usb to serial bridge driver

[David Vincent]

ed wrote:
> I am attempting to setup my insulin pump with vmware server on Gutsy. 
> The server is running windoze xp pro. I have set up the software that 
> reads the data thru the dongle. I have attempted to install the windoze 
> dongle driver in xp but xp will not recognize the dongle which is 
> attached to a usb to serial bridge. Ubuntu lists the serial port in the 
> hardware manager. My thinking was that if Gutsy could see the device 
> then vmware would also see it and pass it to the windoze guest but this 
> is not the case. I have looked at VMware forums but could not find any 
> information. Is there something that I need to install in Gutsy such as 
> a irda driver or some such other? Any help would be appreciated.
> 
> -Prog
> 

vmware will not pass  your usb device to the guest os unless the guest 
was completely powered off when you started AND the device was already 
recognized by the host os.  here's how i would do it, using vmware server:

- plug in the device
- open vmwarse server console and power on the guest os
- look for the usb device in the removable devices section of vmware (i 
use vmware server so its on the "vm" menu and then under "removable 
devices" and then "usb")
- if it is there then you can attach it to your guest os and it should 
be picked up
- if not then start over, power off your guest os and try again

if you've suspended or hibernated your guest os it will not pickup the 
usb device, it needs to start cold.  you can't just plug it in and make 
vmware attach it to your guest os.

there's tons more info over on the vmware site.  here's one which may 
interest you:

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=1648&sliceId=1&docTypeID=DT_KB_1_1&dialogID=30184436&stateId=0%200%2030182266

start here though:

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/searchEntry.do

hth.

-d