Windows 7: Shared Folders From Virtual Machine

I have a virtual 32bit XP machine on my Windows 7 64bit Pro box. In Windows 7 Pro, I have created several shared directories. I can map to these shares from the virtual machine, but when I try to access the mapped drives from the virtual machine, the file access is Reeeeeeal Slooooooow. It can sometimes take minutes to change directories in File Manager, or within the file dialogue box in a program. Access to these directories and files when I am on the host is fine.

I did not have this problem when I mapped to an exact duplicate structure of the shared directories when they resided on my company server. Only when I try to map to shared folders on the host of the virtual machine do I have this problem.

Has anybody else tried to map to shares on the host from a virtual machine on the same host? Are you seeing the same problems?

I've noticed it's really a lot faster to forget mapping and just create shortcuts to host's folders on XP Mode's desktop.

If integration is enabled, you'll see all the host's drives on XP Mode's Explorer (My Computer). What I've done is I have created shortcuts to my personal folder and public folder on host (C:\Users\Kari and C:\Users\Public), and placed these shortcuts to XP Mode's desktop.

Works well and fast.

Kari

I would like to do this, but some of the software packages that we use expect the files to be in specific locations such as D:\Project A\Hydraulic Model\HMS\*.* or E:\Sacramento River\Aerial Photographs\*.*. We have 5 drive letters D through H that are used throughout the company to represent a file structure that is identical on all machines so that any machine can be used to run any program for any of our projects. These files were previously on our server, but I have moved the RAID array to the Win 7 machine while we do some maintenance on the server RAID.

I have also noticed, now that I have been playing more with this, that access to these shares from other computers in the company is just as bad, so maybe it is not a virtual machine problem but a sharing problem for Win 7 in general.

I log into the Win 7 host with my domain login. I have the same login for the virtual machine and all other machines in the company. I have given my domain account complete access to these shares in the share dialog box as well as the security dialog box. Access is fine from the host, but any other machine practiallly locks up as soon as I try to access one of the drives that are mapped back to the Win 7 machine.

I'll have to study this issue a bit. I'll be back if I find something. In the mean time, you could try this to speed your virtual machines a bit.

Kari

As an update, I have noticed that shares on a Win 7 machine can be accessed ok by other Win 7 machines, but not XP machines on the network. That includes even the Win XP VM that is on the Win 7 box that has the share. All machines, Win 7 and XP, can access shares on the 2003 SBS server without any problems.

I installed a new 32bit XP machine on the network. I gave it a new clean install of the OS. It seems to be able to access the shares on the 64bit Win 7 machine just fine. It seems that it is only the XP machines that were on the network at the time of the share creation that have the problem. The 32bit Win 7 machine that was on the network can access the shares, albeit at about half the speed of the new XP box. Very Weird! Anybody having similar problems?