virtualbox.org

Hi

I am running Virtualbox 2.2.2 on Kubuntu 8.04 and have two guest OS's WindowsXP and Kubuntu 9.04.

Kubuntu 9.04 sees my external USB drive immediately but WindowsXP takes on average 7min before it makes the drive available. The little usb indicator at the bottom of VBox shows activity and WindowsXP even bring up the little icon for safely removing the device. However, it takes another 7 - 10 min before Windows finally sees the drive and loads up an explorer window showing the content. Opening an explorer window prior to this does not show the drive.

I have a laptop with Vbox 2.2.4 running on Kubuntu 9.04 and this same problem is present with WindowsXP.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Thanks
O.

You do know that two Guests can not access the USB device at the same time if you are connecting to it with the USB settings of VBox right?
Anyway if you do not try this on (2) guests at the same time the easiest way to connect a USB device in Windows using VBox is to click use the USB but do not create a filter. Then when in the Windows guest just click on Device - USB - and click the device from there.

Thanks for your response perryg.

So just for clarity, I am only running one guest at any one time and the procedure you mentioned in your reply is exactly what I am doing: devices -> usb -> choose external drive. Not quite sure what is meant by "creating a filter" so I assume I am not doing that.

The issue is not that Windows does not see the drive, infact is recognises the drive immediately BUT the little USB icon at the bottom of Virtualbox, which indicated activity of the USB drive, stays stuck/active (little red circle with red dot) for up to 10 minutes before the drive become visible in windows. If I open an explorer windows or click on the "safely remove hardware" icon in windows, nothing happens until this time has passed.

Thanks
O