VMware Communities
silversamurai
Contributor
Contributor

Workstation 17 - Sharing a folder on the guest VM (Linux Mint 20) with the host (Windows 10)

I would like to share a folder in a VM running Linux Mint 20 with the host machine running Windows 10.  Is there a way to have the folder show up as a network drive within Windows?  All of the documentation and posts I came across seem to discuss sharing a host folder with the guest and not the other way around.

I am looking to test the behavior of certain applications and how it handles case sensitive folders in Linux (e.g. Identically named folders except for the capitalization).  The applications are windows based and I would like to point them at a network drive (hosted in the VM) that has directories that simulate the conditions I want to test.

I also looked into mapping the virtual disk itself as outlined here:

https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Workstation-Pro/17/com.vmware.ws.using.doc/GUID-896E61F5-0865-4D3B...

I do not see a File, Map Virtual Disks option in the File menu (See screenshot).  I am also not seeing the Map Virtual Disk option when I right click on the .vmdk file.

How can I get a folder in the Linux VM mapped as a network drive in the host?   Thanks.

Reply
0 Kudos
1 Reply
louyo
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

I do it the same way as "real" systems. Install and configure Samba server on your Linux VM, then map to it on the Windows machine. Lots of how-tos in the Linux forums.

 

Reply
0 Kudos