guest system Ubuntu does not recognize attached USB device

[hod]

I use Windows 7 as host OS and Ubuntu as guest system. Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack is installed. Trying to attach any USB device does not bring any visible results, and further efforts to do this cause an error message telling that device is busy with a previous request. The command "VBoxManage list usbhost" shows :

UUID: c9c3add4-57bf-42e7-8f6f-4219d3e95ca1
VendorId: 0x148f (148F)
ProductId: 0x7601 (7601)
Revision: 0.0 (0000)
Port: 0
USB version/speed: 2/High
Manufacturer: MediaTek
Product: 802.11 n WLAN
SerialNumber: 1.0
Address: {4d36e972-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}\0018
Current State: Captured

What is wrong with Virtualbox? How can I solve that?

[socratis]

You didn't post the details of the filter, but you realize that you plug the USB device after the VM has completely started? With the USB device plugged in and the VM not running, post the output of the following commands:

• 
  cd "C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox"
  VBoxManage -version
  VBoxManage list extpacks
  VBoxManage list usbhost
  VBoxManage list usbfilters
  VBoxManage showvminfo "Your_Virtual_Machine_Name"

[hod]

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VBoxManage -version
 5.1.14r112924

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VBoxManage list extpacks

  Extension Packs: 1
  Pack no. 0:   Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack
  Version:      5.1.14
  Revision:     112924
  Edition:
  Description:  USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 Host Controller, Host Webcam, VirtualBox RDP, PXE ROM, Disk Encryption, NVMe.
  VRDE Module:  VBoxVRDP
  Usable:       true
  Why unusable:

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VBoxManage list usbhost

Host USB Devices:

UUID:               e8880d48-fdf4-4521-9305-7b32b38044f1
VendorId:           0x148f (148F)
ProductId:          0x7601 (7601)
Revision:           0.0 (0000)
Port:               0
USB version/speed:  2/High
Manufacturer:       MediaTek
Product:            802.11 n WLAN
SerialNumber:       1.0
Address:            {4d36e972-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}\0018
Current State:      Busy

UUID:               1f1a682d-16ad-4ca6-b5ba-fc03112ddbc0
VendorId:           0x0d8c (0D8C)
ProductId:          0x000c (000C)
Revision:           1.0 (0100)
Port:               0
USB version/speed:  1/Full
Manufacturer:       C-Media Electronics, Inc.
Product:            C-Media USB Audio Device
Address:            {36fc9e60-c465-11cf-8056-444553540000}\0017
Current State:      Busy

UUID:               96d544c7-5722-410c-a04e-c36ca5cdcc19
VendorId:           0x0a12 (0A12)
ProductId:          0x0001 (0001)
Revision:           72.57 (7257)
Port:               0
USB version/speed:  2/High
Manufacturer:       Cambridge Silicon Radio, Ltd
Product:            Bluetooth Dongle (HCI mode)
Address:            {e0cbf06c-cd8b-4647-bb8a-263b43f0f974}\0000
Current State:      Busy

UUID:               4d01a821-f36e-4a62-b4d0-15719d164a70
VendorId:           0x067b (067B)
ProductId:          0x2506 (2506)
Revision:           1.0 (0100)
Port:               0
USB version/speed:  2/High
Manufacturer:       Prolific Technology Inc.
Product:            Mass Storage Device
SerialNumber:       0
Address:            {36fc9e60-c465-11cf-8056-444553540000}\0029
Current State:      Busy

UUID:               9c73f08e-0bbc-4668-a20b-822a02ff46d7
VendorId:           0x04f9 (04F9)
ProductId:          0x0027 (0027)
Revision:           1.0 (0100)
Port:               0
USB version/speed:  2/High
Manufacturer:       Brother
Product:            HL-2030 series
SerialNumber:       D5J845695
Address:            {36fc9e60-c465-11cf-8056-444553540000}\0025
Current State:      Busy

UUID:               55922e61-a9d2-4e38-8b34-cadf75d82036
VendorId:           0x04d9 (04D9)
ProductId:          0x1603 (1603)
Revision:           3.16 (0316)
Port:               0
USB version/speed:  1/Full
Manufacturer:
Product:            USB Keyboard
Address:            {36fc9e60-c465-11cf-8056-444553540000}\0018
Current State:      Busy

UUID:               c79c874e-cb6b-4639-afee-39f1649e6411
VendorId:           0x04d9 (04D9)
ProductId:          0x0499 (0499)
Revision:           2.144 (02144)
Port:               0
USB version/speed:  1/Full
Manufacturer:       Holtek Semiconductor, Inc.
Product:            Optical Mouse
Address:            {745a17a0-74d3-11d0-b6fe-00a0c90f57da}\0003
Current State:      Busy

UUID:               62b15926-c70b-401c-8440-c617d7fa97b7
VendorId:           0x04a9 (04A9)
ProductId:          0x1909 (1909)
Revision:           7.1 (0701)
Port:               0
USB version/speed:  2/High
Manufacturer:       Canon
Product:            CanoScan
Address:            {6bdd1fc6-810f-11d0-bec7-08002be2092f}\0000
Current State:      Busy

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VBoxManage list usbfilters

Global USB Device Filters:

<none>

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VBoxManage showvminfo "Test"

Name:            Test
Groups:          /
Guest OS:        Ubuntu (64-bit)
UUID:            a5c96540-1106-4cb0-8007-928e9c748dff
Config file:     D:\VM\Test\Test.vbox
Snapshot folder: D:\VM\Test\Snapshots
Log folder:      D:\VM\Test\Logs
Hardware UUID:   a5c96540-1106-4cb0-8007-928e9c748dff
Memory size:     4096MB
Page Fusion:     off
VRAM size:       128MB
CPU exec cap:    100%
HPET:            off
Chipset:         piix3
Firmware:        BIOS
Number of CPUs:  1
PAE:             off
Long Mode:       on
Triple Fault Reset: off
APIC:            on
X2APIC:          on
CPUID Portability Level: 0
CPUID overrides: None
Boot menu mode:  message and menu
Boot Device (1): Floppy
Boot Device (2): DVD
Boot Device (3): HardDisk
Boot Device (4): Not Assigned
ACPI:            on
IOAPIC:          on
BIOS APIC mode:  APIC
Time offset:     0ms
RTC:             UTC
Hardw. virt.ext: on
Nested Paging:   on
Large Pages:     on
VT-x VPID:       on
VT-x unr. exec.: on
Paravirt. Provider: Default
Effective Paravirt. Provider: KVM
State:           powered off (since 2017-03-05T13:26:41.000000000)
Monitor count:   1
3D Acceleration: on
2D Video Acceleration: off
Teleporter Enabled: off
Teleporter Port: 0
Teleporter Address:
Teleporter Password:
Tracing Enabled: off
Allow Tracing to Access VM: off
Tracing Configuration:
Autostart Enabled: off
Autostart Delay: 0
Default Frontend:
Storage Controller Name (0):            IDE
Storage Controller Type (0):            PIIX4
Storage Controller Instance Number (0): 0
Storage Controller Max Port Count (0):  2
Storage Controller Port Count (0):      2
Storage Controller Bootable (0):        on
Storage Controller Name (1):            SATA
Storage Controller Type (1):            IntelAhci
Storage Controller Instance Number (1): 0
Storage Controller Max Port Count (1):  30
Storage Controller Port Count (1):      1
Storage Controller Bootable (1):        on
IDE (1, 0): F: (UUID: 00445644-0000-0000-0000-00000000463a)
SATA (0, 0): D:\VM\Test\Test.vdi (UUID: 824b64e2-a282-4c97-bb12-f75f78222e97)
NIC 1:           MAC: 080027A91D1C, Attachment: NAT, Cable connected: on, Trace: off (file: none), Type: 82540EM, Reported speed: 0 Mbps, Boot priority: 0, Promisc Policy: deny, Bandwidth group: none
NIC 1 Settings:  MTU: 0, Socket (send: 64, receive: 64), TCP Window (send:64, receive: 64)
NIC 2:           disabled
NIC 3:           disabled
NIC 4:           disabled
NIC 5:           disabled
NIC 6:           disabled
NIC 7:           disabled
NIC 8:           disabled
Pointing Device: USB Tablet
Keyboard Device: PS/2 Keyboard
UART 1:          disabled
UART 2:          disabled
UART 3:          disabled
UART 4:          disabled
LPT 1:           disabled
LPT 2:           disabled
Audio:           enabled (Driver: DSOUND, Controller: AC97, Codec: AD1980)
Clipboard Mode:  disabled
Drag and drop Mode: disabled
VRDE:            disabled
USB:             enabled
EHCI:            enabled
XHCI:            disabled

USB Device Filters:

Index:            0
Active:           yes
Name:             MediaTek 802.11 n WLAN
VendorId:         148f
ProductId:        7601
Revision:         0000
Manufacturer:     MediaTek
Product:          802.11 n WLAN
Remote:           0
Serial Number:    1.0

Bandwidth groups:  <none>

Shared folders:  <none>

Video capturing:    not active
Capture screens:    0
Capture file:       D:\VM\Test\Test.webm
Capture dimensions: 1024x768
Capture rate:       512 kbps
Capture FPS:        25

Guest:

Configured memory balloon size:      0 MB

[socratis]

You have a filter for the wireless MediaTek card defined. If this device (or any device) is used by the host, you can't use it in the guest. As I said, you first start the VM, then you plug the device.

You might want to delete the Revision, Manufacturer, Product and Serial Number values from your filter and make sure that there are no spaces in these fields. That should leave you only with Name, VendorId and ProductId.

[hod]

I deleted all fields except Name, VendorId and ProductId:

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VBoxManage showvminfo "Test"
Name:            Test
Groups:          /
Guest OS:        Ubuntu (64-bit)
UUID:            a5c96540-1106-4cb0-8007-928e9c748dff
Config file:     D:\VM\Test\Test.vbox
Snapshot folder: D:\VM\Test\Snapshots
Log folder:      D:\VM\Test\Logs
Hardware UUID:   a5c96540-1106-4cb0-8007-928e9c748dff
Memory size:     4096MB
Page Fusion:     off
VRAM size:       128MB
CPU exec cap:    100%
HPET:            off
Chipset:         piix3
Firmware:        BIOS
Number of CPUs:  1
PAE:             off
Long Mode:       on
Triple Fault Reset: off
APIC:            on
X2APIC:          on
CPUID Portability Level: 0
CPUID overrides: None
Boot menu mode:  message and menu
Boot Device (1): Floppy
Boot Device (2): DVD
Boot Device (3): HardDisk
Boot Device (4): Not Assigned
ACPI:            on
IOAPIC:          on
BIOS APIC mode:  APIC
Time offset:     0ms
RTC:             UTC
Hardw. virt.ext: on
Nested Paging:   on
Large Pages:     on
VT-x VPID:       on
VT-x unr. exec.: on
Paravirt. Provider: Default
Effective Paravirt. Provider: KVM
State:           powered off (since 2017-03-05T13:26:41.000000000)
Monitor count:   1
3D Acceleration: on
2D Video Acceleration: off
Teleporter Enabled: off
Teleporter Port: 0
Teleporter Address:
Teleporter Password:
Tracing Enabled: off
Allow Tracing to Access VM: off
Tracing Configuration:
Autostart Enabled: off
Autostart Delay: 0
Default Frontend:
Storage Controller Name (0):            IDE
Storage Controller Type (0):            PIIX4
Storage Controller Instance Number (0): 0
Storage Controller Max Port Count (0):  2
Storage Controller Port Count (0):      2
Storage Controller Bootable (0):        on
Storage Controller Name (1):            SATA
Storage Controller Type (1):            IntelAhci
Storage Controller Instance Number (1): 0
Storage Controller Max Port Count (1):  30
Storage Controller Port Count (1):      1
Storage Controller Bootable (1):        on
IDE (1, 0): F: (UUID: 00445644-0000-0000-0000-00000000463a)
SATA (0, 0): D:\VM\Test\Test.vdi (UUID: 824b64e2-a282-4c97-bb12-f75f78222e97)
NIC 1:           MAC: 080027A91D1C, Attachment: NAT, Cable connected: on, Trace: off (file: none), Type: 82540EM, Reported speed: 0 Mbps, Boot priority: 0, Promisc Policy: deny, Bandwidth group: none
NIC 1 Settings:  MTU: 0, Socket (send: 64, receive: 64), TCP Window (send:64, receive: 64)
NIC 2:           disabled
NIC 3:           disabled
NIC 4:           disabled
NIC 5:           disabled
NIC 6:           disabled
NIC 7:           disabled
NIC 8:           disabled
Pointing Device: USB Tablet
Keyboard Device: PS/2 Keyboard
UART 1:          disabled
UART 2:          disabled
UART 3:          disabled
UART 4:          disabled
LPT 1:           disabled
LPT 2:           disabled
Audio:           enabled (Driver: DSOUND, Controller: AC97, Codec: AD1980)
Clipboard Mode:  disabled
Drag and drop Mode: disabled
VRDE:            disabled
USB:             enabled
EHCI:            enabled
XHCI:            disabled

USB Device Filters:

Index:            0
Active:           yes
Name:             MediaTek 802.11 n WLAN
VendorId:         148f
ProductId:        7601
Revision:
Manufacturer:
Product:
Remote:           0
Serial Number:

Bandwidth groups:  <none>

Shared folders:  <none>

Video capturing:    not active
Capture screens:    0
Capture file:       D:\VM\Test\Test.webm
Capture dimensions: 1024x768
Capture rate:       512 kbps
Capture FPS:        25

Guest:

Configured memory balloon size:      0 MB

I followed your suggestion. I started the guest system and then I plugged in the MediaTek USB device. Unfortunately, Windows 7 found it and loaded the device driver. How can I make sure that Windows 7 does not use the wireless MediaTek device ?

[socratis]

Here's the "troubleshooting" list that I have for cases like that. Not all of them may apply to you, I'll try to filter them:

1. 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.
2. If the device shows up, but as "Unavailable", eject it from your host (if you can), but leave it plugged in. It should show up as available.
3. Check the device manager for the USB IDs, or get USBDeview, or USBView.
4. Are you by any chance using a USB3 port? Does your guest support USB3?
5. Is the VirtualBox USB Driver installed in your host? Make sure your host didn't silently reject non-MS drivers (Google for "Driver Signature Enforcement"). Usually resolved if you right-click, Run-as-administrator. NOT the same as being an administrator!
6. Check out these Windows-specific ways to troubleshoot potential driver installation issues:
   1. USB not working
   2. SOLVED: Failed to access the USB subsystem on Windows 7 host
   3. Remove Driver Filters to Resolve Device Manager Errors on Windows 7
7. A very nice read: "USB in Windows - FAQ" from Microsoft's MSDN.

[hod]

I tried everything, but it does not work. It seems that VirtualBox has a bug. By the way I installed VirtualBox on a fresh Windows installation.

I have two questions:

1) What is the name of the VirtualBox USB Driver?

2)Where is the driver located in the device manager?

[socratis]

It seems that VirtualBox has a bug.

I wouldn't bet on it. Don't be in a hurry to cry wolf. Not until you prove it. There are thousands of people that are using it the way you want to. Not working on your setup, makes me want to conclude that you're not doing it right or that there's something wrong with your setup.

Proper installation

1. Uninstall VirtualBox.
2. Download the latest 5.1.16 VirtualBox and the matching ExtPack.
3. Right-click on the installer, Run-as-Administrator.
4. At the end of the installation choose to run VirtualBox. Don't worry if you don't see your VM(s).
5. Go to the Preferences » ExtPack » install the matching ExtPack that you downloaded.
6. Quit VirtualBox.
7. Launch it again, either from the desktop shortcut or from the Start menu.

Proper use
Follow the steps below. Exactly. Not everything might apply to you. If there is a failure, please state exactly which step failed:

1. Make sure that at least USB2 (EHCI) is enabled in your VM settings. If your guest supports USB3 (xHCI), use that.
2. Under VM Settings » Port » USB, create a USB filter in your guest settings while the device is plugged in the host. Delete all values except Name, VendorID and ProductID. Check also http://www.linux-usb.org/usb.ids to make sure that you have the numbers correct.
3. Unplug the device.
4. Start your guest (the one that you applied the filter to). Let it start completely. Log in if you have to.
5. Plug your device. The filter should capture it and pass control to your guest.

Do you have any antivirus, debuggers, USB managers, resource managers or anything else that might have installed a kernel driver?

[hod]

To show you that I didn't make any mistakes I made a video: https://youtu.be/Lg_Vr9lMxw8.

There are no debuggers, USB managers, resource managers or anything else that might have installed a kernel driver. The antivirus is disabled (Microsoft Security Essentials). It doesn't matter what guest OS is installed. Watch the HD video on Youtube and tell me what is wrong, please

[socratis]

To show you that I didn't make any mistakes I made a video: https://youtu.be/Lg_Vr9lMxw8.

Thank you for the video! That's great!!! I wish everybody would do that, it clears up so many questions!!!

But remember what I said:

makes me want to conclude that you're not doing it right or that there's something wrong with your setup.

You're doing everything by the book ^[1], so that tells me that the USB filter is not working as it should. Here's what I'm thinking:

• The filter installation was not proper. I don't see any signs for that from the video, and it should be easy to prove that it works, by creating another filter for another (simpler) device, a USB stick for example. If that works as intended, then we should look to the next point,
• There is another filter, with a higher priority than the VirtualBox one, that "grabs" the USB device and VirtualBox doesn't even have a chance of seeing the USB device. That's how filters work, that's how the VirtualBox filter works as well; grabs the USB device before the OS grabs it ^[2]. There should be a couple of tools to investigate this part. The problem is, I haven't done it in a long time and I got to refresh my memory. Give me some time to come up with the correct procedure and I will get back to you. I will have to repeat the process on my Win7 based PC to make sure I got it right. BTW, your host is Win7 with a modified classic theme, right?

---

^[1] : except the fact that you run VirtualBox with Run-as-administrator; that's never needed/required. It's only needed for the installation, not for everyday use. But since you performed all your actions with that technique, there is no user-context conflict.

^[2] : sort of. Of course the OS will see the device, otherwise the USB filter would never know about it. But the OS will pass directly control to the filter, if a filter is there and "waiting".

[hod]

The host's OS is Windows 7 Professional 64 bit bought from UK (Englich version). I tried another filter for a memory stick and it doesn't work as well.

[socratis]

Excellent!!! Well, sort of... That may tell us that the installation didn't go as planned (although there is nothing obvious that it didn't).

Please read carefully, and follow religiously the following, especially the "Driver Installation Log" section: How to enable logging for the .MSI host installer of VirtualBox.

For the "Automatic activation", execute the command from an elevated "Command Prompt" (open it with Run-as-Administrator).

[hod]

Excellent!!! Well, sort of... That may tell us that the installation didn't go as planned (although there is nothing obvious that it didn't).

Please read carefully, and follow religiously the following, especially the "Driver Installation Log" section: How to enable logging for the .MSI host installer of VirtualBox.

For the "Automatic activation", execute the command from an elevated "Command Prompt" (open it with Run-as-Administrator).

The file setupapi.log does not exist on my computer. I added three files (see attached zip file).

Hints: Everytime I tried VirtualBox I restored Windows 7 from Backup (operating system on host). By the way the mentioned link http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301 does not work.

What do you think?

[hod]

Update:

I found a solution:

VirtualBox has a problem with the VIA USB USB 3.0 adapter. Now I use the onboard USB 2.0 controller und it works (Intel controller). I didn't make any software changes on the host computer. Here some details about the VIA USB adapter:

USB\VIA_ROOT_HUB&VID1106&PID3483&REV0001

I bought the USB 3.0 adapter at Amazon market place: https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B00OBA ... UTF8&psc=1

I also tested Vmware with the VIA adapter and it doesn't work as well. The problem with the VIA usb 3.0 adapter should be further explored

[socratis]

Wait... WHAT???
After all this time and it just occurred to you to mention that you do not use the built-in USB subsystem of your computer, but a USB adapter? Seriously???

Good luck my friend, I'm done here.-