Auto connect USB devices to guest

[pask876]

Hello to all!
I'm a very happy user of VirtualBox 1.5.6 on Ubuntu7.10. I use WindowsXP as guest. I'd like to auto-connect USB devices to the windows guest as soon as they are physically connected to the Ubuntu host. Is there a way for having this to work?

Thanks a lot.

P-

[Perseus]

Install the guest additions from within the running WinXP box.
Was easy here and works like charm.

HTH Frank

[pask876]

Ok, It's right.
When I connect a usb device to my linux host, say a USB pen drive, then I have to explicitly select that device clicking the USB connector icon on
the VirtualBox GUI: then I see it in the windows guest. I'd like to tell VIrtualBox to immediately give access to that device to the guest windows host and see the content of the usb pen drive, without having to first select it by the interface. How to do that? Is it possible?

thanks,
P-

Install the guest additions from within the running WinXP box.
Was easy here and works like charm.

HTH Frank

[Sasquatch]

I always have it working with the following:
- Set the 'any' filter in the Guest settings, meaning you add an empty filter.
- Make sure USB is enabled and everything else you need for it
- Let the VM have focus, then plug in the USB device.
It should now get auto-mounted in the VM. At least, this is on my setup, it might be different on yours.

[pask876]

What do you mean when you say "Make sure USB is enabled and everything else you need for it?".

What did you modify in Ubuntu 7.10 to have USB working in guest machines?

Thanks a lot.

P-

[Sasquatch]

If you can mount an USB device manually, then you have everything set up for auto mounting. The only difference is that you have to give focus to the VM before pluggin in the device. I'm not in my Linux system atm, so I can't be certain for a few things. I do know is that you also need to have a usbfs group, be a member of that group and put an entry in fstab that states the mount to that group. You have to search in this forum for the entry, I've listed here somewhere.