What controls a USB memory stick

[olbeggaols]

Greetings again,

When using a USB memory stick, what controls what?

Does one mount and dismount the stick from within the VM, from within the Workstation, or from within the Host? Or is there an order to follow: VM>Workstation>Host?

I was able to dismount a memstick without apparent problems after ejecting it from the Workstation, then the Host, but the icon representing the stick remained 'on' in the VM which is worrysome. I had mounted it, or so I thought, from within the VM ... meaning after the VM was powered on though it was also installed on the Host at that time.

I understand the business of only being able to use it on one or the other at any given time by using connect/disconnect on the workstation menu, but that doesn't appear to be the same thing as ejecting the drive.

[olbeggaols]

Good Morning,

I am still confused about disconnecting USB Devices from a Virtual Machine.

Workstation 7; Windows 7 64bit; VM: Windows 2000 Pro SP4

This is what the help file says:

Before you unplug a USB device or choose VM > Removable Devices to disconnect it from a virtual machine, be sure it is in a safe state.

Follow the procedures the device manufacturer specifies for unplugging the device from a physical computer. This is true whether you are physically unplugging it, moving it from host to virtual machine, moving it between virtual machines, or moving it from virtual machine to host.

This is important with data storage devices (a Zip drive, for example). If you move a data storage device too soon after saving a file and the operating system did not actually write the data to the disk, you can lose data.

====================

I see 4 ways to disconnect USB Devices:

1. Using VM > Removable Devices > X > connect/disconnect
2. Using the icon in the taskbar of the VM
3. Using the icon in the taskbar of the Workstation
4. Using the icon on the host machine

So far I have tried the first 3. In each case the USB device is disconnected from both the VM and the Host, but with the device still listed as connected in the host, and with VM > Removable Devices, causes the host to believe the device was disconnected without first dismounting it and sends the host into a scan of the drive. In one case dismounting from within the VM disconnected a USB card reading device and caused it to disappear completely from the host and required physically unplugging and plugging to reactivate it on the host.

At this point the only way I am confident of disconnecting a USB device from a VM is to power off the VM, disconnect from the host, and physically remove the device.

Can someone enlighten me concerning what I am overlooking, doing in error?

[continuum · Accepted solution]

the cleanest way to do it is first
2. Using the icon in the taskbar of the VM
then
1. Using VM > Removable Devices > X > connect/disconnect

[WoodyZ]

FWIW Regardless of the system, physical or virtual I always perform a safe removal before disconnecting.  In other words under Windows as an example I use the Safety Remove Hardware applet in the Notification Area of the Taskbar before physically or virtually removing the device.  When working with a Virtual Machine and I want the Host to regain control of the device I then also disconnect it via the appropriate menu control in VMware Workstation and then the Host will normally have direct control.  Some devices, depending on the device and or the Host OS may require physical disconnect/reconnect to function properly however with USB Flash Drives this usually is not the case.  Under Linux OSes I first unmount the device before ejecting it.

[olbeggaols]

Connecting/Disconnecting a USB 'memstick' drive.

Thank you both for these helpful instructions which  did solve the problem. Woody's advice is well taken and I do follow the safe removal process he describes. At this point the only thing I can think of that has been causing me problems is that I  possibly have not been giving the various acttions time enough to complete as at least once following the correct process resulted in issues on the host. Here is a step-by-step of the proof of the effacacy of Ulli's method:

Before opening Workstation, insert USB memstick.

Open Workstation

Power on VM [Windows 2000 Pro SP4]; log on; check the VM's USB connections icon to find the USB memstick is not listed.

Use: VM >Removable Devices >USB.X > Connect and receive this message:

A USB device is about to be unplugged from the host and connected to this virtual machine. It will first be stopped to enable safe removal. With some devices, the host may display the message "The device acan now safely be removed."

Clicked OK.

Device Icon is removed from host notification area [aka systray] Device is listed when clicking USB devices icon in VM's Taskbar.
Device icon is listed as active [green dot] on the Workstation System Tray

Device is visible in Explorer of Vitual Machine

Disconnecting:

Clicking on Virtual Machine's USB Devices Icon; click device listing; receive notification that the device can now be safely removed; ok.

Double check: USB Devices Icon in Virtual machine no longer lists device.

Go to Workstation Menu: > VM >Removable Devices> USB.X> click "Disconnect"

Device Icon in Workstation Taskbar now shows disconnected status and the USB Icon in the Host has returned to active status.

Double check: VM >Removable Devices >USB.X is shown disconnected

Shut down VM via: Start>Shut down
Shut down Workstation
Click Icon on Host Taskbar >Eject USB.X >receive "Safe to remove..." message.

All's right with the world. I must have made it through the rapture.