Page 1 of 1

What is the USB access mechanism on "newer Linux hosts"?

Posted: 19. Oct 2009, 19:47
by catkin
Hello :)

In the VBox 3.0.6 User Manual, it says "On newer Linux hosts, VirtualBox accesses USB devices through special files in the file system". What are "newer Linux hosts"?

I've just started developing a script to check the Linux host configuration for VirtualBox VM users to be able to use USB devices in VMs. It is posted on http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions ... ed-762585/. I would like to test for a "newer Linux host" (and any associated configuration required) but do not know how to do so apart from checking the user is in group vboxusers.

Best

Charles

Re: What is the USB access mechanism on "newer Linux hosts"?

Posted: 19. Oct 2009, 20:29
by Sasquatch
Newer distributions no longer support the method that was used since 1.5 or somewhere near that. It was on /proc/bus/usb, but is now obsolete. Instead of that, some udev rules are created when you install VB (PUEL only, OSE doesn't support USB). In the rules is noted that the group vboxusers has access to USB. This is the rule:

Code: Select all

KERNEL=="vboxdrv", NAME="vboxdrv", OWNER="root", GROUP="root", MODE="0600"
SUBSYSTEM=="usb_device", GROUP="vboxusers", MODE="0664"
SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ENV{DEVTYPE}=="usb_device", GROUP="vboxusers", MODE="0664"

Re: What is the USB access mechanism on "newer Linux hosts"?

Posted: 19. Oct 2009, 21:41
by catkin
Many thanks Sasquatch :)

Don't you ever sleep?! You are always so quick and with great advice.

Best

Charles

Re: What is the USB access mechanism on "newer Linux hosts"?

Posted: 19. Oct 2009, 21:49
by Sasquatch
Oh, I sleep al right. I try to sleep 8 hours a day ;). But this forum is, well, addictive you could say :P. I'm just online when people need me, and that's a lot :lol:.