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[Solved] Linux host, Windows guest, no USB devices detected on guest

Posted: 14. Dec 2018, 04:27
by r_avital
Hello all,
New to VirtualBox.

Host is Kubunt 16.04 64Bit LTS (Long Term Support), guest is Win7 Ultimate 64Bit.
On the host, uname -a in terminal returns:
Linux MyMachinename 4.15.0-42-generic #45~16.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Mon Nov 19 13:02:27 UTC 2018 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
VBox is the Oracle product, not the VBox that comes with the Linux distro.
VBox version 5.2.22 r126460 (Qt5.6.1) as downloaded from Oracle.

I have a USB thumb drive connected to the host, visible/accessible on the host.
The guest shows me "No USB devices connected" under the "Devices->USB" menu.
Yes, I set up the host with USB 2.0.
Yes, I installed the Guest Additions: In the Win7 host, I entered a command window, with the following:
VBoxWindowsAdditions-amd64 /extract /D=C:\Drivers
...just as instructed in the readme file, and a directory c:\drivers was created, and files were written into it.

Yes, the extension pack is installed.
How do I know? Because I downloaded Oracle_VM_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack-5.2.22.vbox-extpack and allowed VBox to install it, and VBox reported that a newer version was already installed, asked me if I wanted to downgrade, and I clicked on "no."
What am I missing?
Releasing the USB device from the host? Tried that, still "No USB devices connected."
Plugging it in AFTER the Win7 guest has booted? Tried that too, same result.

Any thoughts, anyone?

Thanks in advance!

Re: Linux host, Windows guest, no USB devices detected on guest

Posted: 14. Dec 2018, 06:50
by socratis
Please read the following thread: USB basics and troubleshooting, all of the posts.

If you still have a problem after reading through the whole thing, please follow the advice of the last post, #8: Asking for help and post the information requested.

Re: Linux host, Windows guest, no USB devices detected on guest

Posted: 14. Dec 2018, 17:21
by r_avital
Thank you, socratis.

My first step was indeed to look for existing posts/articles, before posting my question, to see if it had already been answered. That is my preferred method. When I conducted a simple search, after logging in, the result was empty. Please see attached screen-shot.
This left me with no recourse other than to post the question with as much specific info on my environment as I could gather.

So thanks again for directing me to what I was looking for to begin with, which the search on this forum could not find. I will read all before asking again.

Cheers!
vbox-forum.png
vbox-forum.png (38.85 KiB) Viewed 1558 times

Re: Linux host, Windows guest, no USB devices detected on guest

Posted: 14. Dec 2018, 18:36
by socratis
r_avital wrote:My first step was indeed to look for existing posts/articles, before posting my question, to see if it had already been answered. That is my preferred method. When I conducted a simple search, after logging in, the result was empty.
Good man! But, it seems that unfortunately you hit a... snag. ;)

The search functionality in a phpBB board is not TheBestâ„¢ in the world, especially with 3 letter words. Not even close. I don't think anyone uses it and it that "Search" button is taken out, I don't think it's going to be missed.

The preferred way to search would be to include the "site" information in your favorite engine. So try something like the following in your favorite search engine and see where it gets you:
  • 
    USB trouble site:forums.virtualbox.org

Re: Linux host, Windows guest, no USB devices detected on guest

Posted: 15. Dec 2018, 00:42
by r_avital
Many thanks for the explanation, and again for directing me to that page. Solved the problem (Needed to add myself to the vboxusers group on the linux host.

Cheers, and Merry Christmas!

Re: Linux host, Windows guest, no USB devices detected on guest

Posted: 15. Dec 2018, 01:02
by socratis
Glad you got it going! Marking as [Solved].
Happy New Year too! ;)