How Do You Troubleshoot an Apache Web Service Problem when from a Web Browser You Receive the Error “The Address Is Restricted”?

Problem scenario
You are using Oracle VirtualBox on a Windows host.  You are using a Linux guest that is running Apache web server.  The Apache httpd service is running on the guest Linux server.  But when you are on the Windows host, you try to access the website, you get an error in the web browser.  This is the error you receive:

“This address is restricted
This address uses a network port which is normally used for purposes other than Web browsing.

How Do You View the Website That Your Oracle VirtualBox Guest Server Is Presenting with a Web Browser on Your Windows Host?

Problem scenario:  You have a Linux VM guest running on Oracle VirtualBox.  You installed Apache web server on this server.  How do you browse to its website from your Windows host machine?

Solution

#1  Determine the host IP address as configured for the guest.  In Oracle VirtualBox go to Devices -> Network -> Network Settings.  For Adapter1 go to “Advanced” and click the button for “Port Forwarding.” The host IP address may be 127.0.1.1.

How Do You Share Files Between an Oracle VirtualBox Linux Guest and a Windows Host without Using vboxsf?

Problem scenario:  You have Oracle VirtualBox running on a Windows 7 computer as the host.  You have a Linux CentOS guest supported by Oracle VirtualBox.  You want to have a file share that does not rely on vboxsf.  What do you do?

Solution
1.  On the Windows host desktop, create a folder.  For this example, we’ll use “foobar” for the name.

How Do You Give Internet Access to a Linux Guest of Oracle VirtualBox Running on a Windows Host?

Problem scenario:
You created a new Linux CentOS 7.x guest server using Oracle VirtualBox on a Windows host.  Your Windows machine has Internet access.  From the Linux Guest you try to ping a 8.8.8.8 but you get this message “connect: Network is unreachable.”

How do you give the Linux guest Internet access?

Possible Solution #1
1.  Using the GUI of the Oracle VirtualBox guest server,

How Do You Troubleshoot The Linux Error “/sbin/mount.vboxsf: mounting failed with the error: Protocol error”?

Problem scenario:  You are trying to share files between your Windows desktop host of Oracle VirtualBox and a Linux guest virtual server.  You run this command:

mount -t vboxsf contint /mnt/windows-share

but you get this error:

“/sbin/mount.vboxsf: mounting failed with the error: Protocol error”

Solution
For the example command above that reproduces the error, the “contint” needs to match the “Name” value in what was configured in the Oracle VirtualBox Devices -Shared Folders -Shared Folder Settings window.

How Do You Use Putty To Connect To A CentOS Server (A Guest VM running on Oracle VirtualBox on a Windows Host)?

Problem scenario:  You have a Windows 7 host with Oracle VirtualBox.  You have a guest CentOS Linux virtual server.  How do you connect to a CentOS VM using networking?

Miscellaneous:  If you are looking for directions on how to give a Linux guest access to the Internet, these directions will work (assuming the host is running Windows).

Solution
#1  In Oracle VirtualBox go to Devices -Network -Network Settings. 

Oracle VirtualBox Client (or VM or virtual Linux server) Has No Internet Access

Problem scenario:  You are running Linux 7.x in Oracle VirtualBox on a Windows Professional 7 laptop.  In the Linux server, you try to ping an IP address.  You get “connect: Network is unreachable.”

Solution

1.  In the Oracle VirtualBox window of the server, go to Devices -> Network Settings -> Adapter 1

     a) Go to Attached To: and choose “NAT”

b) Check the box for “Cable Connected”

2.

How Do You Set Up a Shared Drive or Folder Using Oracle VirtualBox?

Problem scenario:  You want to transfer files between a host machine running Oracle VirtualBox and a guest server.  By sharing media, your Oracle VirtualBox is much more useful.  How do you configure a folder to be shared between the host machine that runs Oracle VirtualBox and a virtual guest OS?   

Solution
These directions are for Oracle VirtualBox running on a Windows 7 Professional host with a guest virtual server running Linux,

How Do You Install VirtualBox Guest Additions on a Linux Guest Server when the Files Are All Missing From the .iso?

Problem scenario:  You are trying to install Guest Additions on a Linux server.  You mount the CD/DVD/.iso through Oracle VirtualBox to /media/VirtualBoxGuestAdditions.  On the host virtual server the /media/VirtualBoxGuestAdditions (the directory where the CD/DVD/.iso was mounted) has no files.  You try to unmount the device and remount the device.  But you see no files. You are unable to run “./VBoxLinuxAdditions.run” because the file is not where it should be.  What do you do to solve this problem?

How Do You Find Logs on a Linux Server That Pertain to a Failed mount Command?

Problem scenario
You want to set up a file share through Oracle VirtualBox.  You are trying to mount a file share on a Linux guest running via Oracle VirtualBox on a Windows host.   The mount command fails and you want to find relevant logs.  What do you do?

Solution
To find logs that are appropriate to debugging a mount command that does not work,