How do you connecting a USB device or drive to a Guest OS using ESX 4.1 vSphere.

[Davincij]

Allow me to walk you though my exact process that I currently using and please explain what step I am missing.

1. Physicly connect the USB to the Host ESX 4.1 server.

2. Open vSphere Client.

3. Select Virtual Machine Guest.

4. Select "Edit Settings..."

5. Click "Add..."

6. Select "USB Device (unavailable)"

As you can see in step number 6 I am unable to access my USB device, I know $100 trillion z dollar bet someone will post these exact steps as the answer to my question, please surprize me. Also note that I have gone to the command line and did a lsusb to see if it's connected and the device is there. Clearly there is a step missing.

Thanks in advance.

Davinci

http://It is a good thing that hyperinflation can not happen in the USA because if it could helicopter Ben would not be able to create money and give it to the wealthy bankers while the public suffers.

[RParker]

, I know $100 trillion z dollar bet someone will post these exact steps as the answer to my question,

Unless your ESX host has Direct Path support, it won't work. Click on configuration tab, then advanced settings. If it shows "host does not support passthru configuration", you won't be able to do it.

sometimes USB devices will work without it, but it's up to the hardware, usually though USB is not a good idea to use on ESX.

So in your case, the hardware may not support this USB device.

[Davincij]

The issue was that USB devices do not appear imediately once connected it took 10 minutes before it became available. I only need it to copy a file to the VM and yes I could have done it remotly but I wanted to know how to add devices to the VM.

[Davincij]

The missing step was WAIT 5 to 10 Minutes after connecting the device.

[Troy_Clavell]

this is a pretty good how to as well

http://www.ntpro.nl/blog/archives/1551-What-about-vMotion-and-USB-Device-Pass-through.html