Windows 7 VM cannot connect to a USB Key

[hildoceras]

Hello,

We are begining our P2V migrations with some success... and some problems.

There is a Windows 7 machine that has correctly migrated in a VM but I am unable to make it connect to a USB Key.

I added the USB controler (I tried EHCI+UHCI and xHCI and I tried recent and old keys).

The key is recognised at first ("unknown disk")... I click to connect to this disk then Windows check to find a driver, doesn't find one and the key is no longer recognised (in grey characters: Device USB1 (trying to connect...) -it's a translation I've it in french-).

I don't understand what happens. Isn't vSphere supposed to replace the original drivers by its own?

Has someone any tip?

[bluefirestorm]

Windows 7 OS does not have built-in drivers for USB 3.0; so you might have to download the drivers.

Have a look at this

https://kb.vmware.com/kb/2128105

[hildoceras]

Thanks, bluefirestorm, I'll check it, I didn't see your answer while publishing the previous message :smileywink:

[hildoceras]

well, the installation of the intel driver ends with "your system has not the minimal configuration requirement" (in spite of adding ram, disk space and dot net 4.x), the intel driver update utility fails to find anything to be replaced.

I'm stuck :smileysad:

[bluefirestorm]

You get that message probably because the settings for the VM USB controller is not set at USB 3.0. You have to set the compatibility of the USB Controller of the VM to USB 3.0 for the installation of the Intel drivers to successfully install inside the Windows 7 VM.

[hildoceras]

No, I tried both and also rebooted to ensure the change but to no avail. There is something else.

For this machine it is not so important, I can use a ftp or whatever, but this is something that SHOULD work :smileywink:

Thanks.

[wila]

Hi,

PMJI, but is your Windows 7 VM using the latest VMware virtual Hardware? That is a requirement for being able to use USB3 support in Windows 7 and for being able to correctly install the USB3 driver from intel.

--

Wil

[hildoceras]

I see there were the same problem in 2013 : vSphere Client: USB device stuck at "Connecting..."

I tried to close vCenter and to restart the usbarbitrator service. Windows 7 sees the USB key, doesn't recognize it as a disk, tries to find a driver and fails.

I converted the Windows 7 to another ESXi, on a portable PC used for tests, and it's the same same behaviour. It's something linked to THIS Windows 7 (another W7 VM has no problem).