Accessing Host files and USB devices with Guest Win98

[Trantor]

Hi everyone,

I recently installed virtualbox PUEL on my new Vista machine, because there were no Vista drivers available for my flatbed scanner, thinking I could use a Win98 install under VB to run the scanner software and then export the scanned files to Vista.

I successfully installed Windows 98 and have that running, but have not been able to get VB to recognize external HDs or my USB scanner. I've tried reading the manual and faqs, but honestly did not understand half of it. Is there a simple way to attach directories as HDs inside the VB enviornment? And how do I go about getting USB support? I've tried the USB options in settings and the devices are listed, but when I try to choose them, Vista begins an activation process on the devices, but nothing happens within the VB enviornment.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Karl Kuras
http://www.trantornator.com

[Sasquatch]

There is a howto in the Windows Guests. You would do yourself some good to read it, and things you don't understand can be found with Google, or asked in the appropriate discussion thread.

Windows 98 is really ancient, so if possible, go for something newer. USB isn't all that perfect in 98. You're better off with 2000 or XP. Are you sure that there are really no drivers for Vista? Have you tried the XP drivers? Maybe those work too.

[Trantor]

Sasquatch,

Believe me, I tried everything for the scanner drivers, and unfortunately Canon (together with most scanner manufacturers) have simply abandoned their older machines, when Vista came out. Vista won't recognize the XP drivers (which is what I was running before upgrading to Vista). I also went with 98 because I don't have a stand alone version of XP, but still had a 98 CD laying around.

Do you have a link to the Windows Guests howto?

[Perryg]

OK I believe you when you say you have tried everything, but just in case have you tried to start the install in compatibility mode?
Right click on the install and then properties. See screen shot below.

[Sasquatch]

And if that fails too, you can try a Linux Guest. If you are up to it, install Linux in a VM, enable USB and send the scanner through USB to the VM. It should see the scanner now. There are several applications you can use on Linux to scan images, and even do OCR reading on documents.
It's a bit getting used to, but it will definitely work.

[ghr]

My few cents: to make the original idea work you need a Win98 USB driver for your scanner and filesharing. If you don't have (or cannot get) the driver you can forget about the idea (filesharing can be solved, no problem). As Sasquatch writes, "USB isn't all that perfect in 98" which means in practice that you'll need a driver for about just every USB device when using 98.

[Trantor]

Perryg:

Thanks, but I already tried that (sadly no installation software available for this model, just straight up drivers). I looked everywhere for drivers, posting on many boards, learning that I'm not alone with this problem, before coming up with the VB solution.

ghr:
I do have the drivers for Win98, and should be able to solve the problems once I get the files into the Win98 enviornment. The Filesharing is still an issue for me though.

[fixedwheel]

should be able to solve the problems once I get the files into the Win98 enviornment.

so, in the meantime did you find the 95/98 Tutorial sitting on top in the Windows Guests Thread list?

[ghr]

For filesharing: get your ideas from here: Win95 VM with Win XP host networking (shared folders) ; in the Windows Guest Forum (http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=866)