USB Host problem: MacBook Pro - BootCamp - Windows 7 64 bit - 64 bit VM

[bopscotch]

I'm working on a totally clean, 64-bit Windows 7 Professional install on a freshly BootCamped MacBook Pro 2010, with the Apple-supplied drivers installed.

I've installed 64-bit VMware Workstation 7.0.1 build-227600.

There's almost nothing else installed on the new machine, and no external USB devices have been plugged in except for a single USB wireless mouse.

When I start a VM, I get the notification of "Host USB device connections disabled" due to failure to connect to the USB Arbitration Service. I've read up on this service and understand the problems others have seen with software incompatibilities.

When I try to start the USB Arbitration Service manually through the Services panel, Windows pops a dialog saying "Error 2: The system cannot find the file specified."

In the Device Manager, I've checked the drivers for the two listed

USB Root Hubs. Both are running Microsoft drivers 6.1.7600.16385 from

6/21/2006. There is no "Roll Back Driver" option.

Every other USB

device listed (3x Generic USB Hub, 3x USB Composite Device, 1x USB Mass

Storage Device) is also using a Microsoft drive, except the two Intel(R)

5 Series/3400 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controllers.

These are running Intel drivers from 6/4/2009 and DO have a Roll Back

option.

Have you seen this problem before? Is it the same problem other people have seen with the Sony -- and other -- drivers? I don't want to roll back the official drivers on these USB Host Controllers unless I have to, since everything else seems to be working fine. The "Error 2" seems very different from the "Error 31" that other people have been encountering.

Thanks in advance!

[bopscotch]

More info:

I have rolled back all my USB drivers to Microsoft generic drivers, with no effect.

When I attempt to start the USB arbitration service manually, I get the same error.

I don't think it helps, but the Event Log shows:

The VMware USB Arbitration Service service terminated with the following error:

The system cannot find the file specified.

Details:

+ System

- Provider

Service Control Manager

{555908d1-a6d7-4695-8e1e-26931d2012f4}

Service Control Manager

- EventID 7023

49152

Version 0

Level 2

Task 0

Opcode 0

Keywords 0x8080000000000000

- TimeCreated

2010-05-10T18:19:40.261547400Z

EventRecordID 4202

Correlation

- Execution

516

3156

Channel System

Computer Niihau

Security

• EventData

param1 VMware USB Arbitration Service

param2 %%2

[vesposit]

Hi Bop... I have a FIX !!!

I had same issue... here is the story with fix...

-I paid VMWare for support - after weeks of trying this and that, reinstalling Win7 yada... yada, they assigned one of the Devs to help.

-the Dev engineer remotely worked on my system for 2+ hours

-he found and fixed the problem

-Problem:

-if you want to see this... go to Microsoft and download a tool called WinObj.exe tool and run it

-go to device section and look for this device "USBFDO-0" ... it will NOT exist on your system, this is the problem

-you will see USBFDO-1 AND USBFDO-0-3 but NOT USBFDO-0

-the VMWare driver "hcmon.sys" looks for USBFDO-0 device to exist, if it does not is will not allow the USB-Arb... service to start

-you get the Error 2 file not found error

-Fix:

-he created a new patched "hcmon.sys" driver that looks for any USBFDO-x NOT just the USBFDO-0 to exist

-this instantly fixed my issue, now my VM (XP) can see the Mac usb ports, camera, bluetooth, everything works fine

-the catch is you must press F8 when booting to disable the Driver Signature Enforcement

-he mentioned that in future patches they will roll out this new driver fix to everyone and then the driver will be signed so

we won't have to use the F8 boot up trick

-How to:

-be sure you have installed Workstation v7.1.0

-go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers and rename the file hcmon.sys to hcmon.sys.old

-download the attached file in this post

-rename the file to .zip - extract it - now you have the patched hcmon.sys driver

-copy this new driver to C:\Windows\System32\drivers

-Reboot your system - before you see the Win7 starting - keep pressing F8 key

-now you have menu - select the Disable Driver Signature item (not sure exact text, it is obvious)

-allow win7 to boot

-now the USB-Arb service will be started - you can chk in services

-now your VM's will see the Mac usb ports....

Any questions feel free to contact me --- mike@espositos.net

[blablah]

This fix is still not included in vmware player 3.1.0 build-261024, cost me half a day of my life 😕

[vesposit]

Yes that is the same build I'm running and you are correct it is not fixed. But the fix and file I posted

will fix this version.

I talked with VM Engineer today (6/3/10) about the issue and it has been moved to the Devs for them

to create a official fix.I was told that I would be informed when it was fixed and would be released thru

normal patches and updates.

However the engineer that actually found the issue told me it might be up to a few months before the

update would include this fix, he was not sure but would push to get it in the next update.

So I would recommend that before you load any future patches to be sure you have saved the fixed hcmon.sys

file and after you apply the patch if problem is still there put the old file back. Eventually it will be properly fixed.

[blablah]

fixed file (for workstation version) does not seem to work with the player version, usb devices are recognized but not accessible, i try installing workstation right now

[blablah]

ok i just installed vmware workstation and i can confirm that the modified file works well

so for all others who have a macbook pro: use the evaluation 30 day workstation version and not vmware player

[bordertech]

We're having the same problem / error message on Windows 7 32bit / 32bit VM, also on a MacBook Pro 2010 model.

(we tried the supplied file with zero expectations of working, as it's probably a 64bit driver, and thus not going to work....and it didn't.

Any chance you could request the engineer create a 32bit version as well? (hey, I can ask...)

Thanks for posting this, it's nice to know we're not going mad...

Sal

[vesposit]

Sorry but the case is now closed. They are going to notify me when it is fixed and released in

upcoming VM patches. So I estimate in the next few months it will be taken care of. Sorry it did not

work for you, yes I'm using x64 which that driver fixes.

If you are in real need, you can open a case specific to your machine for $50. That is what I did and

they were great about getting it fixed, $50 well spent for me since I needed it working now...

regards,

mike

[bopscotch]

vesposit, thanks for taking the time to post such a detailed solution, and for spending the cash to bump this up as a vmware development priority.

I haven't tried the fix, as I decided instead to run all my existing VMs under MacOS using Fusion 3. So far, it's working well (with 3D acceleration turned off) ...