Not all USB devices pass through to VM

[jjh]

VirtualBox version 6.0.8r130520
Host OS Windows 10 Version 1809 OS Build 17763.503 64 bit.
Guest OS Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS, Linux 4.15.0-51-generic 64 bit.
Host RAM 8.00 GB, Guest RAM 5.125 GB
Host CPUs 12, Guest CPUs 6
Host Disk 221 GB (112 used), Guest 93GB (12 used)

By way of the USB basics and troubleshooting thread, I provided the VBoxManage
outputs requested and the session log as well.

The requested sequence is not exactly what socratis asked for. He wanted
boot up, login, plug in, unplug, and shutdown.

I gave boot up, unplug, plug in, and shutdown. My VM does not need the
user to login.

My problem is that my devices are plugged in at VM OS startup, yet only one
or two of them get passed through to linux. Once linux is running,
unplugging and replugging my USB devices always works. I just do not
want my customer to have to unplug and then replug my USB devices every
time he launches my VM.

I've used VirtualBox for several years with a variety of OS host and
guest combinations. I've never seen this problem before. What am I doing
wrong?
---jjh

[jjh]

VirtualBox version 5.2.18_Ubuntu r123745
Host OS Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS, Linux 4.15.0-51-generic 64 bit.
Guest OS Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS, Linux 4.15.0-51-generic 64 bit.
Host RAM 16.00GB, Guest RAM 9.0GB
Host CPUs 12, Guest CPUs 6
Host Disk 1.25TB (~30% used), 91GB (12 used)

On my previous topic, "Not all USB devices pass through to VM," I complained that not all of my USB devices flow through VirtualBox when the guest starts up. I was fortunate to be able to take the four offending USB devices off the original system to another one I have access to.

The differences are: the host is now Linux, and the VirtualBox is a different version. The guest OS is a clone of what I used for "Not all USB devices pass through to VM."

Using the configuration above, the USB devices come through to the VM every time! I can reboot, shutdown, and unplug at will. The device behavior is always what I expect it to be. I have to give back my USB devices to their owner, but while I had them I collected the data asked for my socratis in the thread "USB basics and troubleshooting." Find it in the attachment.
---jjh

[mpack]

You are not using VirtualBox, you are using the Ubuntu fork. USB 2/3 support is a feature of the extension pack, which is not guaranteed to work with forks.

[jjh]

mpack,
Thank you for the reply. My experience has been that a host of either Linux or Windows passes through my USB devices without a problem at startup. I don't do much Windows but over a year ago, we used a Window 10 host with an Ubuntu client and had no problems with our multiple USB connections.

Although VirtualBox is not guaranteed to work with forks, I've never seen a problem with my Linux host and Linux guest combinations.

The only problem I've ever seen is my current one. I have a Windows 10 host and Linux guest with VirtualBox 6.0.8r130520 in between.
---jjh

[mpack]

Whether you've seen problems with a third party fork before is somewhat interesting, but not really relevant here. This site is for users of VirtualBox, not for third party forks which may include unknown changes. You need to go discuss your problems on the Ubuntu forum, or reproduce your problem with a genuine VirtualBox release (see the Downloads area).

[socratis]

The only problem I've ever seen is my current one. I have a Windows 10 host and Linux guest

So, let's focus then on the first part of your problem, your first post, where you said:

VirtualBox version 6.0.8r130520
Host OS Windows 10 Version 1809 OS Build 17763.503 64 bit.
Guest OS Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS, Linux 4.15.0-51-generic 64 bit.

You mentioned in that post:

my devices are plugged in at VM OS startup, yet only one or two of them get passed through to linu

Unless you want me to start guessing, you need to be more specific. And I'm really bad at guessing...

Once linux is running, unplugging and replugging my USB devices always works

Good! That means that things are working!

I just do not want my customer to have to unplug and then replug my USB devices every time he launches my VM.

I'm afraid that this might not be possible. It really depends on the host and the device. Not all devices are created equal. Not all hosts are created equal. The unplug-start_vm-plug with a proper filter is the guaranteed way, the rest, you may simply got lucky.

[jjh]

socratis,
Thank you for looking at this issue.

I'll try to clarify what is happening. I have four USB devices that I want to be seen inside my virtual machine (VM) at startup. My VM is Ubuntu Linux. My host for VirtualBox is Windows 10. At power on, Windows comes up just fine. My filters for the four USB devices of interest were created by VirtualBox with me simply selecting them for USB settings for this VM. At this point, Windows 10 sees these devices and so does VirtualBox.

Now I start the VM. When booted up, my Linux machine does not see all four (sometimes only one, but never all four) USB devices. Looking at the Devices->USB menu, you'll see all of my devices. However only one or two are checked. When I look at the udev created symbolic links in Linux, they correspond with the checked items from Devices->USB.

To remedy the situation, I unplug all four USB devices and then plug in all four.

Does this help your understanding of the issue?

BTW, my four devices are a BK Precision DMM, an Intel Blaster programmer, a Segger J-Link, and a USB to RS485 adapter.

Let me know if you need more info.
---jjh

[jjh]

Dear mpack,
Oh, I think I know what you are saying about my Ubuntu fork. I think you are saying that the stuff Ubuntu packages is not directly from VirtualBox. I'm sorry for being so dense.

On the original post, the VirtualBox I used there was from the official website. No forks or spoons there.
---jjh

[socratis]

Oh no, I completely understood what you're doing. You didn't understand what I said, let me emphasize it a tad more:

I'm afraid that this might not be possible. It really depends on the host and the device. Not all devices are created equal. Not all hosts are created equal. The unplug-start_vm-plug with a proper filter is the guaranteed way, the rest, you may simply got lucky.

Or to simply analyze it a little bit further...

The USB filter works at the device insertion. That's the guaranteed way. The rest of the cases it might or might not work, depending on the device and the host. Examples:

USB Stick

• Host: OSX. Start the VM. No way on earth that the stick will be used in the VM, because OSX has already mounted the device and it cannot be ejected, it won't allow it.
• Host: Linux Mint 19. Guess what? The USB stick gets ejected (the OS allows it) and is being captured by the VM.

Bluetooth adapter

• Host: OSX. Start the VM. No problem. OSX is more than happy to release the device. After you're done with the VM, OSX has a Bluetooth adapter again, like nothing happened.
• Host: Windows. No way you're going to get access to the Bluetooth adapter, because Windows has a daemon running to control the Bluetooth. You got to take really extra steps of disabling system services and reboot, which means that even after your VM is done, you won't have the device in your host. C'est la vie...

And that actually explains really well why your setup works in your Ubuntu (even if it's the forked one), and not in Windows. And please don't ask if there's a setting that you can tweak to change that...

[jjh]

socratis,
Thank you so much for clarifying this situation. If unplug and plug is the only way to guarantee that my USB devices get through to the VM, we will unplug and plug. I needed to know if I overlooked something because as you said, I was lucky in the past and never saw this before.

I'll pass your comments on to my customer to help explain the situation. Thank you very much.
---jjh