VirtualBox IFS - Sharing Folders

This are some notes about sharing a folder from a host computer to a ArcaOS virtual machine guest using Valeriu's Virtual Box modified guest addons.

You can get the latest Valerui's Guest Addons at:
 * ftp://osfree.org/upload/vbox/additions/

It is a ISO file that can be mounted from the VirtualBox Host, so it can be seen on the guest as a CD-ROM. Copy the files on the corresponding OS/2 directories.


 * Config.SYS Modifications

If you already have the generic VirtualBox Addons installed on your ArcaOS / OS/2 VM guest you need to remove or REM the original ones and use this replacements:

REM The main VBox additions driver DEVICE=C:\OS2\BOOT\VBOXGUEST.SYS

REM The shared folders IFS IFS=C:\OS2\BOOT\VBOXFS.IFS RUN=C:\OS2\VBOXSERVICE.EXE

REM VBox Mouse driver REM DEVICE=C:\OS2\BOOT\MOUSE.SYS DEVICE=C:\OS2\BOOT\VBOXMOUSE.SYS

If you have SNAP: SET GRADD_CHAINS=C1 SET C1=SDDGRADD SET GREEXT=SDDGREXT SET C1=VBXGRADD If you have Panorama: SET GRADD_CHAINS=C1 SET C1=VBE2GRAD SET GREEXT=PANOGREX SET C1=VBXGRADD If you use VBox video driver: SET GRADD_CHAINS=C1 SET C1=VBXGRADD
 * Video Driver

Also, if you have SNAP installed, you can comment sddhelp.sys. But then, you also need to comment out/remove the

#includecode "sddpmi.dll"

from \os2\svgadata.pmi file and change it to

#includecode "genpmi.dll"

Otherwise, SDDPMI.DLL will load, and try to open SDDHELP.SYS driver, and fail, so, it will stop with an error message. To avoid this, you need to change SDDPMI.DLL to genpmi.dll in svgadata.pmi file.

Alternatively, you can just set your video driver to GenGRADD first with "setgradd" command in command line (you need to boot into command line for this), or use corresponding menu item in Recovery choices screen. But setgradd.cmd command and "Set video to GenGRADD" option in Recovery choices appeared in eComStation, only. Older versions of OS/2 have setvga.cmd command and "Set video to VGA" option, only. But you should use a GRADD video driver, so "Set video to VGA" option is not suitable in this case.


 * VBox Service

VBoxService.exe should be on PATH, of course. Note that VBoxSF.ifs has the following command line switches:


 * /V  :   verbose init (enable messages)
 * /Q  :   quiet init (disable messages)
 * /D :     output debug messages to VBox log, and also to QSINIT/OS4/ArcaLDR built-in log. In case QSINIT/ARCALDR or OS/4 kernel are not available, the messages are directed directly to COM1

You need to set up on the Host the path and name of the shared folder that you want the guest VM to access:
 * Mounting a Shared Directory



On the guest ArcaOS machine you can execute the following command to mount that as drive, in this case drive W: VBoxFSAttach w: OS2Temp

Source

 * OS2World Forum Thread