A USB device does not function in the virtual machine
Article ID: 307966
Updated On:
Products
VMware
VMware Desktop Hypervisor
Issue/Introduction
Symptoms:
- When a USB device is connected, it does not appear in the virtual machine
- The USB device is connected to the host instead of the guest
- The USB device operates much slower in the guest than normal
- An error appears in a Windows guest indicating that a high-speed device is connected to a low-speed port
- An error message appears when the virtual machine is powered on:
USB controller initialization failed. A supported host USB driver was not found. If you have installed USB traffic monitoring software on the host system, please remove it.
Resolution
Validate that each troubleshooting step below is true for your environment. The steps provide instructions or a link to a document, for validating the step and taking corrective action as necessary. The steps are ordered in the most appropriate sequence to isolate the issue and identify the proper resolution. Please do not skip a step.
- Confirm that the virtual machine guest window currently has focus by clicking into the virtual machine's console window. USB devices can only be connected when it has focus or is in full-screen mode, otherwise the USB devices are connected to the host. Both the host and guest cannot access the same USB device simultaneously. Using window focus tells VMware how to direct the device connection event. The keyboard and mouse are the one exception. For these devices, the access is shared with the virtual machine using the virtual PS/2 port mapping and not USB.
- Check the virtual machine settings and verify that the virtual USB controller is connected and listed. This virtual device must be connected to use any USB device within the guest operating system. For more information on editing virtual machine settings, see your product documentation.
- Log on to the guest operating system as an administrator or using the root account and see if both the USB device and virtual USB controller is detected. You can use tools such as the Device Manager to determine the status. If the device is visible, confirm that the appropriate software driver is installed for that guest operating system type and that the device name is properly recognized. If a generic device name is listed or the device is listed under Unknown Devices then the device driver is not installed.
- Verify that no applications running on the host operating system or another virtual machine are currently using the device. If it is in use, it causes the USB device to remain locked and prevents it from being passed to the virtual machine. This can also include applications that monitor the device's status, such as printer ink-level monitors or scanner status monitors.
- Newer VMware products support USB 2.0 emulation within the virtual machine. If the device uses USB 2.0, ensure that the emulation option is enabled, otherwise the device may not function. This is especially true when a device does not support fallback to USB 1.1 mode. To check the status, edit the virtual machine settings for the virtual USB controller. For more information, see Problems Using Some USB Devices in a Virtual Machine (774).
- If the host is running Windows, look for third-party USB filter drivers or monitoring applications. This software can interfere with VMware's ability to monitor data on the USB stack. If you are having problems using USB devices, remove any third-party USB monitoring or software drivers. For more information, see Configuring Windows Hosts for Use with USB Monitors (Sniffers) (1679).
- If you are still unable to connect certain hardware devices, click here to search the VMware Knowledge base for the term usb to find known issues with specific devices, and the suggested workarounds or solutions. Also, see the advanced USB troubleshooting tips in Problems Using Some USB Devices in a Virtual Machine (774).
Note: If your problem still exists after trying the steps in this article, please file a support request with VMware Support and note this KB Article ID in the problem description. For more information, see How to Submit a Support Request.
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