Howto block an USB device from being connected

[st_mue]

Hi,

I have a card reader in my display that is connected to the VM everytime I wake the Mac up. This card reader causes Linux (SuSE 11.1) to poll and this keeps the CPU busy. I do not need the card reader under Linux, so I want vmware to ignore this device. Is it possible to configure this somehow? I like the automatic connection in general, but I want to get rid of the card reader under Linux.

Thanks!

Stefan

[wila]

Hi,

I don't have the exact code ready for you, but in your case i would approach the problem differently.

You can also instruct linux to NOT try to mount your usb device by adding a special udev rule for you device.

Just google on it and it should give you an answer.

If you want to solve this on VMware level, then i think you need to use usb.generic.skipSetConfig

See also http://www.sanbarrow.com/vmx/vmx-devices.html

and search the forums (again use google for best results)

--

Wil

_____________________________________________________

Visit the VMware developers wiki at http://www.vi-toolkit.com

[st_mue]

Hi,

Thanks a lot for your reply. I tried the udev trick and I now reached a state in which lsusb does not list the device, but the polling continues.

I also looked at the web site regarding usb.generic.skipSetConfig, but the page with the documentation is gone. In any case this seems to be a binary parameter TRUE|FALSE. I am looking for something that just says: Please ignore USB2223 but not the other USB devices. That is I want to be a printer automatically detected and connected to the VM, but this card reader should be ignored or permanently attached to Mac OS.

Thanks and greetings

Stefan

[WoodyZ]

I am looking for something that just says: Please ignore USB2223 but not the other USB devices. That is I want to be a printer automatically detected and connected to the VM, but this card reader should be ignored or permanently attached to Mac OS.

AFAIK There is not a way to blacklist a device however you could just uncheck the Automatically connect USB Devices check box in the target Virtual machine's Settings and then just connect/disconnect USB devices manually from the USB icon on the Status Bar or USB menu under the Virtual Machine menu as needed/wanted.

In conjunction with that you might also be able to create a whitelist using the information in Automatically Connecting USB Devices at Virtual Machine Power On and although VMware Fusion isn't mentioned in the Products section of that KB Article the concept should still apply.

[wila]

Brilliant, that was what I was looking for, but didn't know the details of it anymore. Didn't know it was actually even in the knowledgebase, thanks for the link.

So they didn't give you the monkey brain for nothing eh?

, sorry to have put you on the wrong track, this is the answer you are looking for as it is completely handled from within the VMware configuration.

No internal guest tricks needed.

--

Wil

_____________________________________________________

Visit the VMware developers wiki at http://www.vi-toolkit.com