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visualbox

I am a new user of VB and I am just feeling my way around. I have loaded
VB 3.0 PUEL and it is running Windows XP Pro in Ubuntu 9.04. I would
like to be able to use an external HDD with a USB connection with XP
but, so far, have failed to do so. Should it be possible for a non
technical person like me to do this, please? All help greatly
appreciated.

Norman

Re: visualbox

On Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:25:33 +0100

I don't know what your specific problem is, but the following helped
me.
http://www.davidgrant.ca/virtualbox_usb_windows_xp_guest_ubuntu_hardy

  • By Raquel at 07/08/2009 - 16:59
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Re: visualbox

Hi Norman,

In short, absolutely.

Ensure you're running the PUEL version of Virtualbox. As long as you
are, you're golden with using USB devices. Here's how its done.

It doesn't matter if VB is running or not when you connect your USB
device, but it must be connected and visible to Ubuntu (HDDs will
generally present an icon on the Ubuntu desktop when recognized and
fully enumerated).

If VB isn't running, launch it. if it is, get it in the foreground and
start your guest operating system (in your case WinXP).

Once the guest OS is running, look at the outer edge of the VB window at
top left. One of the pull down menus will be 'USB Devices'...from there
a sub menu will fly out to the right. Click on the device you want to
be visible to the guest OS.
Then just watch as Windows does what it usually does when a USB drive is
connected...you should be good to go.

Please do report back your success...and if you're still having trouble,
that too.

HTH,
-Ray

Re: visualbox

Instructions were followed verbatim and the device did not show up in
the sub-menu. What I find puzzling is that a USB scanner showed up and
worked without any problem.

Norman

  • By norman at 07/06/2009 - 09:57
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Re: visualbox

Carefully read 3.7.9 USB support and 4.6 Folder sharing in the
VirtualBox documentation.

From 3.7.9:

Note:
1. Be careful with USB devices that are currently in use on the host!
For example, if you allow your guest to connect to your USB hard disk
that is currently mounted on the host, when the guest is activated, it
will be disconnected from the host without a proper shutdown. This may
cause data loss.

So rather than attempting to mount the drive in the guest, set samba
sharing on the drive (from the host) and then use 'My Network Places'
and vboxsvr (4.6 Folder sharing):

In a Windows guest, starting with VirtualBox 1.5.0, shared folders are
browseable and are therefore visible in Windows Explorer. So, to attach
the host’s shared folder to your Windows guest, open Windows Explorer
and look for it under “My Networking Places” -> “Entire Network” ->
“VirtualBox Shared Folders”. By right-clicking on a shared folder and
selecting “Map network drive” from the menu that pops up, you can assign
a drive letter to that shared folder.
Alternatively, on the Windows command line, use the following:
net use x: \\vboxsvr\sharename
While vboxsvr is a fixed name (note that vboxsrv would also work),
replace “x:“ with the drive letter that you want to use for the share,
and sharename with the share name specified with VBoxManage.

  • By NoOp at 07/06/2009 - 16:54
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