. Your best bet now is to google for how to make a shared folder on one pc and access that folder on another pc. Teaching that is beyond the scope of the Virtualbox forum.

Remember, as you try to keep things straight with virtual machines, that the guest is a completely different PC living inside your host PC. What you do in the host is not visible in the guest, and vise versa.

One thing we have not established during all this shared folder stuff is whether you have a network between your host and guest. If you don't, you need one. See section 6 of the manual. Or you can use Guest Additions Shared Folders. See section 4.3 of the manual. Post back when you have figured out how to open one PC's shared folder on another PC, or when you have a Guest Additions Shared Folder working, and you are able to transfer files between host and guest.

Hi. Ok this is a very helpful video on how to configure a shared folder.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivb_-jOLmhs

And it works. I've set up a shared folder between the host and guest. But as the program executes from disks I also set up a shared 'A' drive with a controller and path made permanent and that works to - up to a point. The program I'm trying to instal on the guest is on five floppies. As each one loads it asks for the next and there's the problem. It loads the first floppy and asks for disk 2. But when I insert disk 2 and hit 'Enter' it returns:

' setup could not find a file on the specified path or disk please check that the proper disk is inserted or specify a new path'.

It is the right disk. Is this a problem within Virtualbox or the program?

[scottgus1]

Is this a problem within Virtualbox or the program?

I'm not sure. Not too many floppy users anymore to develop a conclusion.
Try the Ask Leo link I posted earlier http://ask-leo.com/can_i_copy_a_multifl ... _work.html
to see if you can merge the disks.