The VirtualBox Guest Additions consist of device drivers and system applications that optimize the operating system for better performance and usability. One of the usability features required in this guide is automated logons, which is why you need to install the Guest Additions in the virtual machine. For a Windows 7 desktop template, you also enable Windows media redirection for enhanced playback of multimedia content played in Windows Media Player (including content displayed in Internet Explorer).
The VirtualBox Guest Additions Setup wizard is displayed in a new window, as shown in Figure 6.14. VirtualBox Guest Additions Setup Wizard. Click the Next button to move though the various steps of the wizard. Accept all the default.
In the Window containing the running virtual machine, select Install Guest Additions from the Devices menu, as shown in Figure 6.11.
Figure 6.11. Install Guest Additions Menu
When the AutoPlay window is displayed (prompting you to run the VBoxWindowsAdditions.exe program) as shown in Figure 6.12, close the window without installing the Guest Additions. Closing the window leaves the ISO image used to install the Guest Additions inserted in the virtual CD/DVD drive. You need to install the VirtualBox Guest Additions from the command line to get all the features we need.
Figure 6.12. AutoPlay Window
In the virtual machine, on the Windows Start menu, type run in the search field and press Return. The Run dialog is displayed. Enter D:VBoxWindowsAdditions.exe /with_autologon /with_vboxmmr in the Open field, as shown in Figure 6.13, and press the Return key. If you are preparing a Windows XP desktop template, you can omit the /with_vboxmmr command line switch.
Figure 6.13. Run Dialog With the Command for Installing the Guest Additions
Virtualbox Guest Additions Windows 10
When you are prompted, click Yes to install the Guest Additions. The VirtualBox Guest Additions Setup wizard is displayed in a new window, as shown in Figure 6.14.
Figure 6.14. VirtualBox Guest Additions Setup Wizard
Click the Next button to move though the various steps of the wizard. Accept all the default settings and then click Install to install the Guest Additions. If a Windows Security dialog is displayed that prompts you to install device software (see Figure 6.15 for an example), click Install.
Figure 6.15. Windows Security Dialog
When the Guest Additions installation is complete, ensure Reboot now is selected (see Figure 6.16) and click Finish.
Figure 6.16. Reboot Step After Installing the Guest Additions
The VirtualBox Guest Additions Setup wizard closes and the virtual machine is rebooted. When the virtual machine reboots, log in.
Next, you need perform some additional configuration in the virtual machine, as described in Section 6.5, “Additional Virtual Machine Preparation”.
To install VirtualBox Guest Additions, follow these steps:
Install Guest Additions Virtualbox Mac
Stop the virtual machine.
Edit the virtual machine settings and from the “System” tab, add a new CD-ROM device to the machine.
Restart the virtual machine.
Check the current kernel version:
Install some needed dependencies as shown below. Remember to replace the VERSION placeholder with the kernel version from the previous command. packages with the proper kernel_version shown by the previous command:
Restart the virtual machine:
From the virtual machine menu, select the “Devices -> CD/DVD Devices -> Choose a virtual CD/DVD disk file” option. Select the VBoxGuestAdditions.iso file. This action simulates inserting a CD-ROM that includes the tools.
The VBoxGuestAdditions.iso file is usually located in the /usr/share/virtualbox/ directory on Linux, in the C:Program FilesOracleVirtualBox directory on Windows and the Contents/MacOS directory of the VirtualBox package on Mac OS X.
Mount the CD-ROM and install the VirtualBox Guest Additions:
You can safely ignore the error below if it appears during the installation process:
Once the process is complete, check that the output resembles that shown below. If it does, the VirtualBox Guest Additions have been successfully installed.