USB access from Windows VM on Mac host

[ajbrehm]

I am running VirtualBox 3.2.6 on Mac OS X 10.6 (64 bit mode) and Windows 7 (32 bit mode) as guest.

I have a smartcard reader that I want the Windows VM to use but VirtualBox keeps telling me when I select the reader in the USB device list that the device is in use. I think Mac OS is "using" it. How can I assign the device to a VM?

[ajbrehm]

Really? Nobody knows how to access a USB device from a VM? Man...

[stefan.becker]

Try USB Filters. Or try unmounting the device on the mac.

[ajbrehm]

Try USB Filters. Or try unmounting the device on the mac.

I tried unmounting a USB disk, the VM still didn't pick it up, not even with a filter.

I don't know how to unmount a smartcard reader.

[ChipMcK]

Try searching the "VirtualBox on Mac OS X" forum

[Travis Cable]

Has anybody figured this out in the past few years?

I too have a smart card reader that I cannot use in the Guest OS. It always says that the device is being used by another person. Can't figure out how to not use in in Mac OS to allow it's use in the Win XP VM.

Thank you.

[Travis Cable]

I got it working.

1. First connect smart card reader to Mac OS.
2. Add filter to Guest VM for smart card reader.
3. Disconnect smart card from USB.
4. Startup VM Guest OS.
5. Connect smart card to USB.

The Guest OS should now use the USB filter to connect to the device.

[mpack]

About time this thread was moved to "OS X Hosts".