Using Samba to share a folder from a Linux guest with a Windows host in VirtualBox

I would like to share a folder from a Linux Guest with a Windows host (with read and write access if possible) in VirtualBox.

I read in these two links: here and here that it's possible to do this using Samba, but I am a little bit lost and need more information on how to proceed.

So far, I managed to set up two network adapters (one NAT and one host-only) and to install Samba on the Linux guest, but I have the following questions now:

1. What do I need to type in samba.conf to share a folder from the Linux guest? (the tutorial provided in one of the links above only explains how to share home directories)
2. Are there any Samba commands that I need to run on the guest to enable sharing?
3. How do I make sure that these folders are only available to the host OS and not on the Internet?
4. Once the Linux guest is setup, how do I access each of the individual shared folders from the Windows host? I read that I need to mount a drive on Windows to do this, but do I use Samba logins, or Linux logins, also do I use localhost? or do I need to set up an IP for this?

Thanks!

Solution 1:

1. These are examples how you define a share in your smb.conf

   [readonly-share]
      comment = some share
      path = /this/folder/is/shared
      guest ok = no
      browseable = yes
      read only = yes
   

   [read-write-share]
      comment = another share
      path = /this/folder/is/writable
      guest ok = no
      browseable = yes
      read only = no
      create mask = 0777
      directory mask = 0777
      force create mode = 777
      force directory mode = 777
      force security mode = 777
      force directory security mode = 777
   

2. After you edit smb.conf run "testparm" to check your changes, then let the daemon re-read the config with a "service smbd restart"

3. (Not sure about this one)
   With a "NAT" and "host-only" virtual network card you should be safe. To reach the guest's services from any other computer but the host, you would need to set up port forwardings on the host or configure a "bridged" virtual network card.

4. Authentication type can be set in the smb.conf. The default setting in Ubuntu's samba conf it to set "security = user", which means that you have to authenticate with a valid useraccount. (unless you have set "guest ok = yes")

   To access the shares from your Windows Host you have to use the guest's IP address. VBox NATs are use addresses like "10.0.2.15". To reach the share "readonly-share" from the host you can write a URI like this in the File Explorer's address bar:

   \\10.0.2.15\readonly-share
   

Solution 2:

In the answer that bytesum gives, readonly-share must not be a full path, but the path stripped of its $HOME part. I.e.: in my case I was testing to share /home/me/Documents; my machine is named MYMACHINE. So in Windows7 I had to specify when mapping a network drive:

\\MYMACHINE\Documents

note the absence of /home/me. Problem solved.