How can I map a directory in Windows 7 to an XP Mode VM directory?

3

I need to have a separate area within Windows 7 to have a "backup," as it were, of a directory created on a VM (XP Mode). What are the steps to accomplish this?

B. Clay Shannon

Posted 2013-02-05T17:48:48.460

Reputation: 592

Answers

4

While not a direct answer to your specific question, this may still be a solution.

You can add both machines, 7 and XP, to the same workgroup/network space and allow the sharing of a folder on your Windows 7 machine.

Access the share through the XP VM and copy over anything from XP into the Win 7 share.

In the same respect, you could share a folder on your XP VM and access it from Win 7.

If you need help setting that up, I can provide more details.

In addition, if you configure the network locally (within your machine and it's virtual adapters), I don't believe it will even need to communicate with your router maximizing transfer speeds.

Edit:

http://howtotechtutorials.com/how-to-share-folders-in-windows-7-without-homegroup/

http://kb.seattleu.edu/oit/KnowledgebaseArticle10028.aspx

Noted by BroScience below:

You can't copy files in out of the vm window, you have to use the drives inside the vm. If you look at My Computer in the XP VM, it will show you the drives on your host machine. That's where you copy it. You also don't need a synched folder, just use the shared folder as the primary and it will always be accessible in the vm and in your host OS.

Enigma

Posted 2013-02-05T17:48:48.460

Reputation: 3 181

I went to drag the folder to "Shared Folders," but then was scared away by the "Are you sure you want to MOVE this file..." message. I don't want to move it, no, so I backed out... – B. Clay Shannon – 2013-02-05T18:23:19.103

You don't have to move it. Moving it deletes the original location data and transfers it to where you supposedly want it. You can instead COPY it by selecting the folder and pressing CTRL-C or right click on it and select copy. Then go to the destination folder and press CTRL-V or right click paste. – Enigma – 2013-02-05T18:25:21.227

But this doesn't create a link, does it? I want the folder in Windows 7 to always be in synch with the one in XP Mode. – B. Clay Shannon – 2013-02-05T18:33:18.570

Do you need two distinct copies of said folder? What I am suggesting is effectively a folder synced across both systems or any system on your network for that matter. You choose to either create the base folder in XP or in 7. If it's in 7, you just access the folder via network on the XP VM - you get the contents of the folder as they are on 7. – Enigma – 2013-02-05T18:34:25.347

Yes, that is what I want - a synched folder. However, after selecting "Copy" on the XP Mode folder, and going to Windows 7 Explorer and right-clicking the folder I want to link, there is no "Paste" option...never mind, that was a temporary problem - oddly, I had an err msg that said I couldn't copy, because the files were in use (by Visual Studio 2003, I reckon), but then once I dismissed that dialog, I WAS able to copy the folder into Windows 7 folder! – B. Clay Shannon – 2013-02-05T18:35:48.023

What you can do, is map the network share that is on 7 to a set location on XP so it is more easily accessible. - Check out the edits I made above, those links should help guide you in the right direction. Post back if you have trouble. – Enigma – 2013-02-05T18:36:41.633

1You can't copy files in out of the vm window, you have to use the drives inside the vm. If you look at My Computer in the XP VM, it will show you the drives on your host machine. That's where you copy it. You also don't need a synched folder, just use the shared folder as the primary and it will always be accessible in the vm and in your host OS. – BroScience – 2013-02-05T18:56:19.737

+1, that's one thing I didn't say. – Enigma – 2013-02-05T18:57:35.830