Vista Tutorial - Sharing data between virtual machine and real computer

I have a need (don't ask!) to install and run a DOS program. I cannot
find a way to create a disk or other mechanism where my real OS (Vista
Ultimate 32-bit) and the virtual DOS machine can see a common disk to
move files on/off. All I can figure out is to use floppies (blegh!).
No CD, no USB, no nada. Am I missing something? Can I create a small
real partitioned harddrive formatted in FAT that I can share between
the virtual Dos and my Vista OS?

On Tue, 2 Jun 2009 19:30:02 -0700 (PDT), MikeB <MPBrede@xxxxxx>
wrote:
VPC can't overcome the limitations of a basic DOS install.

1. Download WinImage
2. Use it to open C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Virtual PC\Virtual
Machine Additions\VMAdditions.ISO
3. copy fshare.exe someplace on your Vista HD
4. Use WinImage to make a .VFD, copy fshare.exe to VFD.
5. Close WinImage, mount the VFD to DOS
6. Copy fshare.exe to thee DOS C: drive
7. Edit autoexec.bat and add the line "LASTDRIVE=Z" without the
quotes, then run autoexec.bat
8. Run fshare.exe
9. Right-click the folder in the VPC Toolbar and share your Vista C:
drive.

Shared Folders works well for file transfers, but if you're going to
try to run programs off the Vista C: drive or transfer big files or
large numbers of files or folders, you're better off with standard
networking. Connecting DOS to Windows via a network can be done, but
it's a little more involved than the steps above...and I can't tell
you exactly how to do it off the top of my head. ;-)

--
Cheers,
Steve Jain, Virtual Machine MVP
http://vpc.essjae.com/

"MikeB" <MPBrede@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:d419f7ab-5e14-4598-9e1a-2c792a4ff28f@xxxxxx
Firstly, your virtual machine is a real machine - the fact that it's made of
software and not hardware is completely irrelevant to the software (both OS
and apps) running on it. The difference is between physical and virtual.

Secondly, as Steve says, you can accomplish what you require with standard
networking. Simply join the VM running DOS into your Windows network just
like you would join a physical machine running DOS into your Windows
network:
http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en...orkgroup&meta=


--
Mark Rae
ASP.NET MVP
http://www.markrae.net

Steve, thanks for this. It was a great help. I'm having a few probs
though, please see my comments after your instructions.

On Jun 3, 12:07*am, "Steve Jain [MVP]" <norepl...@-.essjae.com> wrote:
Done
Slightly different path, but I got there.
Done, I also copied the other stuff, no need to do this twice, right?
Done.
Done.
Done. I copied it to the \DOS\folder.
It didn't work, but I found a LASTDRIVES- line in CONFIG.SYS and
changed that.
OK, this is a problem. I get:

C:\DOS>FSHARE
Virtual Machine Folder Sharing
Copyright (c) 2004 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
ERROR: Folder Sharing is not supported on this host.

Regarding my problem in the previous post, I did a bit of reading and
found the following in the Virtual PC 2007 Help.

The following operating systems that were supported in Virtual PC 2004
SP1 are compatible with this release, but they are not supported:

MS-DOS 6.22
Windows 95
Windows 98
Windows ME
Windows NT 4.0 Workstation

As a result, this release of Virtual PC does not include Virtual
Machine Additions for the operating systems that are no longer
supported.

Does this mean I'm SOL to get shared folders to work? Rats. The
networking issue looks a lot more complicated than I really wanted to
get to simply to transfer a few files.

Can I still get VPC 2004? Perhaps I can simply use that iso VPC 2007?

Mike, I am running DOS in VPC as a guest on a WinXP host and am useing MS
workgroups with netbeui to network with the host. If your Vista disks do not
have it, get a copy of NetBeui from WinXP. While I have not tried it, I
understand that it will install in Vista.
--
Wesley


"MikeB" wrote:

Mike, if you go to Steve's site you will find everything you need, including
the VPC2004 ma.
--
Wesley


"MikeB" wrote:

On Wed, 3 Jun 2009 00:31:47 -0700 (PDT), MikeB <MPBrede@xxxxxx>
wrote:
Did you execute FSHARE on the *host*??????
What you have to do is to run it inside the *guest*!

This is the contents of the config.sys and autoexec.bat files in my
boot virtual floppy, which I use to start a new virtual machine when I
need to restore a ghost image residing on my *host* hard disk:

config.sys:
------------
[menu]
menuitem=CD, Start computer with CD-ROM support.
menuitem=NOCD, Start computer without CD-ROM support.
menudefault=CD,30
menucolor=7,0

[CD]
device=himem.sys /testmemff
device=oakcdrom.sys /D:mscd001
device=btdosm.sys
device=flashpt.sys
device=btcdrom.sys /D:mscd001
device=aspi2dos.sys
device=aspi8dos.sys
device=aspi4dos.sys
device=aspi8u2.sys
device=aspicd.sys /D:mscd001

[NOCD]
device=himem.sys /testmemff


[COMMON]
files=10
buffers=10
dos=high,umb
stacks=9,256
lastdrive=z

autoexec.bat
------------
@ECHO OFF
SET TZ=GHO+06:00
MOUSE.COM
echo Loading GHOST...
A:\FSHARE.EXE
A:\GHOST.EXE

The net result of booting the guest from this virtual floppy is that
FSHARE gets loaded followed by starting Ghost.

When the virtual machine is in this state I go to the VPC2007 console
on the host and open the settings for the running guest. There I share
the *folder* (see below) on the host as a drive letter to the guest.
Then back to the guest where I start restoring the Ghost image from
the now available "network" drive.

I see no reason for your system not to work fine too (remove the
Ghost.EXE part of course...

I would not share the C:\ drive because of limitations in the VPC
shared folder system. You should share a subfolder instead that does
not contain zillions of files....

--

Bo Berglund (Sweden)

On Wed, 3 Jun 2009 00:37:28 -0700 (PDT), MikeB <MPBrede@xxxxxx>
wrote:
FSHARE from VPC2004 will work under DOS 6.22 with VPC2007. I was able
to do it last night.

--
Cheers,
Steve Jain, Virtual Machine MVP
http://vpc.essjae.com/

On Wed, 3 Jun 2009 00:31:47 -0700 (PDT), MikeB <MPBrede@xxxxxx>
wrote:
No, it must be LASTDRIVE=Z and in the autoexec.bat. But, you may
only be able to call it during boot, not afterwards.
Are you using MS DOS? Which version. I know this config (VPC2007SP1,
Vista,DOS) works since I tested it before I posted last night.

--
Cheers,
Steve Jain, Virtual Machine MVP
http://vpc.essjae.com/