USB CD drive won't mount

[SueF]

I have VB 6.1 and have a 64-bit virtual MacOS High Sierra machine. I need to use the USB SuperDrive plugged into the host (iMac). I have USB3 set in the settings and have installed the ext pack. I have created a filter for it per the instruction on the USB basics and troubleshooting tutorial. But when I plug the drive in, I get the message "USB Accessory Needs Power -Connect "Apple USB SuperDrive" to a USB port on this Mac."
So it appears not to be seeing it correctly somehow. Interestingly, I have used the drive successfully on the VM before this, without doing any of the above things, and did not get this message. I hadn't changed any of the settings in between either.

[scottgus1]

I get the message "USB Accessory Needs Power -Connect "Apple USB SuperDrive" to a USB port on this Mac."

Does this message come from the host Mac or the VM?

I have used the drive successfully on the VM before this, without doing any of the above things, and did not get this message. I hadn't changed any of the settings in between either.

How long ago, and has anything changed in the OS's installed in the Mac and the VM since then? Updates, etc?

[SueF]

I get the message "USB Accessory Needs Power -Connect "Apple USB SuperDrive" to a USB port on this Mac."

Does this message come from the host Mac or the VM?

I have used the drive successfully on the VM before this, without doing any of the above things, and did not get this message. I hadn't changed any of the settings in between either.

How long ago, and has anything changed in the OS's installed in the Mac and the VM since then? Updates, etc?

The message comes on the VM.

I last used a CD few weeks ago, and nothing changed in between. That's why this is confusing.

I have the CD in the drive now. If I have the VM active, it doesn't show as mounted in either the host or the VM. If I quit the VM, it shows up on the desktop of the host.

[scottgus1]

I'm no Apple guru, but we could check on the USB setup.

Please go through step 8 in USB basics and troubleshooting, and provide the requested diagnostic command outputs.

Also, does Mac OS have something akin to Windows' Device Manager, a listing of the hardware that the OS recognizes? If so, check the VM's OS and see if you can see a USB device show up when you plug in the USB CD drive into the host while the VM is running.

[SueF]

I'm no Apple guru, but we could check on the USB setup.

Please go through step 8 in USB basics and troubleshooting, and provide the requested diagnostic command outputs.

Also, does Mac OS have something akin to Windows' Device Manager, a listing of the hardware that the OS recognizes? If so, check the VM's OS and see if you can see a USB device show up when you plug in the USB CD drive into the host while the VM is running.

The VM does list the device when it is plugged in while the VM is running.

I ran the VBoxManage commands as noted in #8 of USB Troubleshooting. This is what I got back for the filter one:
VBoxManage list usbfilters
Global USB Device Filters:

<none>

In the USB Settings of VirtualBox, it says that there is 1 active device filter. I set it up using the values automatically filled in when the device was chosen from the list, and deleted everything except Product ID and Vendor ID.
Why does the command above say there is no filter?

[SueF]

OK so I deleted the original USB filter and re-installed it. I then started the VM and looked at the System Info, and it lists the SuperDrive as a USB device. Then I inserted the CD. The original message "USB Accessory needs power" no longer shows up, but the disk also doesn't show up on the desktop (and yes, I have the Finder preference for CDs to show up).

So I still don't have access to the CD-ROM. And I still get <none> when I ask it to list usbfilters.

Help! I am running into a time crunch very soon in getting access to the software on the CD.

[granada29]

Help! I am running into a time crunch very soon in getting access to the software on the CD.

Maybe instead of mounting the CD directly in the guest you could copy it to an ISO file onthe host, then attach that file to a virtual DVD/CD drive in your guest. I know it's not the solution you're looking for but it could be a way forward for you.

[SueF]

Help! I am running into a time crunch very soon in getting access to the software on the CD.

Maybe instead of mounting the CD directly in the guest you could copy it to an ISO file onthe host, then attach that file to a virtual DVD/CD drive in your guest. I know it's not the solution you're looking for but it could be a way forward for you.

I can't. It's a commercial CD-ROM and it won't let me make an ISO file.

[fth0]

You could try the VISO method: Remove the USB filter, so that the SuperDrive is owned by the host only, and reboot your host just in case. Start the VM, and in the VM window's menu, select Devices > Optical Drives > Choose/Create a disk image... > Create and add the CD's content and anything you like from the host's file systems to the virtual ISO file. Finishing this dialog brings you back to the previous dialog, and finishing that should automatically mount the virtual ISO file.

[scottgus1]

I still get <none> when I ask it to list usbfilters.

That command is for global USB filters applied by the main Virtualbox program, not the individual USB filters that are assigned in the VM's USB Filters settings.
Please note the instruction in step 8 was to "post the output of the following commands", as well as my instruction to "provide the requested diagnostic command outputs" so we can interpret them here on the forum. It often is that posters aren't familiar with the command outputs to interpret them correctly, as is demonstrated above.

I can't. It's a commercial CD-ROM and it won't let me make an ISO file.

In addition to fth0's idea, also try not using the USB filters, leaving the Superdrive in the host OS, then point the VM's 'Optical drive' at the Host CD drive that corresponds to the Superdrive (or just use the host's built-in CD drive). After pointing the VM's 'Optical drive' at the Host CD drive, enable the 'passthrough' option, so the CD's program can access the copy-protection on the CD that may interfere with using the CD as an ISO.

[SueF]

You could try the VISO method: Remove the USB filter, so that the SuperDrive is owned by the host only, and reboot your host just in case. Start the VM, and in the VM window's menu, select Devices > Optical Drives > Choose/Create a disk image... > Create and add the CD's content and anything you like from the host's file systems to the virtual ISO file. Finishing this dialog brings you back to the previous dialog, and finishing that should automatically mount the virtual ISO file.

Followed the above directions. When I went to the Devices menu, the drive was there when it wasn't before. Clicked on it and the disk mounted on the VM.

Not sure why things happened but VERY glad they did! Thanks to each of you for your help!!