VMWare: not seeing USB devices

[Dotan Cohen]

On 24/02/07, javajunkie <javajunkie at koyuru.com> wrote:
> Hi,
> > On FC6 on a Dell laptop I have VMWare server installed, and it runs a
> > Windows XP Home Edition VM.
>
> Same here.
>
> Same problem I thought after reading your post but then read more
> carefully...
>
> >  Although USB devices (printers, memory
> > sticks) work fine in FC6, the VM cannot see them. When I look in
> > Removable Media -> USB in VMWare, there is nothing there. I tried with
> > my printer, my memory stick, and my Dell Axim x50v. lsusb does in fact
> > show the devices.
> >
> > Note that all these devices work fine in VMWare on a neighboring
> > Kubuntu desktop, with one caveat: a USB device is seen only after an
> > additional USB device is connected, and only the first device shows.
> > That means that if I want to use my USB printer, I must turn on the
> > printer, then inset my memory stick. Only then does VM see the printer
> > (and it still doesn't see the memory stick). So I know that VMWare has
> > problems with USB, but at least it works on the kubuntu desktop.
>
> Ok my fc6 works similarly.  When I give the vm focus and plug in two usb
> devices, one will show after I click a warning box (from fc6 I think)
> saying the device is in use and will be disconnected before continuing.
>
> I was able to see an sd card from my camera which is all I tried.
>
> Do you have VM  --> settings -->usb controller -->mount new device when
> in focus checked (paraphrased that last part)?
>
> Shawn
>

Shawn, I didn't even have USB Controller under VM  --> Settings. So
that go me thinking, and I added these lines to the VMX file:
usb.present = "TRUE"
usb.generic.autoconnect = "TRUE"

And now USB works!

Thanks for the push in the right direction.

Dotan Cohen

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