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I have Windows 10 and Virtual Box 5.1.4. I need to create a shared folder which would be shared between Windows and the MSDOS used in Virtual Box. So I used the shared folder option to setup a folder on Windows. The instructions said to then type "net use x \vboxsvr\share" but that gives an error:

C:\Users\eddyq>net use e \\vboxsvr\share
System error 67 has occurred.
The network name cannot be found.

Assuming the "vboxsvr" is to be substituted with the actual host name, I could not find an option in Virtual Box that allows me to type the host name.

So I checked the server list on Windows using Map Network Drive and the server called vboxsf is not there. Searching this forum, I found someone that says there is a group called vboxsf but it is not clear how to use that.

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3 Answers 3

Reset to default
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Install the VirtualBox Guest Additions Plug in.

From Console File → Device → Insert Guess Additions Image CD.

Install and reboot.

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  • 1
    Nice answer, but it doesn't work
    – Devolus
    Apr 24, 2018 at 8:22
  • 2
    Worked for me, although I did install them before.
    – code2be
    Jul 24, 2018 at 11:59
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Well, I had the same issue, mounting my host Documents and Pictures folder. Things I did (I cannot regress, if one of them is superficious)

  • Install matching Guest Additions again (I did so earlier in setup, well...)

  • Hint 1: The .iso can directly be downloaded here (precisely match your virtual box version, as shown in the about menu)

  • Hint 2: If you are to lazy to re-add a CD Drive with all the rebooting, you can unpack that iso in your (Ubuntu) Host for example (remove anything x86/OS2/sun... if you like), and drag that folder onto your guest desktop. (Kinda proof that I had pre-existing guest additions, if I think about it. Otherwise, dragging would not be possible). And install the VBoxWindowsAdditions-amd64.exe there.

  • Also another nasty problem VirtualBox problem of mine instantly went away. Not related, but kinda proof that some features of GuestAddition can somehow get swept away, perhaps by further Win10 Updates or such.

  • I turned off the windows firewall, suddenly I could see my shared drives! (I then turned it on again. Yes, I could still see them. Yes, the old joke...). Since everything is hard to find in Win10 settings, here's what I mean: enter image description here

Btw: My checkbox on the shared folders look like so: enter image description here

Btw: Before I had named them Documents and Pictures, perhaps that was too generic and caused trouble, perhaps not.

Well, yeah, reboot, and things work... I could see, work with and permanently map them...

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  • 1
    Indeed the tip that Windows Update might cause some feature to not work and require re installation of VirtualBox Guest Additions.
    – Royi
    Feb 3, 2019 at 19:49
  • Installing the VirtualBox Guest additions (in my computer, it appears as drive) and disabling firewall fixed it
    – Jatin
    Jan 6, 2021 at 6:19
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you can find the host name by going to:

WindowsKey + Type "System" + Followed by Enter

That should bring up the "System properties". Your host name is your computer name. Once you have your host name then you can do exactly as you did

\\hostname\whateverfolder\

Alternately, you could do it by IP address

WindowsKey + type "cmd" + Enter

That brings up the cmd prompt

type ipconfig

A list of network adapters and their IP will appear. The ip you are looking for likely starts with 192.168.x.x

\\192.168.x.x\whaterverfolder

Don't forget, you must query ipconfig and/or system properties from the GUEST OS, not the HOST. Also remember the type of Network connection you set in VirtualBox(NAT, Bridged, and so on) for that specific Guest OS will impact the visibility of your Guest OS on your network.

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9
  • Thanks, the "net use" works now but in the MSDOS window of Virtual Box I don't see the mapping. Have you used Virtual Box to do this?
    – user215779
    Aug 23, 2016 at 16:33
  • The guest is MSDOS and that does not have ipconfig. This works perfectly with vmware and I was told that Virtual Box has the same features.
    – user215779
    Aug 23, 2016 at 16:35
  • I do use Virtual Box every day. So lets clarify your setup first and what you want to achieve, because although it's not impossible, I find it improbable that you'd be running a MSDOS Guest OS. If your guest OS is Windows, that Windows Guest will have its own "cmd prompt" (aka ~*ms dos* for some). Even if this sounds like a redundant question, could you confirm whether you're running a MSDOS Guest, or if you are running a Windows Guest in which you are trying to use "cmd prompt" to run the "net use" command? Where is the folder you want to share? Does it live on the guest or the host?
    – blaze_125
    Aug 23, 2016 at 17:12
  • Furthermore, since the "net use" works now, what happens if you cd e: in cmd prompt? Does that take you to your shared folder? I'm pointing you to the E drive because this net use e \\vboxsvr\share would assign \\vboxsvr\share to e. Net use Documentation
    – blaze_125
    Aug 23, 2016 at 17:15
  • Virtual Box is a virtualization system. It would not use MSDOS to access the drives. This is because it emulates the drives. Think of it this way, if you have an external disk then you connect it and MSDOS can see it. So under virtualization the system doing the virtualization will simulate a drive. Under Vmware (another virtual system) it is the same way. MSDOS does not know where the "drive" came from ... it is just there. The same is true with virtualized floppies, CD roms, optical readers, etc. This is how you use a foreign system on most systems today (Windows, Linux, NetBSD, etc).
    – user215779
    Aug 23, 2016 at 18:29

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