Copy Or Move Data Reside In Host OS From Guest OS In Virtual Machine

In my opinion, virtual machine or virtual computer is separated from the host machine (the real computer that we can touch). It means, although virtual machine is installed inside the host computer, but the link or connection between them seem not exist.

This can be proved when you cannot copy or move the data directly from the host OS (installed into host machine) into the guest OS (installed into virtual machine) and vice versa. See below



Anyhow, the data transfer between both entities can possibly be performed using the certain technique that will be presented to you in this article.



What You Need

1. VBoxGuestAdditions.iso, the ISO image file.
   
   
   
2. Shared folder.

Before The Procedures

1. You must install VBoxGuestAddition into guest OS (Windows XP). To do so, please follow the steps below:
   
   
   Start you virtual machine –-> ignore any information (if appears) by click OK
   
   
   
   Based on above, click Devices –-> click Install Guest Additions… –-> the box below will appears and prompt you to download VBoxGuestAdditions ISO image file, click Yes
   
   
   
   Another box will appears and you need to click Download to start the download process. See below
   
   
   
   Just after you click Download, you will notice the download indicator place at the bottom left of your virtual machine’s interface. See below
   
   
   
   When the indicator reach 100%, another box will appears which prompt you to mount the ISO image file that you had downloaded. Click Mount
   
   
   
   After you click Mount, the setup wizard for VirtualBox Guest Additions will appears like below
   
   
   
   From here you can start the installation of VirtualBox Guest Additions software until it complete. If you see the box below during installation, just click Continue Anyway
   
   
   
   The installation process will considered finish when you see the box below. To complete the installation, click Finish. The guest OS will reboot itself
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. You have to create the share folder in host OS (Windows 7). To do so, you need to perform the steps below:
   
   
   Create a new folder and name it with suitable name. Right click on the folder that you just created –-> click Properties –-> the Properties’ box will appears like below
   
   
   
   Inside Properties’ box, click tab Sharing –-> click Share… –-> the File Sharing’s wizard will appears. 
   
   
   
   Based on above, choose Everyone as a type of people to share –-> click Add –-> let its Permission Level as Read –-> click .
   
   Click Yes, turn on network discovery and file sharing for all public networks when you see the message below
   
   
   
   Click Done to complete the sharing process –-> click Close.
    
   
   Note:
   Now, you can save you data such as software or device driver into the shared folder you had created.
   
   
   
   
3. You need to list the shared folder you created inside the host OS. The adding process should be done in the guest OS. See the steps below: 
   
   
   
   
   Click Devices –-> click Shared Folders… –-> the settings’ box like below will appears
   
   
   
   Based on above click to add the shared folder –-> the box below will appears 
   
    
   
   Tick all check boxes under the input box Folder Name: --> click drop-down menu that represent Folder Path: –-> click --> you will be redirected to the browser box below
   
   
   
   Highlight the name of shared folder you had created –-> click OK –-> click OK –-> click OK

The Procedures

Now, let say you want to copy data reside in the host OS (Windows 7) into guest OS (Windows XP). What you need to do is you must retrieve the share folder you had created inside the host OS from the guest OS. You can do it using the following steps:

1. Inside the guest OS, press to display the Run’s box like below
   
   
   
   
   
2. Type explorer –-> click OK –-> you will see My Documents’ folder like below
   
   
   
   
   
3. Expand My Network Places –-> expand Entire Network –-> expand VirtualBox Shared Folders –-> expand \\Vboxsvr –-> double click \\VBOXSVR\vboxshare
   
   
   
   
   
4. Finally you will see the contents of shared folder in the right pane of My Documents’ folder. Now, you can copy and paste the contents directly into the guest OS.