USB3 functionality for Player and Workstation Edition

[td2015lb]

Hello,

I read that VMWare Player doesn't support USB3 automatically.

According to some help papers there is a way to build-in this functionality by installing additional drivers from the host mainboard manufacturer.

I tried that, but when installing the driver package from INTEL I got a message that my test computer has not the must-have requirements (maybe too old/too slow), so installation was aborted.

Is there another way to give a Player's VM the USB3 functionality?

Second question: We also use the normal/full "Workstation Edition" in our server room.

Does the "Workstation Edition" support USB3 or do we have to add this by installing additional driver software, too?

Thanks

Tommy

[dariusd]

You don't mention which version of Workstation/Player you are using, nor which guest OS you are using, so I'll give a generic explanation.

If your guest OS is Linux or Windows 8 or newer, VMware Workstation and Player have supported USB 3 since Workstation 9.0 and Player 9.0.  No additional drivers are needed inside the guest OS.

If your guest OS is specifically Windows 7, VMware Workstation and Player can support USB 3 only since Workstation 12.0 and Player 12.0, and require that you install specific Intel xHCI (USB 3) drivers inside the virtual machine.  Windows 7 did not include any USB 3 drivers, so those additional drivers are needed within the guest in order to enable that functionality.  Do not attempt to use your host's USB 3 drivers inside the guest.  See this KB article for details: USB 3.0 support for Windows 7 virtual machine in VMware Workstation and VMware Fusion (2128105) | VM...

The Windows 7 Intel xHCI (USB 3) drivers will not install in the virtual machine if you are using versions of Workstation or Player prior to 12.0... they will only install and operate correctly with the USB 3 emulation provided by Workstation 12 and newer.

If your guest OS is Windows Vista or older, VMware Workstation and Player are unable to support USB 3 for that virtual machine.

I am not aware of any difference between VMware Workstation Player and VMware Workstation Pro (formerly known as "VMware Player" and "VMware Workstation") regarding support for USB 3 devices, but I do not claim exhaustive knowledge of that particular aspect of your question.

Hope this helps!

--

Darius

[td2015lb]

Hello Darius,

guest systems are different windows versions and editions. problem is that i want to boot from usb when starting the vm.

so I think that will only work with usb2 sticks, because "no windows - no usb3 driver" in the vm. is that correct?

player version is 12.1.1.

currently we test with windows 7 enterprise 64bit (both: host and vms).

but target is: booting a vm which is placed on the server (as part of the full workstation edition, vm OS is Windows Server 2008).

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     >>  i guess we will have to use usb2 sticks to boot the vms, is this right?

           so we won't have the usb3 driver problem.

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General:  Booting a vm from an usb medium:

>> I read the article on the vmware homepage how to boot a vm from an usb medium (burning a third party boot medium on cd, boot the vm from this cd and then use this third party boot menu to select the attached usb stick to boot from).

I hope these things will work 🙂

thanks, have a nice day

Tommy

[dariusd]

Hmmm... Are you using Plop Boot (or some other bootloader) to launch the USB boot?  At what point is it failing to boot?  Describe what you are seeing on the virtual machine's screen.

Thanks,

--

Darius

[td2015lb]

yes, i use Plop Boot.

I will try in the afternoon again. last test was last week. after selecting usb in the Plop Boot menu as boot medium it didn't work.

but I forgot following behaviour of the vm.

but booting from the stick didn't work. maybe there came a message "no os" or it rebooted again, I forgot.

usb3 stick is ok. it is a (modern) small windows system which is loaded in the machine's cache.

I tested the stick using other (physical) machines ... old pcs, new pcs. stick and boot software is okay.

i will copy the usb3 stick's content to an usb2 stick. then I'll try again.