virtualbox.org

If using usb filter way to connect devices does this mean eg with printer only guest can use printer when it is manually connected to it and then have to disconnect manually for host to use it while running the VM? Is there way to make it connect automatically when needed only and then have it set back for the host automatically? This would be easier for non admin users like children using the VM who wont have to be fiddling with connecting and disconnecting host printers etc.

Also is there a way to disable host mouse or other external usb hard drives (like one VDI is running from) from being accidentally connected to guest. Mouse works properly via the guest additions automatically and does not need connecting - I once connected it in error and whole system got hung for a time as could not use it in host. Kids play around as well and would be good to be able to restrict these things in some way. My XP VM is mainly for kids to use older XP and 98 educational and game software I don't really want to install on newer windows, plus it is a lot of stuff to reinstall.
Or is there a way to hide usb devices like can do in VMware player window?

That's correct. The USB protocol is not designed for sharing devices between hosts (multiple masters). So, only one PC can use it at one time. In the physical world you have to unplug the USB device from one host, and plug it into another. The USB device doesn't know its being used by a VM and makes no special allowances for it. All that VirtualBox provides is a redirection of USB protocol messages at a lowish level.

Most of the problems that people have with USB is the failure to understand that they can't be shared. Therefore if the host has grabbed the device and locked ownership of it, the VM can't grab it... at least not without risking data loss or some other kind of failure.

Thanks mpack for reply but is there a way to at least hide the connections or restrict for non admin users - perhaps needs to be a feature added so kids/non admin users cant randomly connect and disconnect usb devices - can you pass on message to Virtual box developers please.

That would be tricky, as I have no special pipeline to the devs.

I will try to get message to oracle support, so there is no feature suggestion post section here?

Astrogirl wrote:I will try to get message to oracle support, so there is no feature suggestion post section here?

The section titled Suggestions might be a place to start.

thanks I will try that -seems have to be a paid user of oracle software to access their support or contact them and I am in Australia, not ringing US number