virtualbox.org

Hi,
I am currently evaluating VirtualBox as an alternative to other virtual environments I use.
Unfortunately I use various USB devices and so far VirtualBox has failed to correctly function with several devices I have tested (with more to test).
Please note that I have had success with other USB devices without having to create filters, and can successfully attach and detach either by unplugging or selecting the attached device in the USB menu.
I have followed the USB basics and troubleshooting guide.
- Checked registry as per hyperlinks in guide
- Created filter, tested various changes in filter content for devices not correctly captured by VirtualBox
- Tested the Moxa USB serial adapter on two separate computers and VirtualBox versions as noted.
- Installed the xHCI USB3 drivers in the Windows 7 test client where using xHCI in VirtualBox.
- Tried using VBoxManage usbdevsource to remove devices when they are not released correctly by VirtualBox. Failed when device was still plugged in and also when unplugged.

I have focused on the Moxa UPort 1150 USB serial adapter as this is the most common device I and others use.

Device: Moxa UPort 1150 RS232/RS485 USB serial adapter, presents to Windows as two devices in device manager.
Moxa thread, no resolution or followup since last post 12 June 2019.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=93496

Previous Moxa thread started September 2011. No apparent resolution or followup.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=44957


Host: OS Name Microsoft Windows 10 Enterprise (64 bit)
Version 10.0.19041 Build 19041

VM1: OS Name Microsoft Windows 10 Pro (64 bit)
Version 10.0.15063 Build 15063

VM2: OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise (32 bit)
Version 6.1.7600 Build 7600
xHCI Intel USB3 drivers installed

Notes:
With filter: Manually detach, stays in USB menu, only way to remove it was to reboot client and host. Similarly if device plugged in before booting client and trying to manually attach device, it indicate captured but no tick.
Removed filter: Trying to attach shows captured but no tick, can only remove from USB list by host and client restarts. Filter back in place, can capture and release when plugged in after client started, and detached by pulling out device but clicking on device to release causes it to stay in USB list.
Only one device shown in Device Manager (Extension pack installed)
When Moxa driver is installed, the following message is seen in Device Manager: Driver Failure: This device cannot start. (Code 10) {Operation Failed} The requested operation was unsuccessful.


USB2 test:
Dell Precision M6600

VirtualBox version: 4.3.40 r110317, 4.0.36 r104075, 6.1.12 r139181
Extension pack version: 4.3.40 r110317, 4.0.36 r104075, 6.1.12 r139181


Host: OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate (64 bit)
Version 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601

VM: OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise (32 bit)
Version 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601

Notes:
Filter applied, generally seemed to capture device and release if it was plugged in and unplugged after client has started, but would leave device in USB menu if it was selected to remove or manually add as noted above.
No VirtualBox extension pack installed, two devices are seen in device manager, but Moxa multiport device driver cannot start and the second device shows as unknown device.
Extension pack installed, only one device appears in device manager, but Moxa multiport driver cannot start.


Issues:
- Devices are not captured/released correctly, leaving the device stuck in the USB menu. Hovering over the device can say it it is captured but with no tick beside it, or released but still displaying in the menu even if the device has been unplugged.
- Removal of the stuck device from the USB menu requires the client and host operating systems to be shut down and restarted. The VBoxManage usbdevsource command has failed every time it has been tried.
- Moxa UPort 1150 will get captured using a filter, but the driver will not start and does not get presented as two devices. USB release issues as described above.
- Extension pack installation changes the presentation of the Moxa device to the client OS.

Are there any other logs or tests I can do to facilitate debugging these USB issues?

Regards
Ehbt

There is a valid USB filter, and both logs show an attach and detach:

00:01:41.360791 VUSB: Attached '00000000078a8530[proxy 110a:1150]' to port 2 on RootHub#1 (FullSpeed)
00:03:15.095859 VUSB: Detached '00000000078a8530[proxy 110a:1150]' from port 2 on RootHub#1

So far I cannot see anything causing trouble.

With two devices appearing in the guest OS, USB basics and troubleshooting mentions this might cause trouble.

Not having one of these devices myself I can't test it personally. But I have done USB thumbdrives in guests before. I would suggest trying a thumbdrive to confirm that your Virtualbox does actually work passing USB devices into a guest OS in a way the guest OS can use.

One workaround: let the host OS detect the USB serial adapter, then pass the resulting serial ports into the guest OS. How to: Add a Serial Port in Windows XP and 7 Guest

Hi scottgus1
Thanks for responding.

I have tried several thumb drives, HASP style protection dongles, a Prolific based USB/serial converter and several other proprietary USB cables without issue. None of these required a filter to be picked up, and I could remove them either by unplugging or clicking on the device in the USB menu, and reattach without issue.
I have also had issues with other proprietary USB devices, all of which get left in the USB menu when they fail to attach/detach per methods I have mentioned. Which then requires a reboot of the client and host to remove as mentioned, which is very annoying.

Yes I agree that passing the Moxa serial device through as a serial port is a workaround, and does work - provided it is plugged in before starting the client, otherwise VirtualBox will not start the client and displays an error that does not explicitly state what the issue was that prevented the client from starting. I have not tested VirtualBox behaviour if the Moxa is unplugged and then plugged back in after the client has started.
Unfortunately I do not believe passing through as a serial port/other device is possible for some of the other devices.

I can retest the other devices and post logs for those if you think that may help. I also have a personal Solaris server that I could try some tests on if you think that may assist.

Regards
Ehbt

ehbt wrote:I have tried several thumb drives, HASP style protection dongles, a Prolific based USB/serial converter and several other proprietary USB cables without issue.... I can retest the other devices and post logs for those if you think that may help.

If other devices have worked, then the USB filter & menu system are working. It seems that some way the Moxa works is incompatible.

ehbt wrote:Which then requires a reboot of the client and host to remove as mentioned, which is very annoying.

I wonder if just turning off all Virtualbox processes, which would shut off the Vboxsvc service after a few seconds, would clear the USB status & menus.

Hi scottgus1
I finally got back to doing some more tests:

Several devices I had issues with previously have now started working (scratch head).
What I have found is that the devices that need a filter to be successfully captured in general can be manually released and automatically recaptured after unplugging and plugging back in, but fail to be successfully captured manually after a manual release.

Closing all instances of VirtualBox (open clients and VirtualBox Manager) resets the USB menu which is much better than restarting the host. Saving machine state is enough, the client OS does not have to be shut down.
The current version of VirtualBox seems to close its processes almost immediately, I recall having to wait a while when swapping between VirtualBox and VirtualPC due to this delay in closing processes.

A point of interest with the Moxa Uport 1150:
When no Extension Pack is installed, both devices are detected but only one driver is installed. The driver will not start however.
When the Extension Pack is installed, only one device is detected, the driver will install but not start.

A minor annoyance when passing the Moxa through as a serial port is that if the Moxa is not plugged in, the COM port does not exist on the host, the client will not start and VirtualBox displays a fault message:
Failed to open host device 'com6' (VERR_INVALID_HANDLE).
Result Code:
E_FAIL (0x80004005)
Component:
ConsoleWrap
Interface:
IConsole {872da645-4a9b-1727-bee2-5585105b9eed}

When the client is running and the Moxa is unplugged, I had a non-fatal error displayed once only and the client continued to run.
All other times since I have tried stopping all VirtualBox processes, restarting the client and unplugging the Moxa but I cannot get the non-fatal error to reappear.
What I have not tested is whether VirtualBox will reconnect the COM port if the Moxa is plugged in again.

In summary, there are some behaviours of VirtualBox that are a little frustrating but in the main I should be able to work around them.

Regards
ehbt