host USB 3.0 and guest USB 2.0

[thijsee]

reference: USB basics and troubleshooting, #6, USB3, Win7

Socratis, thanks for this guide.
To help other VirtualBox users I want to explain the road I followed to solve my problem with USB-devices.

My laptop originally had Windows 7 installed as host. I had several VMs (guests) also with Windows 7, in which I used some USB-devices. All functioned quite well.
Then we did a upgrade of the host from Windows 7 to 10 and I experienced several problems with the USB-devices.
I investigated the system logs of of VirtualBox, of Windows 10, examined the VirtualBox forum here and the forums of the suppliers of the devices. I used USB Device Tree Viewer (very nice tool!) to examine the USB controllers and devices on the host and guest(s). I upgraded VirtualBox from v5.2.12 to v6.0.8 to take advantage of USB improvements. Nothing helped!
But I never took serious the fact that since Windows 10 most of my USB-ports were communicating via the Windows 10, USB 3.0 'driver' instead of the prevous Windows 7 USB 2.0 'driver'. I kept the Windows 7 guests USB-setting still on USB 2.0 (EHCI). I never thought this could be a problem, because USB has always been adaptable to the 'slowest USB revision in the chain' by design.
Finally I read your guide again (and again ...) and read adding the 'Intel USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller Driver' for the Windows 7 guest (#6, USB3, Win7). I installed this Intel-patch and now my USB-devices are functioning again!

My points:

1. Socratis, can you emphasise, in your guide, the fact that having a host with a USB 3.0 driver needs guests with the ability to process USB 3.0 to keep USB-devices functioning well?
2. Is there a solution to have VirtualBox operating with a USB-device connected to the host USB 3.0 driver and a guest communicating with this device with USB setting on USB 2.0? In other words can a guest with max. USB 2.0 (e.g. Windows 9x) communicate with a device conected to a host with USB 3.0 (e.g. Windows 10 with USB 3.0 chips/controllers)?

I hope the above story helps other VirtualBox users. Many thanks in advance, also for being able to use VirtualBox and the forum!

[thijsee]

I just read the next ticket:
Ticket #13498 (closed defect: fixed)
USB 3.0 Device Support Behavior
( https://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/13498 )

It describes a disfunctioning USB 3.0 device which is solved by using a USB 1.1 cable.
I experienced disfunctioning USB 2.0 devices connected to my laptop (with USB 3.0 hardware/chipset) and a guest system which did not support USB 3.0 (Windows 7 SP1).
Switching on USB 3.0 support in de VM-settings and installing USB 3.0 support in de VM-OS (Windows 7) solved all my USB problems.
I had/have installed VirtualBox v6.0.8 with the right Extension Pack (in the host) en Guest Additions (in the VM).

I think ticket #13498 should be reopened again (or followed up) and solved by VirtualBox or at least VBx should give a warning to switch on USB 3.0 support when USB 3.0 is used/supported in the host-OS.
But I hope I missed some new developments or improvements in VirtualBox ...

[mpack]

I think ticket #13498 should be reopened again (or followed up) and solved by VirtualBox

There is absolutely no chance of a 5 year old ticket being opened again.

There is also nothing much that VirtualBox can do about the problem. The physical host decides how a physical device will operate (i.e. what level of USB it will use), and I doubt there's a practical way to bi-directionally translate between USB2 and USB3. Plus the problem will go away by itself in time.

And the workaround, if for some reason you can't install USB3 support in the guest as recommended in the tutorial: plug a USB2 hub into the host USB3 port. All devices plugged into the hub will run in USB2 mode.