How to Use a USB device in a virtual machine for Windows7

Use of USB 2.0 devices is supported by the Windows Virtual PC and for this the device is required to be shared or redirected to the virtual machine. Now you will be able to use any of the methods depending on the type of USB device you are going to use.

USB Device Driver

When you install the Integration Components package in the guest operating system, storage devices, printers, and smart card readers, all these are attached to the host and this is why they get automatically shared with the virtual machines. However, the drivers that are installed in the host as well as the guest operating systems, for them you don’t need any additional steps for using such USB devices, though printers are not included in this type.

You can use the other types of devices by simply redirecting them to the virtual machine. These types of USB devices include – digital cameras, phone/mobile/PDA device, wireless network adapters, MP3 players, portable media players, webcam/ video camera, etc.

Now, you’ll have to undergo the following steps for redirecting a USB device to a virtual machine:

1.        First of all, you’ll have to attach the device to the physical computer and get the device  turned on.

2.       Now click on the USB and then click on the Attach device name from your virtual machine window. This will make the Windows to look for the device driver in the guest operating system and then get it installed out there. A similar kind of installation can also be done either from the internet or from an installation disc.

3.       Once the driver is installed, the USB device can be used from within your virtual machine exactly in the way in which you would have it on a physical computer. But you need to be aware of the fact that when you connect the USB devices using these steps, you won’t be able to share them, so you will have to release them from one operating system in order to have them for use on the other operating system.

4.       And for creating the availability of the USB device on the host operating system, you’ll have to release it from the virtual machine for which you’ll have to click on the USB and then click on the Release device name from your present virtual machine window.

Also note when you have to redirect a USB device to a virtual application, you’ll have to attach the device and turn it on and after that right click on the virtual application icon present in the task bar of the host, and finally click on the Manage USB devices. And after this simply choose the device.

Source : http://blog.freesoftz.com