Adding any USB Headset causes XP Guest to freeze

[AzJazz]

I am trying to install a USB headset on my WinXP Pro SP2 Guest VM. My Host is Win7X64 Pro. I am running VBox Version 4.1.12.

Whenever I try to install any type of USB headset (Bluetooth or Wired), the VM freezes during the PnP "New Hardware" device driver installation. (Right at the end of the installation, when it has identified the hardware manufacturer)

VBox is locked-up hard, and I always have to reboot my Host PC to clear the VBox lock-up. Another bad point is that I sometimes end up with a hard disk corruption after the system restart (even though I let the Win7 host close itself normally). My host hardware is an "Asus P6T Deluxe V2", running an Intel Core i7 processor. My audio hardware uses the Analog Devices ADI AD2000B HD audio chipset.

Any ideas on how to fix this problem? I really need to get this interface running for my work.

Thanks,

AzJazz

[AzJazz]

I forgot to mention (Just to make things even MORE confusing): My WinXP Guest audio works fine on my Host machine, up until I attempt to install the USB headset.

My audio in my XP Guest shows up as an: Intel(r) 82801AA AC'97 Audio Controller

My Win7x64 Host audio hardware is identified as: SoundMAX Integrated Digital HD Audio

[jorgensen]

Most USB Audio drivers do not work in the guest because of the overhead and simulation.
If the audio hardware does not work directly with Windows own USB audio driver, you are out of luck.
Many USB headsets do work with the Windows USB driver directly.

[AzJazz]

Most USB Audio drivers do not work in the guest because of the overhead and simulation.
If the audio hardware does not work directly with Windows own USB audio driver, you are out of luck.
Many USB headsets do work with the Windows USB driver directly.

Thanks, jorgensen!

Are you describing the host or guest side (or, both)? From what I could see on the WinXP Guest, the headsets I tried appeared to be supported by the native WinXP USB drivers. There are no drivers required (or even listed) on the Logitech website for my H390 headset. My other headset is a Logitech H800 (a Bluetooth headset) that doesn't seem to need any drivers beyond a pairing utility in either Win7x64 or WinXP. Both devices were recognized without additional drivers in Win7x64.

[jorgensen]

I am referring to the guest.

If the USB headset is working on the Windows host with the native driver it should work in the Windows guest as well.
However to get an USB device working in the guest can be very troublesome - I wrote a post about that after a VB upgrade.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=29034

And, I have an USB audio stick that does not work with the main USB at a computer and very poorly with an USB hub - believe it has something to do with the motherboard.

Bluetooth is not supported by VirtualBox.

[AzJazz]

I wrote a post about that after a VB upgrade.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=29034

Hi, jorgensen - I tried to follow your suggestion in the other posting, but I can't see where it is any different than what I would normally do when connecting up a USB device to my VBox VM. I did try it though, and the VM froze up tight right during the hardware recognition/PnP driver installation - just like I have always seen.

I was wondering, though - My Asus P6T Deluxe V2 mobo has the Analog Devices AD2000B audio chipset, which supports a SPDIF digital optical output (my usual path for my PC sound). Should I be selecting other audio paths (like, the headset) to get the audio working properly through the headset in the VM? I know that the headset doesn't seem to want to connect to the Guest when I have it selected on the Host.

AzJazz

[jorgensen]

Is it the Virtualbox redirection driver or the Windows driver in guest that does the freezing?

If it is the Virtualbox driver you could try.
-Use another host USB port or a hub.
-Do not use the headset for the audio path at the host when connected.
-Use the USB filter in Virtualbox. I have seen a post, where the ids of the USB unit was used to get it working.

There are lots of topics about USB problems, and you can try searching the forum with Google USB site:forums.virtualbox.org

[AzJazz]

I believe it is the Windows driver in the guest that is freezing. It's hard to tell, since I don't see anything changing in either the Win7x64 Host or WinXP Guest Device Managers.

The WinXP Guest may be freezing just as the Device Manager would be updating.

Another nugget: I tried setting the headset as the main audio path on the Host, and nothing much seemed to occur when I tried to enable the headset in the Guest. The Guest did NOT freeze up when I connected this way, but the headset was never recognized in the Guest. The headset interface doesn't seem to be released by the host. The headset still works from the host, but I see the following error (on the host) if I try to reconnect to the headset in the guest:



I will also check into your other suggestions.

Thanks,

AzJazz