External SSD drives (USB port) failed to be attached. (USB Flash Drive works fine)

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Mac OS X hosts.
Post Reply
sgon00
Posts: 4
Joined: 5. Apr 2021, 05:52

External SSD drives (USB port) failed to be attached. (USB Flash Drive works fine)

Post by sgon00 »

Updated:

The external SSD drives will work if I connect them to a physical USB2.0 Port in the Host PC.
It won't work if I connect them to physical USB3.0 Ports (I have many USB3.0 ports) in the Host PC.
The Guest OS uses USB3.0 controller in both cases.
Note that I have no problems on USB flash drives. USB flash drives are wroking fine when connecting to both USB2.0 Port and USB3.0 Ports.

Do anyone have any ideas why and how to fix the physical USB3.0 port problem (for external SSD drives only)?
I really want to use the USB3.0 physical port because USB2.0 will be too slow for my 1TB external drive.
Thanks a lot.

PS: I can confirm that the external SSD drive is a working drive and all physical USB3.0 ports are working too.

Original Post:

Hi, I have followed [USB basics and troubleshooting] instructions, but no luck.

My environment:
Host OS: MacOS Big Sur 11.2.3
Guest OS: MX Linux (Based on Debain 10)
Tried Both USB2.0 and USB3.0 controllers, all gave the same results.

USB Flash Drive can be attached easily.
But external SSD drives (USB port) failed to be attached. The USB drive failed to be attached with `NS_ERROR_FAILURE` error.

The failed usb drive info from command "system_profiler SPUSBDataType":

Code: Select all

RTL9210--VB:
          Product ID: 0x9210
          Vendor ID: 0x0bda  (Realtek Semiconductor Corp.)
          Version: 20.01
          Serial Number: 012345686868
          Manufacturer: Realtek
          Location ID: 0x14100000
          Media:
            RTL9210 NVME:
              Capacity: 512.11 GB (512,110,190,592 bytes)
              Removable Media: No
              BSD Name: disk2
              Logical Unit: 0
              Partition Map Type: MBR (Master Boot Record)
              S.M.A.R.T. status: Verified
              USB Interface: 0
              Volumes:
                disk2s1:
                  Capacity: 156.2 MB (156,237,824 bytes)
                  BSD Name: disk2s1
                  Content: Linux
                disk2s2:
                  Capacity: 503.31 GB (503,307,042,816 bytes)
                  BSD Name: disk2s2
                  Content: Linux
                disk2s3:
                  Capacity: 51.4 MB (51,380,224 bytes)
                  BSD Name: disk2s3
                  Content: 0xEF
                disk2s5:
                  Capacity: 8.43 GB (8,431,599,616 bytes)
                  BSD Name: disk2s5
                  Content: Linux
                disk2s6:
                  Capacity: 156.2 MB (156,237,824 bytes)
                  BSD Name: disk2s6
                  Content: Linux
What "USB basics and troubleshooting" asks for:

Code: Select all

$ VBoxManage -version
6.1.18r14214

Code: Select all

$ VBoxManage list extpacks
Extension Packs: 1
Pack no. 0:   Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack
Version:      6.1.18
Revision:     142142
Edition:
Description:  Oracle Cloud Infrastructure integration, 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:

Code: Select all

$ VBoxManage list usbhost
Host USB Devices:
......
......
UUID:               7a5db877-ca44-4323-a0d7-1bf26a51de8d
VendorId:           0x0bda (0BDA)
ProductId:          0x9210 (9210)
Revision:           32.1 (3201)
Port:               1
USB version/speed:  0/Super
Manufacturer:       Realtek
Product:            RTL9210--VB
SerialNumber:       012345686868
Address:            p=0x9210;v=0x0bda;s=0x000004f579c5ce5d;l=0x14100000
Current State:      Busy
......
......

Code: Select all

$ VBoxManage list usbfilters
Global USB Device Filters:

<none>

Code: Select all

$ VBoxManage showvminfo "mxlinux_xfce"
Name:                        mxlinux_xfce
Groups:                      /
Guest OS:                    Debian (64-bit)
UUID:                        b26dd991-c939-4c0c-8172-46ddb8bb450e
Config file:                 /Users/user/VirtualBox VMs/mxlinux_xfce/mxlinux_xfce.vbox
Snapshot folder:             /Users/user/VirtualBox VMs/mxlinux_xfce/Snapshots
Log folder:                  /Users/user/VirtualBox VMs/mxlinux_xfce/Logs
Hardware UUID:               b26dd991-c939-4c0c-8172-46ddb8bb450e
Memory size                  8192MB
Page Fusion:                 disabled
VRAM size:                   16MB
CPU exec cap:                100%
HPET:                        disabled
CPUProfile:                  host
Chipset:                     piix3
Firmware:                    BIOS
Number of CPUs:              6
PAE:                         disabled
Long Mode:                   enabled
Triple Fault Reset:          disabled
APIC:                        enabled
X2APIC:                      enabled
Nested VT-x/AMD-V:           disabled
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:                        enabled
IOAPIC:                      enabled
BIOS APIC mode:              APIC
Time offset:                 0ms
RTC:                         UTC
Hardware Virtualization:     enabled
Nested Paging:               enabled
Large Pages:                 enabled
VT-x VPID:                   enabled
VT-x Unrestricted Exec.:     enabled
Paravirt. Provider:          Default
Effective Paravirt. Prov.:   KVM
State:                       powered off (since 2021-04-04T16:08:06.000000000)
Graphics Controller:         VMSVGA
Monitor count:               1
3D Acceleration:             disabled
2D Video Acceleration:       disabled
Teleporter Enabled:          disabled
Teleporter Port:             0
Teleporter Address:
Teleporter Password:
Tracing Enabled:             disabled
Allow Tracing to Access VM:  disabled
Tracing Configuration:
Autostart Enabled:           disabled
Autostart Delay:             0
Default Frontend:
VM process priority:         default
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): Empty
SATA (0, 0): /Users/user/VirtualBox VMs/mxlinux_xfce/mxlinux_xfce.vdi (UUID: ad00e4a0-3064-4ba5-831b-4ce811ab0cd4)
NIC 1:                       MAC: 0800279B14EC, Attachment: Bridged Interface 'en1: Wi-Fi (AirPort)', Cable connected: on, Trace: off (file: none), Type: 82540EM, Reported speed: 0 Mbps, Boot priority: 0, Promisc Policy: deny, Bandwidth group: none
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: CoreAudio, Controller: AC97, Codec: AD1980)
Audio playback:              enabled
Audio capture:               disabled
Clipboard Mode:              Bidirectional
Drag and drop Mode:          Bidirectional
VRDE:                        disabled
OHCI USB:                    disabled
EHCI USB:                    disabled
xHCI USB:                    enabled

USB Device Filters:

Index:                       0
Active:                      yes
Name:                        Realtek RTL9210--VB [2001]
VendorId:                    0bda
ProductId:                   9210
Revision:
Manufacturer:
Product:
Remote:
Serial Number:

Bandwidth groups:  <none>

Shared folders:<none>

Capturing:                   not active
Capture audio:               not active
Capture screens:             0
Capture file:                /Users/user/VirtualBox VMs/mxlinux_xfce/mxlinux_xfce.webm
Capture dimensions:          1024x768
Capture rate:                512kbps
Capture FPS:                 25kbps
Capture options:

Guest:

Configured memory balloon size: 0MB
Please also check the attachments for files "VBox.log.zip" and "VBoxSVC.log.zip".

PS: NOTE that this problem does NOT only happen to one external SSD drive. I have tried three different types of external SSD drives and they all met the same error message. For simplicity, I am just uploading and describing one case.
Attachments
VBoxSVC.log.zip
(1.78 KiB) Downloaded 10 times
VBox.log.zip
(36.31 KiB) Downloaded 12 times
Last edited by sgon00 on 5. Apr 2021, 13:32, edited 4 times in total.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: External SSD drives (USB port) failed to be attached. (USB Flash Drive works fine)

Post by mpack »

Why mess with USB? Just access the drive as a shared folder. Better yet access just one folder on the drive.
sgon00
Posts: 4
Joined: 5. Apr 2021, 05:52

Re: External SSD drives (USB port) failed to be attached. (USB Flash Drive works fine)

Post by sgon00 »

mpack wrote:Why mess with USB? Just access the drive as a shared folder. Better yet access just one folder on the drive.
This is the reason why I am using Virtualbox on MacOS. I am using LUKS encrypted ext4 partition in all my external drives. Because MacOS can not access LUKS encrypted ext4 partition, that's why I installed VIrtualbox. Thanks for your reply.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: External SSD drives (USB port) failed to be attached. (USB Flash Drive works fine)

Post by mpack »

I see that you have modified your original post. Please don't do that - interested parties don't get a notification when you edit a post, only when you post again. It's entirely luck that I chose to view this topic again.

As you are aware, an SSD will almost certainly require USB 3.x - the speed of SSD is entirely wasted when limited by USB2 speeds. In order for USB3 to work you have to have the device plugged into a host USB3 port, the host extension pack has to be installed, and xHCI has to be enabled in the VM settings. I already checked all of these things in your log and saw no problem with them.

The only thing I can't tell is if access to USB3 devices on MacOS hosts requires additional host permissions. That I can't answer since I'm not a MacOS guy. Someone else will need to comment on that one.
sgon00
Posts: 4
Joined: 5. Apr 2021, 05:52

Re: External SSD drives (USB port) failed to be attached. (USB Flash Drive works fine)

Post by sgon00 »

mpack wrote: The only thing I can't tell is if access to USB3 devices on MacOS hosts requires additional host permissions. That I can't answer since I'm not a MacOS guy. Someone else will need to comment on that one.
Thanks for your reply again. I have tried a USB3.0 flash drive on the physical USB3.0 port and it works fine in Virtualbox Guest OS (even if USB3.0 flash drive has a very limited speed compared to NVME SSD drive).
So I really don't know why my external SSD drives don't work in physical USB3.0 port for Virtualbox Guest OS.
Anyway, hopefully, someone else can give me some advices.
Thanks.
Post Reply