OS/2 tricks: How to share between Windows 7 host and OS/2 guest in VirtualBox

VirtualBox has a very convenient feature, it's a shared folder. Unfortunately, however, VirtualBox does not provide it to OS/2 guest. This article is to overcome this situation using samba.

How to use samba on OS/2 in real machine


First of all, you should read a very useful article by Gene Alexander before reading this.


How to use samba on OS/2 guest in VirtualBox


That article describes the way about a real machine. Now, apply it to a virtual machine.

When you install VirtualBox, VirtualBox Host-Only Network is installed. You can do the share using this software loopback adapter.

First, check the IP address of the VirtualBox Host-Only Network adapter. There are many ways to do this. It's ok to do whatever you know of these ways. In this article, check in VirtualBox.

1. Open VirtualBox


2. Select [File] - [Preferences...] or press [Ctrl-G], then select [Network] tab


3. Double click [VirtualBox Host-Only Ethernet Adapter] in [Host-only Networks:] or select it and click [Edit] icon on the right of the list box

 

4. Now you can check the IP address and IPv4 Network Mask

5. Click DHCP Server tab


6. Then check 'Enable Server'

7. Fill in the entry fields as you want

For references, the following is my settings.

IPv4 Address : 192.168.56.1
IPv4 Network Mask : 255.255.255.0

Server Address : 192.168.56.100
Server Mask : 255.255.255.0
Lower Address Bound : 192.168.56.101
Upper Address Bound : 192.168.56.254

Now, select your virtual machine, then open your [Network] settings of your virtual machine.


Here, let's choose a network type of virtual machine. In this case, choose NAT. Of course, you should check [Cable connected]. ^^ If you could not see this check box, you should unfold by pressing [Advanced].

After saving settings, open your virtual machine. Your OS/2 virtual machine should be
configured to use DHCP. If you don't know how to do this, please refer to other document or article. Maybe google is your friend. ^^

Now we came to the very important stage.

Check your samba client version. You should use 3.5.x build or later. In my case, 3.3.x build cannot connect to Windows 7 host. Of course, if you have no problem you don't have to upgrade to 3.5.x build or later.

If all are ready, configure samba client. If you read the article by Gene Alexander carefully, when you mount a samba resource, it's ok just to fill in Server field with the IP address of you VirtualBox Host-Only Adapter. In this case, it was 192.168.56.1.

That's all. Now you can use shread folders of Windows 7 host from OS/2 guest in VirtualBox.

The good point of this method is that there is no need to worry about which external adapter is connected to the internet. It's enough that only one adapter of those is connected.

But the bad points are that bottle-neck phenomenon occurs when accessing a shared resource from time to time, and that opening a file fails due to the same reason.

I don't know the reason exactly, I guess this is a problem of VirtualBox Host-Only Network adapter which is a software loopback, not a problem of a samba client.

If possible, you can avoid this problem using Bridged Adapter. You can choose this in your [Network] settings of your virtual machine. All you to do is choose [Bridged Adapter] instead of 'NAT' at 'Attached to'. And you should choose a real adapter to be bridged.

In this case, you should configure your virtual machine in according to your real network configuration. If your network uses DHCP, it should be configured automatically by DHCP, otherwise manually as guided by your network administrator, because bridged adapter is treated a another real network adapter in the external. Of course, you should fill in [Server] field of  samba client in OS/2 guest with IP address of your bridged adapter.

For examples, your bridged adapter of Windows 7 host side has IP addr 192.168.10.100, then samba client on OS/2 guest side should set its samba server IP address to 192.168.10.100.

This method has no bottle-neck problem like NAT, and the an adapter of OS/2 guest side works as a real adapter of Windows 7 host side in external network's point of a view.

However it also has a problem. If the bridged-adapter of Windows 7 host side is not connected to internet in spite of other adapter's being connected, then your virtual machine cannot be connected to the internet. For examples, let's assume that you have a notebook with both a wired adapter and a wireless adapter, both have been connected to internet, and your OS/2 guest have been bridged to a wired adapter. By the way, if the bridged adapter of Windows 7 host side is unplugged, then OS/2 guest bridged to the wired adapter cannot connect to internet any more, even though a wireless adapter of Windows 7 host side is still connected to internal. And you should be assigned an additional IP address from your network administator.

If possible, I recommend to use [Bridged Adapter].

Of course, if you are using NetDrive, don't worry. It's same.

Now all you have to do is to enjoy the convenient from the sharing between Windows 7 and OS/2.

Good luck. ^^

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This article is the one modifying what I wrote to comp.os.os2.networking.misc.

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