Win 7 Linked Clones USB Auto Connect not consistent

[jcrayski]

Hello,

  Current environment is vCenter 4.1, ESX 4.1, and View 4.6 running several linked clone pools.  We have all users make sure that on the Connect USB Devices Menu Option, Autoconnect USB Devices is selected.  We are having issues with a printer though.  In the morning the user comes in connects to View and pulls their desktop, the printer an HP P2035 is connected and powered on and connected via USB to a Fat or Thin Client.  Since auto reconnect is selected the linked clone should see the printer and load the drivers and everything should be fine, it is not.  However, if they go to the Connect USB Devices Menu and drop it down the HP is there and if they select it it load and works fine.   Next morning we start the drill all over again.  Any idea why we have to select the device everyday to get it to load?

Thanks

Jim

[GunnerTAC]

Just letting you know you're not the only one with this. It's as if the Autoconnect does absolutely nothing on our end. I hope someone else has a solution for this.

[jhanekom]

Seem to have the same issue here.  Did a bit of troubleshooting and can't seem to find where that particular setting is stored; it doesn't appear to write to the registry to store it, nor to a configuration file.

However, I was able to get it working in my case by using the VMware View Group Policy ADM files and setting the value there.  This can be achieved by doing the following on the client itself, but the "correct" way would be to create a proper GPO in the domain and filter it to the correct clients:

* Open GPEdit.MSC on the client

* Under Computer Configuration --> Administrator Templates, add vdm_client.adm (located in Program Files\VMware\VMware View\Client\Extras)

* Set "VMware View Client Configuration --> Scripting definitions --> Connect all USB devices to the desktop on Launch" = Enabled

The registry value that can be used to achieve the same thing as the Group Policy template above is:

* HKLM\Software\Policies\VMware, Inc.\VMware VDM\Client, REG_SZ connectUSBOnStartup = "true"

[jcrayski]

   Hi jhanekom, yea I tried that wil no success.  I opened a case with tech Support and they tell me since I am using fat clients and this link http://blogs.vmware.com/view/2009/02/vmware-view-client-as-a-shell-for-xpe-and-xp-pro-clients.html to run the view client as a XP Shell the USB devices might possible be connecting to the fat client before the view client starts up.  They offerend this script

'StartupDelay.vbs

DIM objShell

SecondsToDelay = "15"

Wscript.Sleep(SecondsToDelay * 1000)

Set objShell = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell") objShell.Run """C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware View\Client\bin\wswc.exe"""

'StartupDelay.vbs

DIM objShell

SecondsToDelay = "15"

Wscript.Sleep(SecondsToDelay * 1000)

Set objShell = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell") objShell.Run """C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware View\Client\bin\wswc.exe"""

as a possible solution to delay usb until the view client starts.  I will let yu know.

Jim

[satya1]

edit my moderator: removed quotes- please stop quoting full posts

hi is this script helpfull ?

Yours,

Satya

[jhanekom]

I should probably mention that I'm using View 5.0.

Not very hopeful that that script will achieve much at all, I'm afraid...

I suspect support might be leaning towards the command-line solution as the Kiosk mode of VMware View forces USB auto-redirection by default, unlike the normal mode.  However, what they gave you is not quite kiosk mode... there is a script in the View Client installation directory called kiosk_mode.cmd.  Again, this is on 5.0, but my understanding is that it should be there in 4.6 also.  It's similar to what you've got, but includes the "-unattended" parameter in the command line.

[jcrayski]

   I will let you know if the script works.  Will be trying it today.  We just finished upgrading to 4.1U2 and will be waiting a while before going to 5.  Does view 5 offer that much more?

Jim

[jhanekom]

Just a note on the odd chance that someone happens upon this thread:  this seems to be much-improved in View 5.1, which uses a substantially-revised UB redirection mechanism.  I've only tested it on PCoIP, but my understanding is that RDP direction has been improved as well.

Setting the relevant HKLM\Software\Policies values (either manually or through proper GPO's) helped in my case.

[rrathi]

where to put the key?

HKLM\Software\Policies/Vmware? I dont see client folder. Using PCIOP in kiosk mode. Like to enable USB in kiosk mode. thanks

[jhanekom]

Simplest way would be to just add the GPO administrative templates into the Group Policy editor and set it from there.  The templates are installed on the View Connection Server as a subfolder to the C:\Program Files\VMware\View folder IIRC.

Just search for *.adm, it'll be there... if you open the files in a text editor, you'll also notice they contain precise key/value information, so if you want to add it with Registry Editor or a script of some sort, you can get that info there.  (Apologies for the redirect, but I won't have access to a View Connection server soon.)