Starting Skype within a Windows XP VM Disconnects Sound Device

[mbmast]

Host: Windows 7 x64 with sound on the MB. From host Device Manager it appears as "High Definition Audio Device."

Guest: Windows XP SP3.

Every application I've ever run inside the guest OS has no problem with sound. These include various browsers, iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. I've just installed Skpe inside Windows XP (the guest) and whenever it starts, the sound is disconnected. From within Skype, the only audo device listed is "Createive Sound Blaster PCI." Not sure why it thinks that's what's installed. The host doesn't describe it that way. While Skype is still running, I go the the VM settings and click Removable Devices>Sound Card>Connect and get the following error message:

"The default sound device cannot be opened: A device ID has been used that is out of range for your system. Failed to connect virtual device sound."

If I shut down Skype and then re-attempt to connect the sound device, the device connects without a problem and works fine.

Is this a Skype problem or a VMWare problem? Any fixes for this? Work-arounds?

Thanks

[BruceMcMillan]

If you edit the settings file for the VM, is the Sound Card listed (and is the device status set for Connected and Connect at power on)?

Also does the Sound Card show as Auto detect (under connection, use the default host sound card).

Keep us posted!

[mbmast]

Yes, the Sound Card shows up as Auto Detect and to use the default host sound card.

Here are the VM's settings:

.encoding = "windows-1252"

config.version = "8"

virtualHW.version = "7"

scsi0.present = "TRUE"

memsize = "2048"

MemAllowAutoScaleDown = "FALSE"

ide0:0.present = "TRUE"

ide0:0.fileName = "Windows XP Professional-cl1-000004.vmdk"

ide1:0.present = "TRUE"

ide1:0.fileName = "D:"

ide1:0.deviceType = "cdrom-raw"

floppy0.fileName = "A:"

ethernet0.present = "TRUE"

usb.present = "TRUE"

sound.present = "TRUE"

sound.virtualDev = "es1371"

sound.fileName = "-1"

sound.autodetect = "TRUE"

displayName = "Windows XP Professional (Daily Use)"

guestOS = "winxppro"

nvram = "Windows XP Professional (Daily Use).nvram"

workingDir = ""

ide0:0.redo = ""

ide1:0.startConnected = "TRUE"

ethernet0.addressType = "generated"

uuid.location = "56 4d 05 90 af 15 c8 a3-7d 27 05 48 ec 19 85 87"

uuid.bios = "56 4d 9b 12 6b f7 93 ba-e8 96 fc 45 cd c9 e5 d4"

sharedFolder.maxNum = "1"

ide1:0.autodetect = "FALSE"

ethernet0.generatedAddress = "00:0c:29:c9:e5:d4"

ethernet0.generatedAddressOffset = "0"

tools.syncTime = "TRUE"

sharedFolder0.present = "TRUE"

sharedFolder0.enabled = "TRUE"

sharedFolder0.readAccess = "TRUE"

sharedFolder0.writeAccess = "TRUE"

sharedFolder0.hostPath = "C:\Share"

sharedFolder0.guestName = "Share"

sharedFolder0.expiration = "never"

checkpoint.vmState.readOnly = "FALSE"

checkpoint.vmState = ""

extendedConfigFile = "Windows XP Professional (Daily Use).vmxf"

virtualHW.productCompatibility = "hosted"

policy.vm.mvmtid = ""

vc.uuid = ""

inVMTeam = "FALSE"

numvcpus = "2"

cleanShutdown = "FALSE"

replay.supported = "FALSE"

replay.filename = ""

vmotion.checkpointFBSize = "134217728"

unity.wasCapable = "TRUE"

isolation.tools.hgfs.disable = "FALSE"

hgfs.mapRootShare = "TRUE"

debugStub.winOffsets.version = "7"

debugStub.winOffsets.value = "0x88,0x84,0x18,0x190,0x174,16,416,0x22c,0x228,0x1f0,0x224,0x20,0x18,0x18,0x20,0x24,4,0x11c,0x8,0x0,0x14,0x100000,0x1b0,0xc,0xc,0x18,0x13c,0x1f4"

usb.autoConnect.device0 = ""

pciBridge0.present = "TRUE"

ehci.present = "TRUE"

pciBridge4.present = "TRUE"

pciBridge4.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"

pciBridge4.pciSlotNumber = "21"

pciBridge4.functions = "8"

pciBridge5.present = "TRUE"

pciBridge5.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"

pciBridge5.pciSlotNumber = "22"

pciBridge5.functions = "8"

pciBridge6.present = "TRUE"

pciBridge6.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"

pciBridge6.pciSlotNumber = "23"

pciBridge6.functions = "8"

pciBridge7.present = "TRUE"

pciBridge7.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"

pciBridge7.pciSlotNumber = "24"

pciBridge7.functions = "8"

vmci0.present = "TRUE"

maxvcpus = "4"

mks.enable3d = "TRUE"

ide0:1.present = "FALSE"

sharedFolder1.present = "FALSE"

pciBridge0.pciSlotNumber = "17"

scsi0.pciSlotNumber = "16"

usb.pciSlotNumber = "32"

ethernet0.pciSlotNumber = "33"

sound.pciSlotNumber = "34"

ehci.pciSlotNumber = "35"

vmci0.pciSlotNumber = "36"

usb:0.present = "TRUE"

usb:1.present = "TRUE"

vmci0.id = "-333871736"

usb:1.deviceType = "hub"

usb:0.deviceType = "mouse"

Thanks

[mbmast]

The problem is not unique to Window XP guest machines with their virtualized Sound Blaster sound device. I created a Windows 7 x64 virtual machine, installed all updates, installed Skype and experienced the exact same problem. Same error message, same everything.

[Pondosa]

Anyone come up with a solution to this problem? I've got almost the exact same issue.

Host: Win7 Pro

Guest: Win XP pro

Symptoms: sound works fine in most applications, but disconnects when I launch a game, Age of Kings. I can reconnect the sound card once I'm out of the game. The sound card used to work fine in the game until I upgraded the VMWare tools. Since then, nanda. Anyone have any insights?

Thanks,

-Pondosa

[mbmast]

I never did get this to work, but once I upgraded Workstation to version 8 and installed the latest version of Skype (as of this post), Skype works perfectly within the Windows XP VM.  The only minor issue is that you must specify the microphone is a USB device and not the built in emulated SoundBlaster device.