Oracle VirtualBox Tips and Tricks

For new users of the VM GNU/Linux image, here are some tips and tricks for faster and easier handling of the machine.

Host Keys

All shortcuts in the virtual machine work with the hostkey. The hostkey is defined in your global settings and is by default the right ctrl button. To change or have a look which button is currently selected, use the following path:

File -> Preferences -> Input -> Virtual Machine -> Host Key Combination

Note

All links can be displayed and changed in the same window!

Demo

VM View

VirtualBox offers different window views of the guest system. The views can be changed with the shortcut keys or in the user interface, if it is visible.

  • Default shortcut: Use the current shortcut

  • User interface: Visible on top

reset buttons

  • Default shortcut: Host + C

  • By default, the Host key is the right Ctrl key

  • User interface: not visible

reset buttons

  • Default shortcut: Host + F

  • By default, the Host key is the right Ctrl key

  • User interface: Top or bottom edge, in this case at the bottom, and it will be visible when the mouse is over it

reset buttons

Setup of shared Folders

To copy files into the VM you can either use ctrl+c and ctrl+v from your host system to the VM. (VirtualBox/Settings/General/Features/Shared Clipboard “Bidirectional”) If it does not work or you simply want to have the benefit of a shared folder between your host and VM you can follow the steps below.

  1. Go to VM Settings / Shared Folders / Add new shared folder

  2. For the line machine folder ( in german “Ordner der virtuellen Maschine”) make a new entry and select Auto-mount. With Mount Point is the path for your shared folder inside the VM guest os meant: /user/home/...

If the standard setup does not allow you to use the shared folder. You need to add your user to the VirtualBox group. Use one of the two solutions bellow:

  1. Solution (to execute in your terminal from your guest system):

sudo adduser <username> vboxsf

sudo adduser user vboxsf

or the 2. Solution (to change the entry in the file from your guest system).

Execute in terminal:

sudo nano /etc/group

the correspoding line to:

vboxsf:x:999:<username>

vboxsf:x:999:user