Sharing with host files in VirtualBox

VirtualBox is an open source virtual machine software that runs on Linux/Mac and Windows hosts. Support for installing a full range of Windows operating systems (such as Win2000, XP, Vista, Windosw 7) in a virtual machine. Installing an operating system in a VirtualBox virtual machine is not complicated, as it is in a real computer. For most newcomers, the biggest trouble with using VirtualBox is sharing related issues. Today we will solve the problem of file sharing between virtual XP system and real host. The latest version of VirtualBox 3.0 is used as an example.

1. Installation Enhancements

VirtualBox comes with an enhancement tool, Sun VirtualBox Guest Additions, which is the key to virtual machine sharing with real hosts. After starting Virtual XP, click on the Control menu <;Device →“Install Enhancements, you can see the installation interface of the program, as shown in Figure 1.

But many times, users will find clicks & ldquo; nothing happens after installing enhancements. If this happens, then the program installation file is not configured. Click on the control menu <;Device & Rarr; & ldquo; Assign CD & Rarr; & ldquo; virtual drive, you can find a CD image file named "VBoxGuestAdditions.iso", double-click the file, load the virtual drive, as shown in Figure 2.

Next, the user opens the <quo;My Computer in the virtual machine, and then double-clicks the CD-ROM drive to install the enhancements.

2. Allocating data space

Next, we set up the folder in the host that is shared with the virtual machine. Click the Control menu “Device →“Assign Data Space. After entering the dialog box, first add a new data space, set the location of the data space, you must click the drop-down list, select “ other, as shown in Figure 3.

This will find the folder in the host in the folder list, select the folder to be shared and return. Check the “ fixed allocation option, now we can see the shared host folder in the data space list, as shown in Figure 4.

3. Mapping network drives

Now we can access the host folder in the form of “My Network Places”, but this kind of operation is more troublesome. We adopt the form of “mapped network drive”. Come quickly. Open "My computer" in the virtual machine, click on the menu "Tools →" to map the network drive, enter the drive number first, as shown in Figure 5.

Next, click the Browse button and find "VirtualBox Shared Folders" in the entire network tree list. The address under the folder tree is the host shared folder set in the data space. As shown in Figure 6.

Select the directory you want to map and click “OK to return. After the mapping is completed, visit again "My computer, you can see the mapped network drive, as shown in Figure 7, E disk, F disk.

This allows users to quickly access the folders in the host, allowing VirtualBox to create a virtual system that truly communicates with the host.