A connected USB storage device is not displayed in a Windows virtual machine

Products

• VMware Desktop Hypervisor

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• A connected USB device does not mount in a Windows XP, Windows 2000, or Windows 2003 virtual machine.
• A connected USB device does not appear correctly in the Windows Device Manager.
• A connected USB device appears with a yellow exclamation mark in the Windows Device Manager.

Environment

VMware Player 7.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 6.x (Linux)
VMware Player Pro 7.x (Linux)
VMware Fusion 6.x
VMware Workstation Pro 15.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation Pro 14.x (for Linux)
VMware Workstation Player 16.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 7.x (Windows)
VMware Player 4.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation Player 16.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation Player 12.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation 7.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation 10.x (Linux)
VMware Player 5.x (Linux)
VMware Player 4.x (Windows)
VMware Player 5.x (Windows)
VMware Fusion 7.x
VMware Player 7.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation Player 15.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation Pro 14.x (for Windows)
VMware Workstation Player 12.x (Windows)
VMware Fusion 12.x
VMware Player 6.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation Pro 12.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation 6.x (Windows)
VMware Player Pro 7.x (Windows)
VMware Fusion 8.x
VMware Fusion 4.x
VMware Workstation 10.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation Pro 16.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation Player 14.x (Windows)
VMware Fusion Pro 11.x
VMware Workstation Pro 12.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation Pro 15.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 11.x (for Linux)
VMware Player 3.x (Windows )
VMware Workstation 9.x (Linux)
VMware Fusion Pro 8.x
VMware Fusion Pro 10.x
VMware Workstation 9.x (Windows)
VMware Fusion Pro 12.x
VMware Player 6.x (Windows)
VMware Fusion 11.x
VMware Workstation 11.x (for Windows)
VMware Fusion 10.x
VMware Player 3.x (Linux)
VMware Fusion 5.x
VMware Workstation 8.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation Player 15.x (Windows)
VMware Fusion 2.x
VMware Workstation 8.x (Linux)
VMware Fusion 3.x
VMware Workstation Player 14.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation Pro 16.x (Linux)

Cause

This issue occurs if you have not mounted the device correctly or if you are not using the latest drivers for the USB device.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, mount a USB drive.

To mount a USB device:

1. Power on the virtual machine.
2. Connect the device to the virtual machine
    
   • Fusion: Go to Virtual Machine > USB & Bluetooth (USB in Fusion 3 and below) > Connect Device Name.
   • Workstation: Click VM > Removable Devices > Device Name > Connect (Disconnect from Host)
   • Player: Click Player > Removable Devices > Device Name > Connect (Disconnect from Host)

If the device is still not detected by windows, then update the Windows drivers for the USB device.

To update the Windows Drivers:

1. Right-click (My) Computer icon, and click Manage.
2. Click Device Manager.
3. Check the list for your USB device. If the USB device appears with a yellow question mark or an exclamation mark, you may not be using the correct driver.
4. To update the driver, right-click on the device and click Update Driver.

Note: If the driver does not successfully install or does not appear correctly in Windows Device Manager, contact the USB device vendor to ensure that you have the latest driver.