USB Device in Guest Not Supported in Host?

[TDHCA-Eddie]

I have a USB scanner in like new condition that I have not used in years since moving the host up to Windows 7. The manufacturer does not support this device in any way so Windows 7 host sees the device as unknown. Can I still setup this device to possibly work under Ubuntu guest or is that not going to work since the host is confused? (When I try to make the USB scanner available I get "USB device ... busy with a previous request. Please try again later". )

[socratis]

Can I still setup this device to possibly work under Ubuntu guest

Yes.

"USB device ... busy with a previous request. Please try again later"

I bet you didn't search for that message, did you?

"Busy with a previous request" means the host already owns the device. Of course, USB devices can't be shared.

Follow the steps below. If there is a failure, please state exactly which step failed:

1. Make sure that the Extension Pack is installed on the host. The same version as VirtualBox.
2. Make sure that USB 2.0 at least is enabled in your VM settings.
3. Create a USB filter in your guest settings while the device is plugged in the host. Delete all values except Name, VendorID and ProductID.
4. Unplug the device.
5. Start your guest (the one that you applied the filter to). Let it start completely. Log in if you have to.
6. Plug your device. The filter should capture it and pass control to your guest.
7. If the device shows up in your host and is not captured by the filter, either the filter is incorrect, or there might be a problem with your filter installation.

[TDHCA-Eddie]

Yes, I did search for the message. Tons of people having this issue over the last decade almost. The ones I reviewed all said "Works fine under Windows, why doesn't it work under Linux". So I wondered since my device did NOT work under Windows this may be the issue. I mean how can it be "busy" if Windows won't talk to it? I already went through the USB filters by trying with the machine off, on, etc. but no one mentioned the Extensions, which I did have installed without my remembering.

Upgrading to 5.0.24 seems to have resolved the issue -- I thought I was already up-to-date, but that was another system at work.

[socratis]

I mean how can it be "busy" if Windows won't talk to it?

It doesn't have to "talk" to it, it's enough that it has captured it. And unless you take the steps to NOT capture it (aka filters), you're going to get the busy with a previous request message.

Upgrading to 5.0.24 seems to have resolved the issue

I hope you upgraded the Extension Pack as well, otherwise you're going to run into problems.