Shared folder in VirtualBox (Ubuntu and Windows 7)

Question

I want to have a directory which is accessible on both Windows 7 installed on Ubuntu host, and the Ubuntu as well.

So I have installed the Virtualbox additions on both Windows and Ubuntu.

Then in Ubuntu:

sudo mkdir /media/win7share
sudo mount -t vboxsf win7share /media/win7share

I get:

/sbin/mount.vboxsf: mounting failed with the error: No such device

• What do I need to type in Shared folders in Virtualbox Manager settings?
• What do I need to set up on Windows?

Solution 1

Host: Ubuntu

Choose the folder that is to be shared (the same way as below - open VM settings on Your host and choose). Lets say it is (folder on Your host which You want to see from Win7 guest):

/home/misery

This tutorial covers the answer. After adding Your Ubuntu folder to shared start or reboot Your Win7 VM You should search Your local area network (in Win7 guest; wait until it has searched it - the green progress bar). After that network disk should appear.

On my PC it was found with no further steps. In case of problems please refer to the tutorial.

Host: Win7, Guest OS: Ubuntu

First go to Your virtual machines settings:

Add the folder You wish to share and name it (it will automatically name it). Here the Win7 path to my folder is C:\Misery and the name is Misery

Then mark Auto mount option to mount it always when starting Your VM.

And basically that's it. Now start Your virtual machine. This tutorial explains the rest, in short You need to create the folder that will be Your mounting point (on the guest). Let's say it will be GMisery on Your ubuntu. So Create it in Your user directory. So now we have existing empty folder on guest OS:

/home/misery/GMisery

Next open Your terminal and write:

sudo mount -t vboxsf -o uid=1000,gid=1000 Misery /home/misery/GMisery

Now it should work. At least id does on my PC :] If no error occured, logout and login again and it should be done.

Please read attached tutorial also.

And in general it is a good idea to install on your host VB extension pack. However it has no influence on the topic discussed here.

Solution 2

The solution is to:

1. Install Guest additions on guest system (Windows)
2. Do not install Guest additions on host system (Ubuntu)

3. Add user to vboxusers group (or vboxsf, depending on the version):

   sudo usermod -aG vboxusers $USER
   

4. Create the dir for the shared docs:

   mkdir /home/$USER/shared
   

   (the mistake was to try to put this in /media and trying mounting it - this is not necessary as the newest VirtualBox does it for us)

5. Go to the VirtualBox options and add that shared directory to the shared paths.

   In my case the button was grayed probably due the permissions, now solved in 3.

6. Make sure that vboxsf kernel module is running by: modprobe vboxsf (inside VM).

And that's all. The specified dir will appear in the Windows as a new drive.

Comments

[Takkat]

See also this answer and another answer on Virtual Box shared folders.

[Phill Pafford]

run this command on the Host or Guest OS 'sudo usermod -g vboxsf username'?

[takeshin]

Dzięki :) But the problem is, that I can't add new shared dir in the VirtualBox config. The Ok button is grayed out, like on your screeshot. The browser shows only the Ubuntu filesystem, I can't see any Windows dirs (I have Windows inside Ubuntu host).

[Misery]

You will not see any Windows folders from Ubuntu. I have edited the answer. Please check if that solves Your problem :)

[VedVals]

No problem in answer but try to format it a little better. People are likely to take more notice because of it.

[Amalgovinus]

VirtualBox really should at least inform you that you have to pick a directory from the chooser... not good UI design

[Mr-Programs]

group 'vboxsf' does not exist

[kenorb]

@Mr-Programs Try vboxusers.

[Muhammad Hewedy]

Would be better if you consider adding screenshots in English