VirtualBox and USB

WetGeek

This morning as I was launching my Solus VMs in order to install the update, I saw a notification from VirtualBox telling me that the guest additions had been updated, and asked whether I would like to install it. So, the guest additions 6.1.36 has been updated to 6.1.38. As I dismissed the notification, I noticed that it had mentioned support for USB 2.0 and USB 3.0. So, I downloaded it.

After it was installed, I checked the settings for the Budgie VM, and in the USB settings, I noticed that all three generations of USB were now available to select. There was a radio button for USB 1.0 as before, but also one for USB 2.0 and one for USB 3.0, both of which I'd never seen in the settings before.

So, I changed the settings for all of my current VMs to USB 3.0, as the host machine supports that. And I launched all the VMs and installed the guest additions on them all (rebooting each one afterwards). Those include Solus Budgie, GNOME, MATE and Plasma, Ubuntu Budgie and Plasma, Manjaro Budgie and Plasma, and Neptune Budgie, as well as Windows 10.

When I inserted a USB key that was handy (Manjaro installer), The host machine reacted, but in no case did any of the VMs notice that a USB device had been inserted. And it wasn't displayed in any of their file managers. So I checked the version of the VirtualBox manager that was just upgraded, and it is indeed 6.1.38, which matches the guest additions that I installed on all of the VMs.

I thought perhaps defining a USB filter might be required. So I installed an empty filter in the settings for my Windows VM. The tool-tip indicated that it had all empty strings, allowing connection to any USB device. That made no difference.

Does anyone have an idea what's going on here? I was especially hoping that the Windows VM would now have USB access, because it would be handy for me to connect my label maker to that VM. I don't really care if the Linux VMs ever connect to the host's USB ports, but that might change someday.

WetGeek

I guess I could have just asked, "Has anyone ever gotten USB access to work for VirtualBox VMs"? I was excited that I could now select them in the VM settings, but that's as far as I've gotten.

codewizard1975

Yes, I've done it before. You actually have to go to the Devices menu on the VM window on the host and select USB, then select the USB device you want to connect to the VM. If there's no issues connecting it, the device will be disconnected from the host system and connected to the virtual system.

WetGeek

codewizard1975 You actually have to go to the Devices menu on the VM window on the host

Thank you! I was sure I'd gone through the help document for the USB feature, and found nothing about doing this. I'm not sure how Oracle expected us to figure it out. I'll give it a try right now
...
Yes. After I figured out that the VM must be running, it actually worked for me. That was the clue I needed. Thanks again. A picture might help anyone else who's wondering how to do this:

This also answers why I've never been able to get the shared clipboard feature to work, despite selecting it in the VM's settings during setup. I now understand that it's enabled on the VM the same way USB devices are.

This has been a good education in VM special features!

elfprince

WetGeek Same here. I could not get the shared clipboard or copy/paste feature to work. Will try this again next time. Thanks.

Robotmike2

murbert
1) at least for the memory you can use taskmanager (or similar) on the host and you'll se the whole assigned memory as used. When starting multiple guests you will also notice the system running out of memory easily.
2) The en/decryption of the VPN is done in the VM then, so the host can't see what's going on, but might see that you are connected to the VPN server and to which one. This is especially the case when using NAT mode.
I'm not sure for the "Bridge"-Mode, as I think the defined network adapter is then directly connected to and configured by the guest, for example you have to set the IP in the guest etc., but of course this makes sense only if you have multiple network adapters or are happy with a disconnected host.

elfprince In a Windows host with multiple running VMs the copy/paste or drag/drop feature will fail occasionally but is working again when all other machines are suspended.

WetGeek This stuff actually worked pretty well for years. Sometimes I have to connect my Linux (Sailfish) phone to the work laptop (Windows host, Solus guest) by USB. Windows sees the USB connection but has barely access as MTP. By redirecting the USB device to the Solus VM then Solus recognizes it instantly as an additional network adapter (as it should be at this point.)

murbert

That's one of my VM questions answered, here's a couple more.
Using Oracle Virtualbox
1- I have a computer with 16GB ram and an 8 core CPU, if I assign 8GB ram and 4 cores to the VM, can the host use any part of that assignment that's not being used by the VM? For instance, if I boot Solus Budgie VM and that uses 800MB ram and a couple percent of 1 core at idle, does the host have 15GB ram and 7 cores available?
My guess is VM resources are not available to the host.
2- If i connect to a VPN in the VM, does the host "see" the internet activity?

elfprince

Robotmike2 On Solus, no Windows here.

Tomahawk

elfprince doesn't matter - the main thing is that clipboard exchange is posssible, when you have 1 VM activated. With multiple VMs active "you will not pass" )))

WetGeek

Tomahawk clipboard exchange is posssible, when you have 1 VM activated. With multiple VMs active "you will not pass"

It makes sense that the exchange is created between the host machine and one virtual machine. For pasting something that's been copied elsewhere, or accepting a dropped object, it's up to the destination location to examine what's to be pasted or dropped, and decide whether to accept it.