unknown usb controller

[pulpago]

Hi,

i set up a win7x64 System with the "VMware-workstation-full-11.0.0-2305329". But in the Work Station in the Device Manage, I do have the problem that a USB Controller is not installed correct ( As you can see in the picture).

On the host system there are no problems.

I also installed the new vmware tools in the vm but the usb controller didnt chanced.

The funny thin is that there is no usb device installed.

I also deinstalled the ccontroller but by starting new hes comming back.

I also checked the homepage PCI Vendor and Device Lists and it comes out that the vendore is vmwaretools, but the device 0779 is not in the list?

Would be great if somebody could help me out.

[dariusd]

Hi pulpago, and welcome to the VMware Communities!

Windows 7 does not include a driver for USB3 (xHCI).  Power down the guest, go into the virtual machine's settings, and downgrade the USB controller from USB 3.0 to USB 2.0, then try again.  The guest OS should now recognize the USB controller.

Cheers,

--

Darius

[thorsfall]

Going off topic a little (sorry): Should the VMware Tools package contain a driver for the USB3 (xHCI) controller, as it's an virtual device provided by VMware?

Second part: Does this mean that Windows 7 VMs are confined to USB 2.0 transfer speeds when connected to USB 3.0 devices on the host/client?

[dariusd]

Hi thorsfall,

For each release, VMware has to make a decision about whether to support each guest OS when used in combination with each piece of virtual hardware.  That decision is based on many factors, including the lifecycle of the virtual hardware and the guest OS, the engineering, quality assurance and validation effort required, the stability and functionality of the guest OS when used with the virtual hardware, and the risks involved in attempting to support that combination (i.e. do we really want to officially support feature <x> on guest OS <y> if it is going to cause an 0.1% decrease in overall stability of that guest OS, for example, or if it would cause an 0.1% increase in the risk of a guest OS failing due to an OS update, or if it would cause a set of popular USB peripherals which would have worked correctly in USB 2.0 mode to now try USB 3.0 mode and fail?).  The decision is nowhere near as straightforward as it might seem at first glance.

When we first added xHCI virtual hardware, a decision was made that we would not support USB3/xHCI for Windows 7 guests -- a decision that I'm sure was not made lightly.  As a result, we have not included an xHCI driver in VMware Tools.  Windows 8 and newer include their own generic xHCI driver which works well with our virtual xHCI controller.

I don't have a definitive answer for your question on transfer rates for USB 3 devices attached to a virtual USB 2 controller, I'm afraid.

Cheers,

--

Darius

[TimG201110141]

I've heard this answer many times now.. Every time I ask, why is it competitors - Oracle's VirtualBox (free), Parallels, and now Microsoft Hyper-V fully support USB 3 in Windows 7 and 2008 clients..

Windows 7 Especially, since it's likely to be around for another 5 years on extended support cycle.. The ONLY reason I have not left VMWare all together is my Work uses it.. but we are committed to Windows 7 for at least 2 more years; like many, skipping Windows 8.

I simply do not accept this answer .. since VMWare is the ONLY one who has chosen to do this. USB 3 can, per your competitors be viable and stable in Windows 7. This answer smacks of, we just don't want to..

VMWare seriously needs to get on the ball here with this. Windows 7 is NOT a minority operating system.. It CAN make a stable USB 3 driver.

EDIT: HELL, do like Parallels did, and just make VMWare VM's compatible with the existing extensible Intel USB 3 driver. Worked GREAT for them.. Didn't even need to make the driver.. pfff.