USB 2

[brucebowler]

Hi, first post (so be gentle if I screw up 🙂   

Using VMware player 3.1.3

My host is WinXPpro64 on a fairly new machine

The guest is WinXPpro32 that was created using the VMware converter to "clone" an existing machine.  The guest runs fine except that when I plug in a USB 2 device it gives the old chestnut, "this device would run better if you had a USB 2 port".  The physical hardware *is* USB 2, but the guest doesn't seem to see it that way.

Is there a way to convince the guest that it's talking to a USB 2 device?

Thanks!

Bruce

[a_p_]

I guess the virtual hardware version of your VM is still "4" (see http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1003746). In order to be able to have USB 2 in your VM, you need to upgrade the virtual HWversion and eventually enable USB 2.0 in the virtual USB hardware after the upgrade.

Now the problem is that you cannot do this with VMware Player. As a workaround you could download VMware Workstation for evaluation and use this to upgrade the virtual hardware.

It might also work to create a new VM with and attach the existing virtual disk to it. Make sure there are currently no snapshots on the disk.

André

[continuum]

updating virtual hardware to version 7 is pretty easy - all you need is a small edit of the vmx-file.

change

virtualHW.version = "4"

to

virtualHW.version = "7"

and make sure you also add
ehci.present = "true"
usb.present = "true"

this must be done while the VM is powered off - not suspended.

On next start the other settings will be added automatically

If the virtual hardware version already is 7 very likely only the line

ehci.present = "true" is missing

[brucebowler]

Of course installing the workstation requires the player to be uninstalled so that was somewhat of a "non-starter" because of some other VMs that work and shouldn't be stopped.

However, creating a new VM and attaching the old disk did work "the treat".  Well almost.  When I attached the old disk to the new machine it gave me the option of upgrading the old disk to the new machine format (6.5-7) or keep the disk the same.  When I tried to upgrade the disk it complained about file not found.  If I said keep existing format, everything worked fine and the VM now understand USB2 without compaint...

Thanks for your pointers!

Bruce

[eggpap]

Hello, this is my first post on VMW community. I have a XP Pro 32bit VM installed with VMW Player 3.1.3, but I've encounter some problems with USB devices, so I think your tips solve my issues.

Before to proceed, however, to uninstall VMW Player to upgrade the VM Hardware version, I need to know if I loss the XP installation.

Moreover how to know the differences between Player and Workstation versions?

Thanks,

Emiliano

[a_p_]

Welcome to the Community,

if it's just the newer virtual hardware version you need, I'd suggest you follow continuum's recommendation to edit the VM's vmx file.

Regarding your questions:

- Uninstalling and re-installing does not hurt your virtual machines

- Workstation offers more features, like multiple snapshots, clones, teams, ...

To find out more about VMware Workstation, please visit the produce site at http://www.vmware.com/products/workstation/ You can also download a 30-day trial of VMware Workstation. It includes the Player, so you do not have to uninstall VMware Workstation after the trial in case you rather want to continue with the Player instead of Workstation. The virtual machines created in Workstation will run in Player and vice versa without the need of modifications.

André

[continuum]

> I have a XP Pro 32bit VM installed with VMW Player 3.1.3, but I've  encounter some problems with USB devices,

If you want reliable USB inside a VM use VMplayer 2.5.

InVMplayer 3 USB support is work in progress ... very  slow progress

[eggpap]

If you want reliable USB inside a VM use VMplayer 2.5.

InVMplayer 3 USB support is work in progress ... very  slow progress

Do u know if Workstation version is affected by similar problems?

[continuum]

Workstation and VMplayer are the same program.
VMplayer is nothing but a ripped Workstation.

So yes - Workstation 7 has the same buggy USB-support as VMplayer 3.

Use Workstation 6.5.5 or VMplayer 2.5.5 - the USB -support in that versions is way better

[Oda201110141]

Solution for usb device attachment problem

Postby stouto » 21. Dec 2010, 23:36
Issue: Unable to attach external USB devices, such as a flash drive, for use on guest machines within VMWare Player 3 or Virtualbox Workstation.

I am using a Windows 7 host system with a Windows XP guest system. I am currently experiencing with both Virtualbox and VMWare. Below solution worked for me on both of these virtual machines. The solution was found of the web. (Taking a blog for a test drive Yellow Highlighter – MooreMN)

One resolution to the USB problem is to remove the USBFilter ”UpperFilters” entry from the registry on the host system..

4. Instructions for removing the usbfilter driver or “UpperFilters” entry from the Windows Registry:
-Select the ‘Start’ button, in the ‘search programs and files’ box, type ‘regedit.exe’
-Navigate the registry to this entry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{36FC9E60-C465-11CF-8056-444553540000}.
In the right hand side, if the value “UpperFilters” exists, delete it.

5. Reboot the system so that Virtualbox or VMWare can access USB devices.

The link for above solution and other ideas can be found at: http://mooremn.wordpress.com/2010/06/27 ... -disabled/

Good Luck! 🙂
Oda

[continuum]

for others reading this ...

removing the upperfilters helps in some cases but it sure is not "the solution"

[eggpap]

Ulli Hankeln ha scritto:

Workstation and VMplayer are the same program.
VMplayer is nothing but a ripped Workstation.

So yes - Workstation 7 has the same buggy USB-support as VMplayer 3.

Use Workstation 6.5.5 or VMplayer 2.5.5 - the USB -support in that versions is way better

I have installed the 6.5.5 and 2.5.5., but I get more errors than before owing to SCSI warnings. Previously I had the VM installed on a USB disk. I have already installed XP Pro and activated it, but I think to have wrong something in installation steps I list here:

1. installed Workstation 6.5.5
2. installed VMPlayer 2.5.5
3. run the Workstation
4. installed a VM on the main disk (SCSI)
5. installed XP Pro
6. installed the VMWare Tools
7. enabled Shared Folders adding another phisical disk (not SCSI)

Booting the VM I get a request to check the Main HDisk in seconds. If I stop it VM closes, if I let it do asks much time.

I am ready to restart from zero, but be kind, please, let me know the correct sequence to follow.

At the end may I uninstall Workstation?

Is it necessary to activate XP again?

Emiliano

[continuum]

do I get this right ?

you run a VM installed to a physical disk and get disk corruption short after ?

do you remove the driveletter in the host ?

YOU MUST DO THAT