How To Access Shared Folders For A Virtualized Ubuntu 11.04 (VirtualBox)

When you try to access a shared folder under Ubuntu 11.04 using VirtualBox, you will notice that you don't have permission to access it. This problem is due to the fact that VirtualBox has added a group having the name “vboxsf” to the virtual machine running Ubuntu 11.04, and therefore any member who is not belonging to this group will have no access.

Note: If Guest Additions are not installed in Ubuntu 11.04, then these steps might not work for you. To install Guest Additions, open Devices > Install Guest Additions:

To join the “vboxsf” group, follow these instructions:

1. First, create a shared folder by opening Devices > Shared Folders:

2. Use the Add button to add a shared folder, provide the folder path and name, etc.

3. After adding a shared folder, use the Unity dash under Ubuntu 11.04 to open Users and Groups:

4. Click Manage Groups:

5. Scroll down the list and select "vboxsf", then click Properties:

6.  In the Group Members section, check on the user you want to add to the "vboxsf" group and confirm by clicking OK.

7. Submit your user password and click Authenticate, then close the Group settings and Users and Groups windows:

8. You can now access your shared folder by opening the /media/ folder. A shared folder starts always with these two letters "sf_":

That's it!