Verified step-by-step instructions for sharing a directory between Ubuntu running on VirtualBox and Windows.
Prerequisites
Step 1 - Start VM after launching VirtualBox if its not running: click 1, click 2
Step 2 - Login: click 1, enter password, hit Enter
Step 3 - Open a terminal: right click 1, click 2
Step 4 - Create c:\shared in Windows: right click Start (1), click 2
...click C: (3), right click 4, hover 5, click 6
...name the folder shared. Result:
Step 5 - Open the Shared Folders Settings: click 1, hover 2, click 3
... click Transient Folders (1)and the Add Folder icon (2).
... browse to c:\shared and click the Ok button (1). Leave the radio buttons unchecked.
...click OK (1).
Step 6 - Back in the VM, create a directory and mount the shared directory.
On the guest, in the terminal type:
$ mkdir ~/guest_shared
$ sudo mount -t vboxsf shared ~/guest_shared
$ echo "Hello, World!" > ~/guest_shared/hello.txt
Back on the Windows host:
Look in c:\shared. You should see hello.txt. Open it up. You should see: Hello, World!
If you saw: Hello, World!, congratulations!
Other Info
Specific configuration
VirtualBox Version 5.1.14 r112924 (Qt5.6.2)
In VirtualBox Manager: Help > About VirtualBox...
Ubuntu 16.04.2 Guest in VirtualBox
From: http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/releases/16.04.2/ubuntu-16.04.2-desktop-amd64.iso
4 GB Memory
32 GB VMDK
Windows Host (what VirtualBox is running on)
Windows 7 Professional Service Pack 1
System
Component Details (Subscore) (Base score)
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6600U CPU @ 2.60GHz (7.3) (5.1) Determined by lowest subscore
Memory (RAM) 12.0 GB (7.6)
Graphics Intel(R) HD Graphics 520 (5.1)
Gaming graphics 1888 MB Total available graphics memory (6.9)
Primary hard disk 366GB Free (462GB Total) (7.9) Windows 7 Professional
System
Manufacturer LENOVO
Model 20FNCTO1WW
Total amount of system memory 12.0 GB RAM
System type 64-bit operating system
Number of processor cores 2
Storage
Total size of hard disk(s) 477 GB
Disk partition (C:) 366 GB Free (462 GB Total)
Disk partition (Q:) 4 GB Free (14 GB Total)
Graphics
Display adapter type Intel(R) HD Graphics 520 (gfxbench)
Total available graphics memory 1824 MB
Dedicated graphics memory 192 MB
Dedicated system memory 0 MB
Shared system memory 1632 MB
Display adapter driver version 20.19.15.4454
Primary monitor resolution 1920x1080
Secondary monitor resolution 1920x1200
DirectX version DirectX 10
Network
Network Adapter Intel(R) Ethernet Connection I219-LM
Network Adapter Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260
Network Adapter Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter
Network Adapter Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter
Network Adapter Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
Network Adapter VirtualBox Host-Only Ethernet Adapter
System Info from
Right click Start > Click Open Windows Explorer
Right click Computer > Click Properties
Click Windows Experience Index
Click View and print detailed performance and system information