How To Setup Media Drives On VirtualBox OSE

Instructions For Setting Up Media Such As CD / DVD Drives And USB Drives To Be Used In VirtualBox OSE

Prerequisites: Install and setup Ubuntu v 9.04 or v 9.10, install and setup VirtualBox OSE with Windows as your virtual machine, install Guest Additions.

1. Run VirtualBox OSE.

2. Start the selected virtual machine. A new window will display your virtual machine.

3. At the footer of the virtual machine's window right-click on the blue shared folder icon. A new window will display your shared folders.

4. Create a new shared folder by clicking on the blue folder icon with the green plus or by pressing the <Ins> button.

5. Navigate to the Ubuntu media folder by clicking the down arrow to the far right of the <Folder Path> form. Click the <Other...> folder, click the <File System> folder, click the <media> folder, click the <Open> button. The <Folder Path> form will display "/media" and the <Folder Name> will display "media".

6. Click <Make Permanent> to make a check appear in the box to the left of the text. Click the <OK> button.

7. Click the <OK> button again to save your changes and close the <Shared Folders> window.

8. Go to your virtual machine. Once logged into Windows XP, go to My Computers.

9. Click <Tools>, <Map Network Drive...>, <Browse...> button. Wait for Windows XP to locate and display the network folders.

10. Click the plus sign next to <VirtualBox Shared Folders> to expand the list of shared folders.

11. Click on the <\\VBOXSVR\media> folder. This will select this folder and open the connected folders underneath it. This may take some time, so allow the time for the sub-folders to be displayed. Once displayed, click anywhere in the white area next to the <\\VBOXSVR\media> folder (make sure you have clicked somewhere where the \\VBOXSVR\media> folder is still highlighted, try again if not) and the <OK> button will change from grey text (in-executable) to black text (executable). Press the <OK> button to save your settings and close this window. This may take some time, so allow the time.

12. When done the <Map Network Drive> window will show with the folder field showing "\\VBOXSVR\media". If not, click on the <Browse...> button and continue at step 9 above. Otherwise, click <Finish>, wait for the changes to be applied. A new share folder will appear in the <My Computer> window called <media on 'Vboxsvr' (Z:)> (Note: "Z" may be another letter based on what other drives you have active.)

12. Double-click on the new folder to access your media (CD or USB drive).

13. If your device does not appear, unplug it and re-plug it in, making sure it is securely connected.

14. Press the <F5> button and the media folder will appear.