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ESXi 5 USB Passthrough

I am trying to get USB passthrough to work on a Dell T110 II w/ESXi 5.0 I have followed article: http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/search.do?cmd=displayKC&docType=kc&externalId=1022290 
with no luck...I am wondering if there is a compatibility list for ESXi 5.0, which i have not been able to find. I have tried using an external Western Digital Essentials HDD and my Muskin flash drive...neither show up. I am not sure if I am missing something or they are just not compatible.

Also...I have read a few articles about APC and ESXi...I assume its still best to use a NIC enabled UPS? Are there any work arounds for that in order to use USB? or any work arounds of any type...

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Avatar of Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
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The best method of getting a APC UPS is to use the Network Management card, and the APC software and vMA.

But, there is no need to use USB Passthru'.

Add a USB Controller to the VM, Add a USB Device, and connect the USB device to the Device you've connected.

see here

http://www.virtualizationadmin.com/articles-tutorials/general-virtualization-articles/using-usb-devices-vmware-vsphere-41.html
The APC software is called PowerChute Network Shutdown, Part No. SFPCNS300, it's a free download, as long as your APC UPS has a Smart Slot for the Network management card.
I would add a USB Controller to the VM.

This works correctly.
What exactly are you trying to accomplish?  Passthrough will only work for a single VM on the host.  Unless you have a single VM you should look into the APC NMC Card.
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Ok...I think I might have blurred my question. First off, I am trying to use an external HDD with a VM...there is only one VM on the ESXi 5.0 host and that is all there most likley will be. I assume "hanccocka" s post is for that...

Secondly, I would also like to find out the best way to use a battery backup with a VM. I would like the host to be shutdown as well. I usually use APC, but in this case a MinuteMen backup is being used. I still have to look into their software further...
My post is that, use USB Passthru' Add a USB Controller to the VM, and then add a USB Device, connect devcde to Server, and Edit USB Device in VM and Connect.

As for the UPS - APC Network Management Card and APC software, that's another question really.
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hanccocka:

I actually have already done everything in that guide up to associating a particular device to that VM. I had enabled USB passthrough prior, but when I went back through to associate an USB device...it was greyed out.

I then removed USB passthrough after removing the USB controller from the VM and followed the steps in that article from scratch, but I have the same result. USB device is greyed out. I have 2 different devices plugged in. A Mushkin USB flash drive to the front ports and a Western Digital essentials HDD to the rear USB ports.

Thoughts?
if you have a single USB device connected, does it work.

Not all USB devices work. But we have WD External HD working.
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I cant get it to work with either device I previously listed. Is there a compatiblitiy list for this?

Western Digital is pretty common so its a bit shocking that it would not work.
No, there is no compatibility list.

Its' not necessarily, the USB device but the server.

Did the USB Controller, USB Device not work?
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The USB controller installed, I saw it under device mgr of the VM. I am unable to associate a specific USB  device with the VM though. When I go through the steps that option is greyed out as if it doesnt detect anything.
Seems an issue with the USB Controller on the server, if you look at the ESXi console logs, you should see the device inserted.
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It shows up on the VM as a standard enhance PCI to USB host...but I am unable to add a USB device to the VM still...
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Avatar of Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
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