How To Fix Shared Folder Issues in Ubuntu 22.04 on VMware

In this article, we will explore how to troubleshoot and fix shared folder issues in Ubuntu 22.04 on VMware. This guide will be beneficial for anyone who is experiencing problems with accessing shared folders in their Ubuntu guest operating system on VMware.

Understanding Shared Folders in VMware

Shared folders in VMware allow you to easily share files between the host operating system and the guest operating system. This feature is particularly useful when you need to exchange files between the two environments. However, sometimes you may encounter issues where the shared folders are not visible or accessible in Ubuntu. Let’s look at how to fix these issues.

Prerequisites

Before we dive into the solutions, ensure that you have the following:

• VMware Workstation or VMware Player installed on your host operating system.
• Ubuntu 22.04 installed as a guest operating system in VMware.
• VMware Tools installed in your Ubuntu guest operating system. If not, you can follow this guide on how to install VMware Tools in Ubuntu.

Creating a Shared Folder

First, you need to create a shared folder in VMware:

1. Select the Ubuntu virtual machine in VMware and click on VM > Settings.
2. In the settings window, click on the Options tab and select Shared Folders.
3. Click on Add to create a new shared folder. Choose the directory on your host machine that you want to share and give it a name.

Mounting the Shared Folder in Ubuntu

After creating the shared folder, you need to mount it in Ubuntu. Here’s how:

1. Open a terminal in Ubuntu (Ctrl + Alt + T).
2. Run the following command to create a new directory named hgfs inside the /mnt directory. This is where we’ll mount the shared folders:

   sudo mkdir /mnt/hgfs

   The sudo command is used to run the command with root privileges. mkdir is a command used to create a directory. /mnt/hgfs is the path where the directory will be created.
3. Next, mount the shared folders with the following command:

   sudo vmhgfs-fuse .host:/ /mnt/hgfs/ -o allow_other -o uid=1000

   Here, vmhgfs-fuse is a command provided by VMware Tools to mount shared folders. The .host:/ parameter specifies the source of the shared folders, and /mnt/hgfs/ is the destination where the shared folders will be mounted. The -o allow_other option allows users other than the one who mounted the filesystem to access it. The -o uid=1000 option sets the owner of the files to the user with the ID 1000, which is typically the first non-root user created in Ubuntu.
4. After running the command, you should be able to access your shared folder by navigating to the /mnt/hgfs directory.

Troubleshooting

If the shared folders are still not visible after following the above steps, here are a few things you can check:

• Ensure that the shared folders are properly configured in VMware. You can verify this by going to VM > Settings > Options > Shared Folders in VMware.
• Make sure that VMware Tools are installed and running in the Ubuntu guest operating system. You can check this by running the command vmware-toolbox-cmd -v in Ubuntu.
• If you’re still having issues, you might need to reinstall VMware Tools. Follow the guide mentioned in the prerequisites section to do this.

Conclusion

Shared folders are a powerful feature of VMware that allow for easy file transfer between the host and guest operating systems. However, they can sometimes be tricky to set up, especially in Ubuntu. We hope this guide has helped you to troubleshoot and fix any shared folder issues you were experiencing in Ubuntu 22.04 on VMware. If you’re still having trouble, don’t hesitate to seek help from the VMware community or the Ubuntu forums.