Accessing windows disk *from* mac os x.

[j-christ]

Perhaps I'm missing something simple here, but I have a shared folder set up, In the windows guest, I can see files in the Mac's Documents

directory, because I have set up a shared disk to do that.

That's great if I'm in Mac OS X and want to copy a file to the mac. However, I don't see how to go the other way---access windows files from Mac OS X.

For instance, how can I view c:\index.html with safari? How can I browse the windows file system with the finder?

Parallels has this problem nailed---when Parallels is running, aliases to the windows disk(s) just magically show up on the mac desktop. Is there

some way to do this with Fusion (1.1 btw).

Thanks,

Jon

[admin]

If you want Mac OS to be able to see your VM's files, you should use a network share to do so. Make sure that your VM's network adapter is in bridged mode (if necessary, release and renew its IP address), and then share, for example, its C drive. Then Mac OS can treat it like an ordinary Windows file server. Of course, you have to authenticate just like normal.

My Windows VMs live in bridged mode, and I export file shares from them. On Leopard, they show up in Finder's list of available Windows servers, in the left-hand bar under SHARED.

At the present time, Fusion has nothing like Parallels's feature of automatically exposing the guest's files to the host. Our customers regularly remind us that, if we add such a feature, they'd better be able to turn it off! Sometimes isolation of guest and host is what you want.

[j-christ]

Thanks for your response. What are the security implications of running in bridged mode vs. NAT mode? I'm currently running in NAT mode, and I like the fact that the windows installation running in the VM isn't really visible to the outside world. It's my understanding that in bridged mode the windows VM will be visible and therefore exposed to attack. Since I'm running VMware on a laptop used in various places, I can't rely on a firewall to filter out traffic.

Am I misunderstanding things? http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-2527 suggests I'm not, and switching back and forth between bridged and NAT mode just to get disk sharing working seems like too much of hassle.

Is there a better way?

[WoodyZ]

Am I misunderstanding things? http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-2527 suggests I'm not, and switching back and forth between bridged and NAT mode just to get disk sharing working seems like too much of hassle.

Usual caveats apply... e.g. Correct settings in Host and Guest OSes to enable File Sharing and Firewall Settings correctly set, etc...

You can access a Virtual Machine's Shared Resources from the Host whether the VM's Network is set to the default NAT or changing to Bridged much less Host-Only!

You can access the Guest's Shared Drive(s) or Folder(s) from Finder (menu bar) > Go > Connect to Server

e.g. smb://IP_Address/Share_Name or smb://Computer_Name/Share_Name

Obviously accessing the Guest VM from a computer other than the Host would not be accessable using Host-Only and or NAT without modifying the default Host network settings however when it comes to Host to Guest or Guest to Host all three will enable access to the other with the correct settings made.

No switching back and forth is absolutely necessary.

As far as the Cross-Platform Contamination that Parallels inflicts on OS X thankfully Fusion does not cripple the Host in such a manner and if VMware ever goes that route and enables it by default I will not be using Fusion any more and will just go back to a Windows PC and use Workstation. If VMware does go that route I'd hope it is a secondary install and modification of the Host as I do not even want it installed and disabled by default and I think there are plenty of other professional users that feel the same.