2 minor problems overcome - VBox

[IcSilk]

I promised Hybrid I would post the solution to a VBox issue I was having here.
At the time I had 2 problems that run logically enough, back-to-back.

Both were concerning the Ubuntu OS I run off of Oracle VBox with a Win 7 host. I can't exactly remember which one my problem was concerning so I'll address both.
Im really new to both virtual computing and *nix, so these problems are really elementary; but to someone just getting into either, or both, this could save them alot of time and frustration.

First was the installation of VBox Guest Additions.
Now I dumb out alot and get myself into some iffy situations because I just get into an explore mode an totally neglect analyze mode
The research I did in the hours I spent on this problem showed me that many newbies make a major logical error.
DO NOT DOWNLOAD THE .ISO TO YOUR HOST.

It sounds so obvious but alot of people do it. Some even try to install it on their host. I didn't go this far, but I did download the Guest Additions .iso to my host (just like the original Ubuntu .iso) expecting to install it on VB from my Win 7 OS.
I used the GUI to download it, and since Im new to *nix went to CLI to install it. I don't recall exactly the isssue, but I used many different command formats - ones I constructed logically from what I already knew, and ones I got from other sites online. I kept getting a missing file or directory error.
I know some hardcore *nixers will want to hang me for it, but I reverted to the GUI filesystem to install it. Right from the FF Downloads window. The virtual cd icon was on my desktop and shared clipboard was up and running. lol
As far as *nix CLI is concerned I cheated let myself down and disgraced the team etc etc. My defense is that I did spend alot of time on it and "just wanted it to work, already!"

The second problem was mounting shared folders between host and box.
First, if you've assigned a shared path previous to installing Guest Additions you've wasted time. Delete the assignment and redefine it.
When you do so check the 'Auto Mount' option.
I messed with this a bit before I thought about things for a second and decided that it may be because I had assigned the shared path prior to getting Guest Additions running right.

'Auto Mount' should have created a directory with 'sf_' prefix (sf = shared folder) in /media.

Even though I 'Auto Mounted' I got messing around with it in the CLI. I was just experimenting thinking that if 'Auto Mount' took care of everything that needed doing then I would just get 'Already Mounted' messages in CLI. you won't, you'll get 'Error' messages.

I don't have exact recall of every step I took while dealing with this, and I have no idea why I couldn't install Guest Additions from CLI. I copied many codes from many different sources, used my own learned logic in proofreading my typing and debugging the codes. I finally off-the-cuff-like gave it a try through GUI. It worked. Everything was up and running.
Its not a puzzle I've forgotten but ones whos conclusion I know will come with better familiarity, So I made note of it and put it on the back-burner. I thought it might have something to do with Xserver or lack of; I don't yet have enough knowledge of it to know if thats feasible.
Its a solution that will show in time, Im confident ..

I hope this helped someone/s getting alittle farther ahead. I know its not anything ground-breaking, but hopefully someone will get something from it.

The next puzzle Im going to tackle is re-piping the assigned host share path to a different default vdirectory on VBox. But thats to wait until tomorrow. When I figure it out I'll write about it, by that time I'll at least know the term that refers to 're-piping the assigned host share path to a different default vdirectory on VBox' more simply


Blessings
F

[bludgeon]

I think you should reread any search engine "mounting fs linux" to page ten. It's an important process that is always used. It will also give you an idea of what type of file formats you can use and how to pipe the commands to other processes. Moar tiem on cumands lien maens lesser tiem on clicky clicky mouse thing, imo.

I like to explore, too; but only after I understand hows to navigates and use the system I'm on....which brings me to an odd aside, however;....for me, it's easier to type 8 lines of text and hit a few "hot keys", than ever touching a mouse, or touch pad....

Linux is really nifty b'c there are way more methods than one to use it and when you geek on it, you'll usually find some type of niche to fall into and contribute to. Personally, I fumble like you do with something you don't know, but then I read the first 10 pages of a search engine result (skipping the ads, of course), I get a grasp...then I usually skim the next 50, or so, if I get stuck...I read the next 50, etc., ad naseum....

I will give kudos, tho, for using a windows 'viron to spawn' Ubuntu and using "virtualization"....

imo, u must figure out your VM, how it works, how to allocate resources....and then work on Ubuntu...I'm a douche and I'm totally stupid, tho, so disregard what I say.

[HYBR|D]

Kudos Icsilk.

It's not ground breaking but this will proove fruitfull for others in the future whom will no-doubt run into this situation.

as i mentioned earlier i did suffer from this issue and i didn't have the patience to figure it out, so i gave up and did an easier fix.

I am going to be re-attempting this again in the future and now i'm sure it should be achievable now i know how not to feck it up.

cheers once again and good stuff.

[IcSilk]

Linux is really nifty b'c there are way more methods than one to use it and when you geek on it, you'll usually find some type of niche to fall into and contribute to. Personally, I fumble like you do with something you don't know, but then I read the first 10 pages of a search engine result (skipping the ads, of course), I get a grasp...then I usually skim the next 50, or so, if I get stuck...I read the next 50, etc., ad naseum....

I get involved in so many things that I keep a daily journal of all I do each day, too. I don't get into super huge detail about it, but just so I don't forget alot of things or break off an exploration before I get to its conclusion.
Its my action daily file, I just use word pad to do it, but its also about the first file I open up everyday because I keep notes on where I left off the day before for example: before going to bed I might have finished up to pg 350 in the ebook Im reading on python programming, so I simply put python -> pg351 in the last entry of the day and I know exactly where I was before.
Alot of problems I come across, I know from experience, have solutions that will show themselve in time, so I note them down in usually within that week I would have figured it out.

That all being said, I wish I would have been more detailed in my entries concerning these 2 problems, especiallly the one concerning Guest Additions. all I typed in journal, was downloaded Guest additions and installed guest additions, and a few lines down I have asterixed VB GA's not install in CLI? Why need GUI?

Ironically, if it would have taken me until the next day to figure out I would have had alot more detail about it because I would have had to 'come back' to it rather than the 'sticking with it' way I went about it.

So in this case 'coming back to' would have been better than 'sticking with'

[m3rk3r]

Just a little thinking here, I've used vBox and VMware products extensively. With not only Ubuntu, but Server 2003, Server 2008, Windows 7, XP, BackTrack 4 & 5, Fedora and probably a few others i've failed to list.

Saying that, you stated in caps, do not download the Guess Additions to your Host OS. Well this isn't really smart because as soon as you create a new VM you have to do it all over again. So all you actually have to do is download it once, and just click on the devices, and mount the iso to the virtual machine. This is done in both VMware and vBox. Though vBox isn't as seamless as VMware since VMware you just click "install guest addons" and it works or it doesn't. On the other hand vBox you generally can just mount it if it doesn't work by just clicking it. Also make sure to update your vBox version of Guest Additons or generally update vBox, and grab the newest version of guest additions since the last one didn't support and wouldn't install in the newest Ubuntu version. Though the new Guest Additions (i got it about 3-4 weeks ago) did work and installed flawlessly. Though I haven't been able to get it to work in BackTrack 5, and haven't tried that hard so that also could be the reason i didn't get it to work. But again, mount it from the VM after downloading to the host machine. As in host i saw the machine that is running the VM not the actual OS running inside of your VM (the guest).

I don't currently remember the exact code for installing the vbox additions, but im almost 100% positive that

chmod 777 VirtualBox_additionsrestoffilenamehere.run

wil get you started. And then do

./Virtualbox_additionsfileyoujustchmoded.run

And from there I've always had it work. And yes to get shared folders working you need to first install vbox additions, as this is required to do almost everything with your VM, though i think they made it so the mouse works without clicking left alt to get out of the VM. I'm sorry if this wasn't your problem and I explained it in a different way, but for anyone else this is how i've been doing it for a few years. And it has worked amazingly well. But also remember that getting VMware server is free and works just as well since you can create your own VMs. And has great support.

@icSilk did you make sure to have the most current vBox additions when you went to install them, or did you click "Install Guest Additions" As this won't work if you dont have the newest version required to run that OS. So download it your Host OS, and just mount it from the Devices menu. I want to write a tutorial since i've been using this for a while but currently dont have vBox installed on my new mbp.

[bludgeon]

I know this is old, and I don't care.

Everyone should chmod 777 everything like this fine gentleman has suggested. Especially your Virtual Environment, b/c I want privvies to all your data.

Herp a derp....

[bludgeon]

As an aside...anything "virtual" is just that, think of it as another machine, physically and software wise. You're trying to run another computer inside a computer.