Adding a Shared Folder in VirtualBox VM
This method is tested on Debian 11, but should work on all Debian-based systems.
You should have already created a folder on your host system and set it as a shared folder inside the VirtualBox GUI. Now, how do we access the directory from the guest system?
Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these steps to set up a shared folder on your VirtualBox guest system:
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Install Required Packages:
On the guest system, run the following command:
$ sudo apt install lsb-release -y
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Add the Backports Repository:
Run the command to add the backports repository:
# echo "deb http://deb.debian.org/debian $(lsb_release -cs)-backports main contrib" | tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/backports.list
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Install the Fasttrack Archive Keyring:
Install the required keyring to authenticate backports:
$ sudo apt install fasttrack-archive-keyring -y
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Update the Package List:
Update your system's package list:
$ sudo apt update
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Install VirtualBox Guest Additions:
For a Desktop Environment that uses X11, install the following package:
$ sudo apt install virtualbox-guest-x11 -y
If you don't need X11 (e.g., for a headless installation), you can install only the CLI utilities:
$ sudo apt install virtualbox-guest-utils -y
Conclusion
Once the required packages are installed, you should be able to access the shared folder from your guest system. This method is simpler than mounting a virtual CD-ROM and should work smoothly on most Debian-based systems.