Solved USB issue with VMware

Using
Host: Windows 8
Guest: Windows XP SP0 - VMware Tools installed
Virtualizer: VMware 7.0.0

Issue
Virtualizer recognize USB device(s) but the Guest can't use them.

More info
With the focus on the Guest, when I try to connect the USB device, VMware show me the message "Cannot connect the USB device xxx: the VMware USB arbitrator returned code 9"

VMware advice me about the USB device detaching from the Host to make it available to the Guest, but it remain attached and usable in the Host.

What's the description related to the code 9 returned from the VMware USB arbitrator?
What's the real cause?

Can the USB 3.0 hardware deal with this issue?

Thank you in advance

If that's Workstation 7.0.0.... I think you need some patches for Win8. Check for updates.
Update to the latest free patch to see what's changed. (if possible, and update is free, get 7.1.6)

Starting only with version 9 you get full Win8 support. That's why I recommended Player 5.0.1 and there you can see if it's solved or not.

I cannot help with version 7 because I don't use that anymore. I use Player 5 (that's version 9).

Someone who uses version 7 and maybe the VMware forum can help more on this one.

OK,

uninstall VMware Workstation, keeping the created machine, and install VMware Player 5.0.1
Reboot
Connect my pen-drive to the Host: OK the new unit "F:" appears in the Host's Devices List
Starting the Guest System: OK (except for the sound that has become "strange", but now this is the minor problem)
VMware Player tell me that there are two USB devices connectable: the USB Mouse and the Toshiba USB Flash Memory.
In the Guest system, I try to activate the pen-drive by Player menu -> Removeable Device -> Toshiba USB Flash Memory (unchecked) -> Connect (Disconnect from The Host).
VMware Player give me a warning message, and actually, the "F:" unit disappears from the Host system, but no new unit appears in the Guest. No strange error code or message.
Just try to allow the Host to acquire the pen-drive control, I use Player menu -> Removeable Device -> Toshiba USB Flash Memory (checked) -> Disconnect (Connect to Host): OK, the "F:" unit is again visible and usable in the Host system.

But the issue still remain: the Guest Devices List does not show me the unit letter related to the pen-drive and I can't use it in the Guest.

Any suggestion(s)?

Thank you

P.S.
The Guest is also capable to detect the Host's Webcam, even if it can be usable in the Guest, because there is no suitable Windows XP driver for that web-cam.

ElectroMark said:

But the issue still remain: the Guest Devices List does not show me the unit letter related to the pen-drive and I can't use it in the Guest.

Any suggestion(s)?

Thank you

P.S.
The Guest is also capable to detect the Host's Webcam, even if it can be usable in the Guest, because there is no suitable Windows XP driver for that web-cam.

Click to expand...

Maybe you need extra drivers in the guest for the USB device (if XP doesn't automatically install them, install them manually).
VMware (and maybe VBox as well) detect it in the host as a device... this is a guest problem.

ElectroMark said:

More info
With the focus on the Guest, when I try to connect the USB device, VMware show me the message "Cannot connect the USB device xxx: the VMware USB arbitrator returned code 9"

Click to expand...

If you need more info on this one see VMWare Forums here:
VMware Communities: The VMware USB Arbitrator returned...

A sidenote:
I never encountered any USB errors (VMWare USB Arbitrator, VirtualBox USB) on three PC's I used.
It still can be hardware related due to specific drivers needed (sometimes XP doesn't see all devices and requests extra drivers to be instaled, as in the example of you webcam described above).

It's good you provided the info, even if I couldn't provide some useful fast help, there are other users who may have experienced this already and can help.

If you need more info on this one see VMWare Forums here:
VMware Communities: The VMware USB Arbitrator returned...

Click to expand...

I just looked at that: the solution provided here does not fit my case (I the OS registry there is no items to delete, as mentioned in the post)

Maybe you need extra drivers in the guest for the USB device (if XP doesn't automatically install them, install them manually).

Click to expand...

OK, but if XP need extra driver, it should require them explicitly, as happen with the web-cam: the OS detect the USB web-cam (the web-cam in not really connected to an USB port, it is bluit in the lap-top monitor) and looking for a proper driver; since the OS cannot find a suitable driver, it ask me the for that.
This not happen with the device connected to the USB port: usually, when I insert a USB device, never seen by the OS, it show the popup "New hardware find..., installing device in progress"; but, in my case, I see no popup.

VMware (and maybe VBox as well) detect it in the host as a device... this is a guest problem.

Click to expand...

I also think so. The next step is to fully upgrade the guest OS with all SP and all hot-fix, then I retry to use the pen-drive from the Guest. Crossing the fingers...

Update:
After install SP3 and all hot-fix for Windows XP (rebooting when required), I reboot the Guest and insert the USB flash memory. VMware player show me a message about the new inserted device and its availability in the Removeable devices list.
So I select the USB flash memory in that list: VMware reader disconnect the USB device from the Host and connect it to the Guest, but no new unit show in the devices list .
So I go to Guest control panel and select New hardware installation (to force the USB flash memory driver installation).
Tha automatic procedure detect that the driver for the web-cam is missing, and start to search the driver: but this time, the automatic procedure search is not limited to the local HDD and the Windows XP installation CDROM: it take a look in the net and... voila' "Advanced standard Host controller PCI to USB" driver found and installed.
Immediately, the OS mount the USB flash memory too and make it visible as new unit labeled "E:" .
Then I disconnect the USB from the Guest (giving the control to the Host), eject the USB from the host and connect the external HDD to the Host;activating the Guest, VMware player show me a message about the new available USB device in the Removeable devices list; so I connect the external USB device: wait same seconds and the OS show me the message "New hardware found - USB mass storage device" and "Installation finished, the device is ready to use". OK, but the no new unit letter is in the devices list ; after 50 seconds the new unit (labeled "E:") appears in the devices list, fully functional !
I don't understand why I have to wait up to 50 seconds to view the new unit in the devices list, but I understand that, without a fully upgrated Windows XP, the driver search cannot be efficient. Furthermore, there is not particular problem if the Host's port hardware use USB 3.0: if the USB devices to connect are 2.0 compatible, the Virtualizer must not necessary implement the USB 3.0 hardware virtualization.
I think that the issue is solved, so I mark this thread as closed

I'm glad you fixed it!

So the virtualizers see the device after all. It seems to be a delay in the guest but the important thing is that it works.

Yes SP3 is what I always use for XP VM's as well. Probably why I've never encountered this... My 1TB USB HDD also has delay's but is due to the large scale, many files and the XP autorun that tries to show up too. It happens on Win8 too but rarely (still, disk is more than 60% full so maybe that's why + usb2.0 is slower than IDE or SATA).

(laptop: the webcam is internally connected to USB even if we don't see or is not available but the virtualizer detects all)

Cheers
Hopachi