Fix grayed-out USB devices *without* being in vboxusers?

[hans.meine]

Hi!

I have set up VirtualBox on my University machine, which I administrate myself. However, users are resolved via an Active Directory server, so it is not possible to put my user account into the vboxusers group (which is available through /etc/groups). The manual says that newer systems communicate with the USB devices through "special files", without mentioning which ones that are.

First, I have simply changed permissions of all files of the VirtualBox installation in order to let everyone (i.e. "other") have the same permissions as the vboxusers group. This let me use VirtualBox just fine.

However, I am now trying to get USB support up and running, so I installed the PUEL version, enabled USB 2.0, and added a filter for the Space Pilot device I am interested in. Now, in the virtual machine I have grayed-out items in the USB submenu.

I have chmod 666'ed the relevant device in /proc/bus/usb to have access as user, but that did not do the trick.

Is there a possible solution?

Oh, I just noticed that I can chmod g+s the VirtualBox binary, but is that absolutely needed? (Yes, it works.)

Greetings,
Hans

[vbox4me2]

Try an empty USB filter, focus the VM and insert usb device, see also the FAQ's about usb issues.

[hans.meine]

Try an empty USB filter, focus the VM and insert usb device, see also the FAQ's about usb issues.

Thanks for your answer, but please forgive me this question: Did you actually read my posting?

I read the FAQ at http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/User_FAQ, but that only points to the vboxusers group.

Also, I am not sure what an empty USB filter should change. (Yes, I have tried one; right now it is disabled.) Since it obviously works with a chgid'ed binary, my question boils down to "Where (system call-wise) is being in the vboxusers group required?", since I already adapted the permissions of (AFAICS) all relevant files.

[Perryg]

Hi!

I have set up VirtualBox on my University machine, which I administrate myself. However, users are resolved via an Active Directory server, so it is not possible to put my user account into the vboxusers group (which is available through /etc/groups). The manual says that newer systems communicate with the USB devices through "special files", without mentioning which ones that are.

First, I have simply changed permissions of all files of the VirtualBox installation in order to let everyone (i.e. "other") have the same permissions as the vboxusers group. This let me use VirtualBox just fine.

However, I am now trying to get USB support up and running, so I installed the PUEL version, enabled USB 2.0, and added a filter for the Space Pilot device I am interested in. Now, in the virtual machine I have grayed-out items in the USB submenu.

I have chmod 666'ed the relevant device in /proc/bus/usb to have access as user, but that did not do the trick.

Is there a possible solution?

Oh, I just noticed that I can chmod g+s the VirtualBox binary, but is that absolutely needed? (Yes, it works.)

Greetings,
Hans

If permissions are regulated at the AD. Create the vboxusers group there and migrate it to whom ever you want to be able to use VBox. As far as I know VBox does not care, its an OS thing. Only thing that VBox wants is to be able to use specified files.

[hans.meine]

If permissions are regulated at the AD. Create the vboxusers group there and migrate it to whom ever you want to be able to use VBox.

permissions are not regulated at the AD, but groups are, yes. But as I wrote, the AD is University-wide and will not be bloated with a vboxusers group.

As far as I know VBox does not care, its an OS thing. Only thing that VBox wants is to be able to use specified files.

That's what I hoped, but my question is: specifically which files?

[Perryg]

Sorry my friend I am out of ammo. The specific files are not only VBox files, some are OS files and scattered all over the host system, but require to be run at an elevated level. Maybe one of the DEV's will see this and help. They are really busy though so it might take a while.

[vbox4me2]

Thanks for your answer, but please forgive me this question: Did you actually read my posting?

I read the FAQ at http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/User_FAQ, but that only points to the vboxusers group.

Yes I did and you didn't mention you had tried an empty filter, only 'a filter', the FAQ we are referring to are in all of the mods sigs in every post here, not the wiki faq.

[sej7278]

i'd say create a local user and ditch the AD rubbish if you admin the box.

[hans.meine]

i'd say create a local user and ditch the AD rubbish if you admin the box.

No option - then I wouldn't have access to my (NFS4-mounted, Kerberos-secured, backed-up) home directory.

[hans.meine]

... you didn't mention you had tried an empty filter, only 'a filter'...

(I did not want to sound harsh BTW, I appreciate you trying to help me.) Yes, but since it works with a setgid'ed binary, it's clear IMO that a filter cannot be the cause.

As a side note: I found the manual and UI very lacking in terms of the "filters".. it's very easy to set up one (and that's also described in the manual), but nowhere it says what their purpose is. So, first I thought "it's probably for forbidding specific devices... or is it for allowing them?" and did not find the answer anywhere. Now, having got USB running, my impression is that it's neither of the two, but rather auto-activation (i.e. saving you from having to check the respective menu item)?

... the FAQ we are referring to are in all of the mods sigs in every post here, not the wiki faq.

Ah, thanks. Somehow, I expected a "Forum FAQ" to explain forum-related FAQ, not a list of VirtualBox questions posted to / answered in the forum.

Since I solved my problem myself at least partially (the chgid workaround), and nobody here seems to know which permissions could be missing (or if VirtualBox maybe explicitly checks for the group membership somewhere, which I hope it doesn't), maybe this thread can be closed.

[Sasquatch]

The VirtualBox FAQ states an fstab entry. It uses the GID of vboxusers to use there, but you can use any other group too. However, it's uncertain if it really works with other group IDs. Try that instead of the chgid work-around.

[sej7278]

The VirtualBox FAQ states an fstab entry. It uses the GID of vboxusers to use there, but you can use any other group too. However, it's uncertain if it really works with other group IDs. Try that instead of the chgid work-around.

it does work, that's how i do it, however the op still doesn't want to change group.

[Sasquatch]

The VirtualBox FAQ states an fstab entry. It uses the GID of vboxusers to use there, but you can use any other group too. However, it's uncertain if it really works with other group IDs. Try that instead of the chgid work-around.

it does work, that's how i do it, however the op still doesn't want to change group.

You didn't read my entire post. I clearly state that using a DIFFERENT group might work too, but is untested.

[sej7278]

it does work, that's how i do it, however the op still doesn't want to change group.

You didn't read my entire post. I clearly state that using a DIFFERENT group might work too, but is untested.

i did read it all, but i think we've got our wires crossed. i assume that the op has no control over his group so just putting a non-vboxusers group in fstab won't help him - unless he puts the group he's assigned by his ldap server in there perhaps, but then he won't be able to run virtualbox as he won't be in the vboxusers group.

i dunno, can't see a solution really, maybe mount the usb device (assuming its a drive) on the host and export it over nfs/samba to the guest.....

[Sasquatch]

i did read it all, but i think we've got our wires crossed. i assume that the op has no control over his group so just putting a non-vboxusers group in fstab won't help him - unless he puts the group he's assigned by his ldap server in there perhaps, but then he won't be able to run virtualbox as he won't be in the vboxusers group.i dunno, can't see a solution really, maybe mount the usb device (assuming its a drive) on the host and export it over nfs/samba to the guest.....

I think the TS can already use VB, else he won't post here with questions on how to get USB working. How else would you know that USB failes and is greyed out if you can't even start a VM?
I've seen users using VB before while they weren't in the vboxusers group.