How to share a folder in qemu? (SOLVED)

[vtpup]

(Solved note:
This thread solved Qemu access to a Windows 7 virtual machine on a very new laptop, thanks to the forum contributors. And it did so in three separate ways, all of which which had been problematic for me. They were: USB thumbdrive (sneakernet) file access, FTP, and Samba shared folders. The problems encountered and the solutions may be of interest to others with very new equipment.....)

F-96 CE rev 4
Huge kernel: huge-6.1.8-fossapup64 from https://archive.org/download/Puppy_Linux_Huge-Kernels
HP Envy Laptop 17t-cr100
Aqemu 0.9.2
KVM

I've spent a fruitless half-day trying to get my Win 7 Qemu install to share a folder with the host operating system. Qemu Win 7 installation runs fine. I've tried setting up Samba on host using Samba Simple Management. It seems to work and puts a host shared folder on the network. I'm using /root/shared as a test folder.

I have not been able to see that from the guest system -- possibly I'm setting that up wrong. Help would be appreciated.

[rockedge]

@vtpup I will set up a connection since I have not done much SAMBA connections between the F96-CE_4 host and a guest QEMU Win 7 for s awhile now, I know once configured it works well though.

[vtpup]

Thanks Rockedge, I'm sure it's just something I'm not doing right.

Btw the Win7 installation has no problem accessing the Internet. So networking clearly works.

[rockedge]

@vtpup my experimentation is currently using a QEMU VM Windows XP and host is F96-CE_4 with simple samba manager started and SAMBA server running. Can't seem to find the host's samba shares!

FTP worked right away using pureFTPD server on the host.

Odd though that the SAMBA is not being detected nor can I address it directly. Will need to fool around with it again.

[vtpup]

Thanks greatly Rockedge! Same problem I had.

I'll have to try pureftp. My goal right now is just to somehow get one file across to Win 7 for testing (SketchUp, as mentioned elsewhere on the forum). Basically because it isn't working well graphically in Wine, and I want to see if it will lose those issues in a Windows VM.

Pretty weird that it is so hard to get things into or out of a qemu VM. I'm sure there's a way. but a VM with no simple file input or output is pretty useless. Yet I can web surf with it.....

Are you able to see your Host share when you run Pnethood in host after starting the samba server? I can. I kind of think that I had to update the Samba Simple Management app because the Samba Server button always stayed red.

[wizard]

Don't know anything about QEMU, so will ask if both host and guest are on the same IP subnet?

wizard

[Grey]

@rockedge Qemu contains a built-in server. Officially. But actually uses the Samba of a real computer I'm just making a bookmark on smb://10.0.2.2/shared in the file manager - Caja or PCManFM - inside Qemu. And then I transfer the files. Without a password - only one way, but with a password, of course, both ways.

But this is in Arch. We will need to see if this works in Fossa and if not, we need to figure out why. I'm not in a position to do that right now.

[rockedge]

so will ask if both host and guest are on the same IP subnet?

No. That might make a difference though.....will need to adjust but in QEMU I can't use a bridged network. In VirtualBox it's easy to setup a bridged network but in QEMU I have not gotten that to work 100%

[mikewalsh]

@vtpup :-

Y'know, there's always the good old, time-honoured "sneakernet" if all else fails...!

(Just my weird sense of humour coming thru....)

Mike.

[rockedge]

The KLV's running in a QEMU VM will see and connect to the F96-CE_4 host machine's SAMBA shares using the standard NAT network connection

[vtpup]

@vtpup :-

Y'know, there's always the good old, time-honoured "sneakernet" if all else fails...!

(Just my weird sense of humour coming thru....)

Mike.

Tried, earlier Mike..... I also have not been able to get USB drive working in the qemu VM. Very frustrating. Likewise I can't mount my USB CD/DVD drive to load any needed USB drivers off of the Win7 disk to get USB working. And this modern laptop has no internal drive.

This VMs wrapped up tighter than Jack Benny's wallet!

[rockedge]

@vtpup are you using AQEMU ? This GUI QEMU manager can make it simpler to setup USB port access. I have been able to get the physical USB ports passed through to the guest OS using a KLV and F96-CE_4 when those are running on a QEMU VM.

[vtpup]

@vtpup are you using AQEMU ? This GUI QEMU manager can make it simpler to setup USB port access. I have been able to get the physical USB ports passed through to the guest OS using a KLV and F96-CE_4 when those are running on a QEMU VM.

Yes, thanks Rockedge, I am using Aqemu. While it works on my old laptop to allow mounting a USB stick, the same Win7 VM can't do it on the new laptop, unfortunately.

I believe the reason is that the USB ports are all 3.x on the new machine, and Win7 does not have drivers above USB 2. I have just read a little on the subject online, some have success passing through the USB hub, not the USB device using virt-manager. I have not got into that yet. I also did find a Dell driver update for Win7 that drives USB3 ports here:

https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us ... erid=36x7d

but haven't tried it, again, because of the difficulty of getting such a file into the VM

[vtpup]

Minor victory!!!

I tried a USB thumbdrive specifically labeled as a USB2 type, and Windows 7 qemu virtual machine recognized it.

So that says to me that it's not the port that was a problem. Which is a surprise because Win7 Device Manager reported it was a bus controller problem, not a device problem. My guess is that Aqemu tests and sets a configuration when you connect a particular USB device (2.x, 3.x) and creates an appropriate USB bus type for the running VM. Interesting.

This also means that the many complaints I found on the net about my similar USB3 problem might have been solved by changing USB sticks to a 2.x version.

Anyway, on with the show. A USB stick (that you have to specify bus for, and will only mount in one OS -- host or guest -- at a time) is not the same as a shared folder accessible to both OS simultaneously.

Added informational note: After I got USB stick access with a USB2 type stick, I did some tests by plugging it into different USB ports, and also plugging a USB3 stick into those ports. Bus and device numbers were noted via lsusb in terminal.

It seems that no matter which port I connected the USB2 stick to (and I have five usb ports on this computer) it was always reported connected to Bus # 3. And the USB3 stick was always connected to bus #4.

So it seems Win7 was correct in reporting it did not have a device driver for the bus IF a USB3 stick was inserted, because its bus (#4) was specific to USB type 3 devices.

Likewise Win 7 did understand the bus when a USB2 stick was inserted in the same socket, because it always communicated through Bus #3. In other words, the physical port made no difference. Each was automatically reconfigured and and connected to a compatible bus, depending on what series device it was.

[rockedge]

I usually jump right to FTP to go between host and QEMU VM. Example connection is FTP with the host F96-CE_4 (pedge210) and guest is QEMU WinXP.

If I could get a virtual bridged network adapter to work on QEMU it might work with SAMBA. KLV's will connect to SAMBA shares even to machines on different sub-networks on the LAN if the host's sub-net IP or device name and share(s) are manually configured.

Screenshot(47).jpg (23.71 KiB) Viewed 737 times

[wizard]

@vtpup

Way back in the back of my memory a little bell was ringing, and here was the answer:

Be sure the guest can ping the host IP, then enable smb1 on the host.

viewtopic.php?p=83225&hilit=samba#p83225

Verified using Virtualbox and Biconic32 guest, FossaPup64 9.5 host.

This may work for your connection.

Thanks
wizard

[vtpup]

Thanks Rockedge, I finally got FTP working using PureFTP server on the host.

Before that, I had some confusion because of a single "Network" screen in Aqemu which (for a new user) mixes up ftp and and samba jargon in a badly phrased help menu. What does this mean for instance: "Set the shared folder in network -->TFTP/SAMBA" Is that a folder name? Is it a single parameter to add someplace, like a server? What is it?

Ftp and Samba are of course two separate functions. But who knows, as a beginner to Aqemu, whether these are some kind of unusual combined process, because they are co-located on the same screen with no explanation.

Another complication I had about what to do with the info blanks was that I had read somewhere else that the Samba portion of Aqemu may actually create a guest server. (Not sure on that one, but it adds to the confusion of what to do, and who does what.)

Unfortunately it's not clear what path parameters you need to fill in the slots (guest or host's?). And which computer uses the suggested \\10.0.2.4\qemu address, and how (in what application)? If there is indeed a server in Qemu -- is that then the host? But why then is a server needed in the real host (F96CE in my case? Very confusing.

I did try several combinations of the above, but got nowhere. If it does activate its own samba server, that slowed the VM down so much that was unusable. Here's a screenshot of the confusing Aqemu Network menu:

Screenshot(2).png (93.34 KiB) Viewed 592 times

Besides that problem, I also don't really know what particular path, sharename, homegroup (if any) etc settings to enter in the Samba Simple Manager in F96 host that Windows 7 will accept. And also what to enter in Windows 7's network sharing section, which seems different than XP's. As usual Msoft hides necessary paraneter entry behind a few simplistic automated user choices, none of which do what you actually want to do.

Anyway, a lot to try to make sense of and try to get to mesh together....

[vtpup]

@vtpup

Way back in the back of my memory a little bell was ringing, and here was the answer:

Be sure the guest can ping the host IP, then enable smb1 on the host.

viewtopic.php?p=83225&hilit=samba#p83225

Verified using Virtualbox and Biconic32 guest, FossaPup64 9.5 host.

This may work for your connection.

Thanks
wizard

Thanks Wizard, I added that line to the smb config file. I tried it out, but my biggest problem is how to set Samba Simple Manager, Aqemu, and Windows 7 so they all mesh with each other's needs. I think at present for me Windows 7 presents the biggest obstacles. It wants me to set up a homegroup that will only speak to (apparently) other Windows 7 computers. I can't get any further than that stage.

[rockedge]

@vtpup The easiest way on F96-CE_4 is you must run an FTP server. I use an old Puppy Linux standard called pure-ftpd.

You can download the package for F96-CE_4 or Fossapup64 HERE -> pure-ftpd-1.0.50.pet

Install the PET and then start it in Menu->Network->pure-ftpd

Make note of what the host machine's name is and/or what the sub-net IP is.

Now go the the QEMU Win 7 and using the Windows File Explorer or Total Commander (or similar) establish a FTP connection to the host F96-CE_4 using it's host name( what you see on the network) or the sub-net IP

The user will be root and the password is your system's root password. (default is woofwoof)

[Geek3579]

I download filezilla portable (from portableapps.com ) for the client (windows) end, It works well with pure-ftp in the host.

[vtpup]

I have to apologize, Rockedge, I had already run PureFTP per your suggestion earlier when I mentioned I had ftp working I had connected into Win 7 guest by typing ftp://10.0.0.34 in a browser window and answering credential prompts The rest of the post was just talking about the confusing Aqemu screen, and the (possibility) that it has servers of its own.

I'm still interested in getting Samba going.

Mainly because I'd really like the guest application to be able to just see a shared folder and make periodic saves while working. In other words something that works transparently, as if it was just another folder on the guest. That's different than using a browser or an ftp client to move previously saved files between folders.

In your screenshot it looks like you have a shared folder set up yourself in "My Network Places" in XP? I don't know how to do that for ftp in Win 7. I just can't figure setup process to do that.

[rockedge]

@vtpup From the guest to host I just typed the address in the Windows Explorer address bar ftp://root:@pedge210 press enter to make the connection and then in Network Places the icon will appear.

Or ftp://root:@192.168.1.13

[wizard]

@vtpup

Host= FossaPup64 9.5 IP=192.168.254.106
Guest= Windows 7

Set up share on host using Samba Simple Management, edited smb.conf per the post above. Saved and restarted Samba.

Opened W7 File Explorer and typed: \\192.168.254.106 into the address line

Connected to host share (download directory).

virtualbox.jpg (65.71 KiB) Viewed 499 times

Here's the content of my smb.conf, hope this helps.
wizard

Code: Select all

#this is a very simple smb.conf to get you started
#coutesy rcrsn51 and gcmartin
[global]
	workgroup = Workgroup
	netbios name = fossa64test
	server string = Puppy Samba Server
	security = user
	map to guest = Bad Password
	printing = cups
	printcap name = cups
	load printers = yes
	guest ok = yes
	server min protocol = NT1

[download]
	path = /mnt/home/
	writable = yes


[printers]
	comment = All Printers
	path = /var/spool/samba
	browseable = no
	guest ok = yes
	writable = no
	printable = yes

[Federico]

@vtpup

Hi, for EasyOS I have already detailed the procedure. But not by using AQEmu or any other GUI, just the command line. It works both for Windows 10 and Linux distros, but the procedure may vary according to the guest operating system you are willing to install. This should also work for Windows 7 and, for sure, this relates to the version of QEmu which Barry compiled for EasyOS (Kirkstone), I'm not sure that it will also work on other versions because QEmu can be compiled with or without specific functions. Probably the access to a shared folder on the host should work. I'm not sure about the connection of USB devices from the host to the guest.
You could have a look (Finishing touches, step 4).

viewtopic.php?t=9028
viewtopic.php?t=9064

[vtpup]

@vtpup From the guest to host I just typed the address in the Windows Explorer address bar ftp://root:@pedge210 press enter to make the connection and then in Network Places the icon will appear.

Or ftp://root:@192.168.1.13

Thanks Rockedge, I tried similar, but Windows 7 doesn't seem to automatically add it as a saved place. I found instructions for how to do something like that though. After connecting, you have to drag the Explorer's address, across to a sidebar entry called "Favorites" (ie bookmarks). The FTP location is treated as an Internet address rather than a local network address. I can't move it to the Network section. Anyway that did work to create a link as a "Favorite".

The link opens by default the /root folder and all root's hidden files and folders are shown, which is messy. I don't think there's a way to respect Linux dot-files as hidden in Windows. I guess I'll have it point to a new folder /root/share to keep it cleaner.

Thanks for all your time and advice on this!

[vtpup]

@vtpup

Host= FossaPup64 9.5 IP=192.168.254.106
Guest= Windows 7

Set up share on host using Samba Simple Management, edited smb.conf per the post above. Saved and restarted Samba.

Opened W7 File Explorer and typed: \\192.168.254.106 into the address line

Connected to host share (download directory).
virtualbox.jpg
Here's the content of my smb.conf, hope this helps.
wizard

I'll try it, thanks Wizard!

[vtpup]

@vtpup

Hi, for EasyOS I have already detailed the procedure. But not by using AQEmu or any other GUI, just the command line. It works both for Windows 10 and Linux distros, but the procedure may vary according to the guest operating system you are willing to install. This should also work for Windows 7 and, for sure, this relates to the version of QEmu which Barry compiled for EasyOS (Kirkstone), I'm not sure that it will also work on other versions because QEmu can be compiled with or without specific functions. Probably the access to a shared folder on the host should work. I'm not sure about the connection of USB devices from the host to the guest.
You could have a look (Finishing touches, step 4).

viewtopic.php?t=9028
viewtopic.php?t=9064

Thanks Federico, I had seen that thread a few weeks ago when I was trying out EasyOS, and actually contributed to some on the topic. I've tried modifying shell scripts generated by Aqemu, using your information, when I was trying to get USB drives working in a Win 7 VM. I haven't had much success with the direct script modifications, but the info you provided is definitely useful.

[vtpup]

@wizard I set it up as you posted above. One difference I noticed was the guest ok = yes line (which I added to be like yours), besides the server protocol line.

Using my own address (10.0.0.34) I was able to see the share on fossapup, but when I clicked on it, I got an error that I don't have permission:

Screenshot(4).png (226.59 KiB) Viewed 343 times

[vtpup]

Solved it!

The secret was changing the name of the workgroup to "Homegroup".

(Slaps head)

Good old Msoft........I merely have the "Home Premium" edition of Windows 7. What a blivet.....

[wizard]

@vtpup

What a blivet.....

LOL, thanks
wizard