VirtualBox on ubuntu 8.10 host, can't get USB working in Windows XP guest, not permissions

[Chris G]

On Fri, Nov 28, 2008 at 11:05:11AM -0800, NoOp wrote:
> On 11/28/2008 09:47 AM, Chris G wrote:
> > On Fri, Nov 28, 2008 at 09:26:24AM -0800, NoOp wrote:
> [snip]
> >> Post these:
> >> 
> >> 1. This line from your /etc/fstab:
> >> 
> >> none  /proc/bus/usb   usbfs devgid=<number>,devmode=664      0  0
> >> 
> >> 2. Your group list:
> >> 
> >> group <yourusername>
> >> 
> > The /etc/fstabl line is:-
> > 
> >     none                /proc/bus/usb   usbfs   devgid=123,devmode=666 0 0
> 
> Change to 664 v 666.
> 
> > 
> > 
> > I don't have a 'group' command, I guess you meant 'groups' :-
> 
> Yes. Sorry.
> 
> > 
> >     chris adm dialout cdrom plugdev lpadmin admin sambashare vboxusers
> 
> That looks ok to me.
> 
> > 
> > ... and 'grep vboxusers /etc/group' produces:-
> > 
> >     vboxusers:x:123:chris,root
> > 
> 
> I'd caution against root being in vboxusers given that you're running a
> MS$ guest.
> 
I guess I can remove it, I didn't put it there explicitly, it's "as
installed" I think.


> Also, not sure which version of VirtualBox you are running, but you
> might want to update to the latest if you are not there already:
> 
> http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Changelog
> I've updated to 2.0.6 (and of course updated the VboxGuestAdditions to
> same) and so far it's been working very well.
> 
Yes, I'm at 2.0.6 too.


> Note: I only have it on hardy as the only intrepid machine I have is an
> old slow Thinkpad A21M with limited hard drive space. But, the faq also
> indicates:
> 
> ===
> If you want to make all USB devices available for users member of the
> vboxusers group, apply the proposed change for USB on openSUSE.
> ===
> 
> and that has some additional items in the fstab line:
> none  /proc/bus/usb  usbfs
> auto,busgid=XXX,busmode=0775,devgid=XXX,devmode=0664  0  0
> I'm not sure if the busgid & busmode is applicable to intrepid, but you
> can try it. I'd just try 664 first to see if that will resolve the problem'
> 
No, as I said I was sure it wasn't a permission problem.

It's something to do with updating the Windows XP host, my *guess*
would be that it's SP3 that screws things up.  I've re-installed the XP
guest twice, the first time I immediately applied all available
Windows Updates and got the same problem I originally reported.  Then
I installed again and tried the Epson USB scanner software before
upgrading and it installed OK!

So the problem is something to do with Windows Updates, as I said my
guess would be that it's SP3 causing the problem.  Now whether this
only happens under VirtualBox or whether it happens in 'real' Windows
I have no idea (and I don't propose to waste more time finding out
either!). 

-- 
Chris Green