To create a shared folder in WinXP under Virtual box go to the
settings in VB for WinXP and click on 'Shared Folders' then on the [+]
sign and chose the folder in Ubuntu you want to share - tick the box
to make this a permanent folder then click on 'Apply'. Note: If you
are using VB 4 then you can do this with WinXP launched, previous VB
versions you need to do the folder share with WinXP closed.

Now - open My Documents in WinXP then click on [ Tools / Map a Network
Drive ] and browse to the Virtual Box Shared Folders list and select
the folder you've just shared and assign it to a convenient drive
letter ( select the connect at logon option ). I tend to start from Z
and move downwards when sharing folders between WinXP / Ubuntu.

After that you can access the shared folder in Ubuntu as a drive
letter in 'My Computer' in WinXP - and yes it's bidirectional so
saving to it in WinXP means it appears in Ubuntu :-)

Hope this helps and FWIW there are many manufacturers who don't
support Linux directly so the user is forced into these work around
methods !

You set up the shared folders in VB settings for the XP VM while it is not
running. To use it, you locate it in Windows file manager under a network
place.

Could you not copy the updater onto a USB drive and reload in the other?
Is there a step by step on getting XP installed in the VB on Linux. I
downloaded
the VB from the VB site not repositories too. Supposed to be better I
think. So
I have the VB installed but am lost on what next.

if you go here < https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads>
Then set-up for the repository you can install through Synaptic.
The deb lines are about half way down the page.

What version of VirtualBox did you install ?
Here, on a Ubuntu 10.04-3LTS laptop I installed "Oracle VM VirtualBox version
4.0.12r72916 PUEL and I run inside a nicely working Windows XP. You should never
install the OSE version, which proposed as standard version by Synaptic, in
which case you would have no USB support.

Oracle has recently complicated VirtualBox. They now have only one version
and Extensions that you installed to recreate what was in PUEL (usb support,
etc.). The Extensions must be downloaded and installed separately.

The step for using VB is to install it and then you need to open Users and
Groups in the Systems menu. Then Unlock which gives you admin access and
check to VBoxusers group at add you to it. Now you can use VirtualBox and
create VMs.

Installing the Extensions involves downloading the one matching your
VirtualBox version, then right-clicking on the downloaded file and choose
Open. Then navigate to Oracle VirtualBox in the menu under System (varies
with Ubuntu version or Kubuntu). You have to agree then it will install.

Finally once your VM is installed and running you still need to add the
Guest Additions. You can do that from the VirtualBox menu. It will set it up
as a dummy CD drive and install from there.

It sounds more complicated than it really is. It now has one version instead
of two but you need the Extensions to do what the PUEL version did. You
always needed to add yourself to the user group and install Guest Additions.

In your VirtualBox virtual machine parameters, there is the last item called
"Shared Folder". Just select a local folder that you have write access and give
it a shared name. Create the share and select it for your machine. Then
launch your virtual XP machine, open a dos shell and type that command :

net use x: \\vboxsrv\YourSharedFolder

And voilà! You have mounted your shared folder. You may specify, in the
parameters, that you want an automatic mount of the folder I think.

Don't forget that you need the Extensions for that.

I can't tell you much about it since I compiled VirtualBox with extensions
support (I'm on Funtooo/Gentoo) and I don't need to add them post-installation.

So you all know I appreciate all this info and will get back to you. I
am having to take a road trip and have not had the time to continue with
this setup.

Looks like some very good info so will go over all of it and give you my
results.

Not real sure who you are addressing the question to, but I think me. I did
a google search on Virtural Box and went to the site shown I believe it was
Oracle, and I do remember something about PUEL also. I just brought it up
and it says 4.1.2.
Once I bring it up how do I get the Vista OS loaded? Do I need to make sure
a certain size is available.

One thing is, I am currently using this Laptop as dual boot with the
System I
want to load on to the VB, another thing is that the Vista on this
system came
with it, I have a CD that came with the Laptop and I suppose it self boots.

Not real sure who you are addressing the question to, but I think me. I did
a google search on Virtural Box and went to the site shown I believe it was
Oracle, and I do remember something about PUEL also. I just brought it up
and it says 4.1.2.
Once I bring it up how do I get the Vista OS loaded? Do I need to make sure
a certain size is available.

One thing is, I am currently using this Laptop as dual boot with the
System I
want to load on to the VB, another thing is that the Vista on this
system came
with it, I have a CD that came with the Laptop and I suppose it self boots.

Nice to have 4.1.2 already installed, that's a good step.
You should also download from the same web page "VBoxGuestAdditions.iso" and
install it also.
Then you start VBox and in the second menu "machine" you'll find a "Create..."
button, just push it and follow.

The CD's that come with laptops tend to be factory restore discs and
running them will want to erase the whole HD and put Windows on as the
only OS - as delivered from the factory. What you'd need is a plain
Vista install CD to be able to load in into Virtual Box as a VM. In
fact that applies to any OS you care to install in Virtual Box, you
will need an installation CD or ISO file.

It may be that you can coax the factory restore disc to work but the
chances are that it will see the Virtual Machine as not the original
hardware it was designed to load onto and refuse to load.

Anyway - warnings aside and it you wish to try it the general way is
to first of all create a new VM and tell it what OS you are going to
install then decide on the virtual HD size ( you can select a dynamic
size but this has down sides in terms of performance ). Once the VM is
created, go through the settings and check the boot order to be CD
first in 'System' and also select 'Pass through' in the 'Storage' so
that the CD/DVD drive is seen.

Now pop the Vista CD in the drive and cancel any auto-run then launch
the Vista VM and follow the prompts as normal when installing Windows.
You may get messages about the mouse and keyboard capture - just
cancel for now and when Vista is running you can install Guest
Additions from the 'Devices' menu drop down list which will make
moving the mouse from the VM to Ubuntu seamless.

Been a long time user of Virtual Box in Ubuntu so sing out for any
help you may need

be sure your not using the OSE version.
You have to use the full version to get usb support.

There is now only one version supplied by Oracle. You need the extensions to
make it equivalent to PUEL. This was Oracle's decision. It must be less
work.
You still need the guest additions but you install those in the guest, not
host.