Failed to reassign USB CD-ROM to Windows guest

Discussions about using Windows guests in VirtualBox.
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dma_k
Posts: 22
Joined: 4. May 2010, 14:38
Primary OS: MS Windows 7
VBox Version: OSE other
Guest OSses: Linux Debian [stretch]

Failed to reassign USB CD-ROM to Windows guest

Post by dma_k »

Dear all,

I have a USB BD-ROM drive which I would like to access from a Windows 7 guest running on a Windows 10 host.

I tried the following:
  • Assign the drive from the menu after VM is started. I hear the sound that USB device was unattached from host, but then the following error pops up:
    2022-08-28 21_38_25-Windows 7 [Running] - Oracle VM VirtualBox.png
    2022-08-28 21_38_25-Windows 7 [Running] - Oracle VM VirtualBox.png (18.68 KiB) Viewed 2184 times

    Code: Select all

    00:01:29.006864 ERROR [COM]: aRC=E_FAIL (0x80004005) aIID={872da645-4a9b-1727-bee2-5585105b9eed} aComponent={ConsoleWrap} aText={Failed to create a proxy device for the USB device. (Error: VERR_PDM_NO_USB_PORTS)}, preserve=false aResultDetail=-2861
    
  • Add a given USB device into VM's Settings→USB, and then restart VM. The same error above appears during VM startup.
  • Create VMDK to allow direct access to the drive:

    Code: Select all

    C:> VBoxManage.exe internalcommands createrawvmdk -filename cdrom.vmdk -rawdisk \\.\PhysicalDrive1
    VBoxManage.exe: error: Cannot get the geometry of the raw disk '\\.\PhysicalDrive1': VERR_IO_NOT_READY
    VBoxManage.exe: error: The raw disk vmdk file was not created
    
  • Select host drive in VM settings (Storage → Optical drive options dropdown → Choose Host Drive X). This way I can access the drive, but low-level drive access (e.g. grabbing/burning) does not work.
    2022-09-02 11_58_44-settings.png
    2022-09-02 11_58_44-settings.png (60.37 KiB) Viewed 2061 times
Any hint is welcomed.

P.S. VirtualBox v6.1.34, extensions are installed.
Last edited by dma_k on 2. Sep 2022, 12:46, edited 3 times in total.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Failed to reassign USB CD-ROM to Windows guest

Post by scottgus1 »

There's either no Extension Pack installed on the host, or you're using USB 3 in the VM and Windows 7 needs drivers for USB 3. See USB basics and troubleshooting
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Failed to reassign USB CD-ROM to Windows guest

Post by mpack »

Even if Scott's advice is followed, bear in mind that you might need a Win7 driver for your Blu-Ray drive, especially if you want to write to it.

Also, if all you want is to read from the drive then a shared folder bypasses the USB saga.
dma_k
Posts: 22
Joined: 4. May 2010, 14:38
Primary OS: MS Windows 7
VBox Version: OSE other
Guest OSses: Linux Debian [stretch]

Re: Failed to reassign USB CD-ROM to Windows guest

Post by dma_k »

scottgus1 wrote:There's either no Extension Pack installed on the host, or you're using USB 3 in the VM and Windows 7 needs drivers for USB 3. See USB basics and troubleshooting
Extension Pack is installed and USB option is set to USB 2.0:
2022-09-02 12_11_29-Windows 7 - Settings.png
2022-09-02 12_11_29-Windows 7 - Settings.png (11.2 KiB) Viewed 2061 times
I have tried changing to USB 3.0, but then indeed I had to update Windows 7 drivers from here as suggested in the guide (it was clear from Device Manager that drivers are missing).

After that I was lucky and could attach the drive :!: It worked, but I am still confused as it should have worked with USB 2.0. I will keep an eye on that. Thanks for your input!
mpack wrote:Even if Scott's advice is followed, bear in mind that you might need a Win7 driver for your Blu-Ray drive, especially if you want to write to it.
Also, if all you want is to read from the drive then a shared folder bypasses the USB saga.
Yes, I want to grab/burn a disk in guest Windows 7, hence shared folder is not an option. Thanks for the hint anyways!
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Failed to reassign USB CD-ROM to Windows guest

Post by mpack »

dma_k wrote:but I am still confused as it should have worked with USB 2.0
If you are referring to USB2 fallback, that happens when you put a USB3 device into a USB2 port or vice versa. No fallback is expected or mandated if you put a USB3 device into a USB3 port. I.e. it's the hardware that determines the USB level, not the software. Giving the guest OS a USB2 compatible controller doesn't make the physical host port a USB2 port.
dma_k
Posts: 22
Joined: 4. May 2010, 14:38
Primary OS: MS Windows 7
VBox Version: OSE other
Guest OSses: Linux Debian [stretch]

Re: Failed to reassign USB CD-ROM to Windows guest

Post by dma_k »

mpack wrote:
dma_k wrote:but I am still confused as it should have worked with USB 2.0
If you are referring to USB2 fallback, that happens when you put a USB3 device into a USB2 port or vice versa. No fallback is expected or mandated if you put a USB3 device into a USB3 port. I.e. it's the hardware that determines the USB level, not the software. Giving the guest OS a USB2 compatible controller doesn't make the physical host port a USB2 port.
OK, I got it. Probably that would be first to check :)

I have USB 3.0 Blu-Ray Drive connected to USB 3.0 port on the host. This way it does not attach (as USB 2.0 device) to guest. So installing USB 3.0 drivers on guest solved the problem.

Thanks for clarifying that!

However I think that VirtualBox could provide a more user-friendly error message instead of VERR_PDM_NO_USB_PORTS, something like "Failed to connect a USB 3.0 host device to a USB 2.0 guest port (fallback does not work): Either connect host device to USB 2.0 host port or install USB 3.0 drivers to guest (needs Extensions Pack installed)".

Hope what I said makes sense 8)
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Failed to reassign USB CD-ROM to Windows guest

Post by mpack »

dma_k wrote: something like "Failed to connect a USB 3.0 host device to a USB 2.0 guest port (fallback does not work):
How would VirtualBox know that happened? All it knows is that it can't talk to the device. There are many possible reasons for it.
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