Tips on Changing Settings for Virtualbox on a Mac Laptop

This covers basic settings on a Mac Laptop Intel running osx - Running Virtualbox, the freeware virtualisation software on any computer can be easy - and there are a number of internet based support forums. Getting your head around the settings for Virtualbox can be a bit harder.

Virtualbox is configurable from its GUI interface and also has a larger set of command line options, which are all covered in the userguide on the Virtualbox download site

The Edit Settings GUI has 7 sections with 3 sub sections. For first time users, in Virtualbox 2.2.0 the 7 sections are

1. General
2. Storage
3. Audio
4. Network
5. Ports
6. Shared Folders
7. Remote Display

You will be most interested in editing or changing the settings in Storage, Network and Shared Folders

Storage

How to mount the Guest Additions in MacOSX

The Guest Additions file is hidden inside the Application folder

Click Edit > Storage

Select CD/DVD-ROM and the options to Mount CD/DVD Drive and ISO Image File

Click the Yellow Folder icon

Now open the Applications folder in a Finder window

Right-click Virtualbox and choose Show Contents

Inside this folder click and drag the Guest Additions ISO to the Virtualbox Settings menu

Then in Virtualbox click once on the Guest Additions entry and choose Select

Now run the Virtualbox Guest and your Guest Additions disc will be mounted as your CD-Rom

Run the Virtualbox Guest Additions on the Mac so you have seamless integration of your mouse

Good Luck.

Meet the author

Damien Saunders
An experienced management consultant and business leader interested in digital transformation, product centred design and scaled agile. If I'm not writing about living with UCTD (an autoimmune disease), I'm probably listening to music, reading a book or learning more about wine.