new to vmware - usb ports allocation

[Jurgen_BIGJ]

I am fairly new to VMware and would like to assign different usb ports on my computer to different virtual machines. Can i allocate a particular USB port to a specific virtual machine only, connect several USB mouse and keyboard and thus run different virtual machines simultaneously through the use of multiple input devices?

Thanks for your help!

[divine_kane]

I don't think its possible to assign specific ports to the vm. Basically what happens is when you attach a device such as a usb pen you 'transfer' that device to the VM. I/O devives such as keyboards and mice are not connected to the VM i think.

[phenrichs]

You may find that the mouse and keyboard MIGHT work. USB is NOT currently supported. This is an issue that I have been battling with for over a year. There are some options that utilize USB over IP. USBanywhere makes a product that may be useful. The mouse and keyboard are generally connected as generic devices through the client. I have found that occasionaly a guest VM will recognize a USB device that is connected to my local client. One case: I left ther USB floppy connected to my laptop via the docking station and logged into the client. The VM saw it and actually let me open the files on the floppy but if I tried to write to the floppy the entire VM would sieze and require a command line KILL of the process tied to it.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Paul

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