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Solved
ESXi 6.0 Guests not seeing USB drive connected to Host
Posted on 2016-08-05
ESXi 6.0
Have many Guest Vm's running from Windows 0212 to Windows 2003 Servers Windows XP to Windows 8.1 computers Ubuntu and a VMA Host
I plugged in a 1 TB USB Drive to my ESXi 6.0 Host and
the guest vms can not see the usb drive connected to the host
I ran this
[root@TGCSHOSTVM:~] lsusb
Bus 001 Device 009: ID 0bc2:a013 Seagate RSS LLC
Bus 002 Device 003: ID 0951:1666 Kingston Technology
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0424:2514 Standard Microsystems Corp. USB 2.0 Hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:0020 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:0020 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
[root@TGCSHOSTVM:~]
So the host sees my usb 1tb drive by Seagate
Just the guest VMs do not see it
I have the USB drive installed on the Guest VM
Thoughts
Have many Guest Vm's running from Windows 0212 to Windows 2003 Servers Windows XP to Windows 8.1 computers Ubuntu and a VMA Host
I plugged in a 1 TB USB Drive to my ESXi 6.0 Host and
the guest vms can not see the usb drive connected to the host
I ran this
[root@TGCSHOSTVM:~] lsusb
Bus 001 Device 009: ID 0bc2:a013 Seagate RSS LLC
Bus 002 Device 003: ID 0951:1666 Kingston Technology
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0424:2514 Standard Microsystems Corp. USB 2.0 Hub
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:0020 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:0020 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
[root@TGCSHOSTVM:~]
So the host sees my usb 1tb drive by Seagate
Just the guest VMs do not see it
I have the USB drive installed on the Guest VM
Thoughts
[X]
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Active today
Now this is my "pet hate" subject from the VMware camp, and I wish that they had never implemented USB Passthrough, not to be confused with VM Direct Path I/O, where you present a PCI card to a VM, which could be a USB controller.
USB Passthrough was developed by VMware to support Security Keys, Dongles, what ever you want to call them, it was never designed to allow VMware Administrators, to connect any USB device to a server, for VM usage, just because VMware Administrators, noticed a USB port on the back of a server, and a USB option in the VM.
Basically it comes down to, if the device is not on the VMware HCL, it's not a supported device, and this is ridiculous because VMware are not going to certify every USB device on the planet, and they've never updated the VMware HCL (USB supported list), and it's now so old, most of those devices no longer exist.
VMware Support USB Devices - the VMware USB HCL
SO, USB devices, connected to ESXi, for USB Passthrough, if it's not on the list not supported, and if it does work, your mileage is going to vary.
You can read my EE Article, and do ensure to read ALL the comments, and VMware bashing I've given over this very subject.
HOW TO: Add and Connect a USB Device to a Virtual Machine, hosted on VMware vSphere Hypervisor ESX 4.1 ESXi 4.1, ESXi 5.0
(article valid for 5.5 and 6.0)
and the Group discussion
https://www.experts-exchange.com/discussions/209901/VMware-Support-Test-for-USB-Passthrough-issue.html
USB Passthrough was developed by VMware to support Security Keys, Dongles, what ever you want to call them, it was never designed to allow VMware Administrators, to connect any USB device to a server, for VM usage, just because VMware Administrators, noticed a USB port on the back of a server, and a USB option in the VM.
Basically it comes down to, if the device is not on the VMware HCL, it's not a supported device, and this is ridiculous because VMware are not going to certify every USB device on the planet, and they've never updated the VMware HCL (USB supported list), and it's now so old, most of those devices no longer exist.
VMware Support USB Devices - the VMware USB HCL
SO, USB devices, connected to ESXi, for USB Passthrough, if it's not on the list not supported, and if it does work, your mileage is going to vary.
You can read my EE Article, and do ensure to read ALL the comments, and VMware bashing I've given over this very subject.
HOW TO: Add and Connect a USB Device to a Virtual Machine, hosted on VMware vSphere Hypervisor ESX 4.1 ESXi 4.1, ESXi 5.0
(article valid for 5.5 and 6.0)
and the Group discussion
https://www.experts-exchange.com/discussions/209901/VMware-Support-Test-for-USB-Passthrough-issue.html
Active today
Looks like I have the correct procedure
Just do not have a compatible usb drive
I run vSphere on my computer and if I plug in the same usb drive into my computer I am able to attach the usb drive to any of my clients.
Strange how that works but not from the host
I do have a usb dvd drive that I connect to the Host and that works my guests see it no problem
USB drives ????
Just do not have a compatible usb drive
I run vSphere on my computer and if I plug in the same usb drive into my computer I am able to attach the usb drive to any of my clients.
Strange how that works but not from the host
I do have a usb dvd drive that I connect to the Host and that works my guests see it no problem
USB drives ????
Active today
Again, only devices on the HCL I posted are guaranteed to work.
Network Backup is much faster than USB, as the I/O is vitualised and is very slow.
Network Backup is much faster than USB, as the I/O is vitualised and is very slow.
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