Virtual Box Problem

[Snowhog]

I believe your entire issue here is you are using Ubuntu's VirtualBox and attempting to use Oracle's VirtualBox Extension Pack. If I recall, Ubuntu's VB and Oracles VB (and their Extensions) are not compatible. IF I recall correctly.

[elder73]

I believe your entire issue here is you are using Ubuntu's VirtualBox and attempting to use Oracle's VirtualBox Extension Pack. If I recall, Ubuntu's VB and Oracles VB (and their Extensions) are not compatible. IF I recall correctly.

That I did not know but it may well answer my problems. The Ubuntu package also came with the file that should allow me access to a USB port, but it has failed. So now, I may be faced with removing what I have installed and starting over. That I did not expect. Thank you for your information.

[elder73]

That I did not know but it may well answer my problems. The Ubuntu package also came with the file that should allow me access to a USB port, but it has failed. So now, I may be faced with removing what I have installed and starting over. That I did not expect. Thank you for your information.

Googling around I came across an Ubuntu user with similar problems and he was advised to delete the Ubuntu VB and redo it with a VB from Virtual Box. So I did the same and when I checked it, there was also and Extension Pack installed that would activate a USB in Virtual Box. So I set about installing Windows XP and at the beginning, I selected the USB to be installed. Loaded XP and lo and behold, no USB.

If I check the system settings while XP is running and the selection I made for the USB is grayed out and dead. Close XP and then check the system settings on the main machine and they are shown as being selected.

I just don't get it. Now I have windows but it is largely useless as I can't access it by a USB drive. It has no trouble installing a DVD drive but not a USB one.

If anyone can help me out with this, I would be most grateful, elder73

[anika200]

If anyone can help me out with this, I would be most grateful, elder73

This is what I get from a query to VboxManager, can you please run the command and then post the results here in the code tags.

ee@lee-asrock:~$ sudo VBoxManage list extpacks
[sudo] password for lee: 
Extension Packs: 2
Pack no. 0:   VNC
Version:      4.3.10
Revision:     93012
Edition:      
Description:  VNC plugin module
VRDE Module:  VBoxVNC
Usable:       true 
Why unusable: 


Pack no. 1:   Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack
Version:      4.3.14
Revision:     95030
Edition:      
Description:  USB 2.0 Host Controller, Host Webcam, VirtualBox RDP, PXE ROM with E1000 support.
VRDE Module:  VBoxVRDP
Usable:       true 
Why unusable: 
lee@lee-asrock:~$

Also, I am going to ask you now again to verify what version of VirtualBox you actually have and post the results here.

lee@lee-asrock:~$ sudo VBoxManage --version
4.3.10_Ubuntur93012                                                                                                 
lee@lee-asrock:~$

And you have enabled usb in the settings correct


Also, Make sure your user is part of the vboxusers group. If you do not know what that is then do some googling.

Update:
Since you were having so much trouble with this issue I decided to try an upgrade and found some problems too. So you might not be the only one having issues.

My Findings so far:
Even with the update channel set to
http://deb http://download.virtualbo...trusty contrib
VirtualBox will not update on its own past 4.3.10 for me here, it should update to 4.3.20 as listed on Oracle and at the update url itself.

After downloading the new VirtualBox file directly from Oracle and attempting to upgrade/install it there are issues (as you discovered).
1) This installer acts like it is installing the new version (asks for password) and you can exit without errors But the software is Never Actually installed.
2) So when you try to install the Extensions pack it exits with an error because you really still have an older version installed.

I have no idea why this is so messed up, must be a packaging problem or something.

Update 2:
In order to get VirtualBox updated properly (should not be necessary but it seems it is) you need to actually call the install again as noted.

$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install virtualbox-4.3

@ elder I just made notes above for anyone else that has trouble you probably already have everything installed so you do not need to do any of the above at this point, just check your version and make sure they match your extensions and you have added your user to vboxusers group you should be good to go.

[elder73]

This is what I get from a query to VboxManager, can you please run the command and then post the Update:
Since you were having so much trouble with this issue I decided to try an upgrade and found some problems too. So you might not be the only one having issues.

My Findings so far:
Even with the update channel set to
http://deb http://download.virtualbo...trusty contrib
VirtualBox will not update on its own past 4.3.10 for me here, it should update to 4.3.20 as listed on Oracle and at the update url itself.

After downloading the new VirtualBox file directly from Oracle and attempting to upgrade/install it there are issues (as you discovered).
1) This installer acts like it is installing the new version (asks for password) and you can exit without errors But the software is Never Actually installed.
2) So when you try to install the Extensions pack it exits with an error because you really still have an older version installed.

I have no idea why this is so messed up, must be a packaging problem or something.

Thank you Anika200 you have gone to a lot of trouble to reply to my problem and I sincerely appreciate it.
I think I have run into what the problem is with the USB port. My Windows XP was one of the early ones and when I searched on XP and USB ports the answer was there. My version of XP did not recognize a USB port. There were extension packs to fix it but Microsoft has bowed out of XP. So I looked for third party drivers and using one of their scans, it told me that the USB driver is missing. I have written to them as they want $29.00 for the driver and I want to know more before I shell out that sort of money. So I am not going to do any more meddling until I get a driver installed.

Thank you again, elder73+5

[elder73]

I have written to them as they want $29.00 for the driver and I want to know more before I shell out that sort of money. So I am not going to do any more meddling until I get a driver installed. Thank you again,

Well I did not get a reply on the above, took the chance, spent the money and two drivers were installed. Neither one of them activated the USB port so I am back where I started, $29.00 poorer. I'm not going to mess with this any more, I have Windows 2000 and I think I will install that. Cheers.

[NickStone]

Sorry to hear that your having issues with USB device setup in Virtualbox.

Would this tutorial be any help to you?

http://dedoimedo.com/computers/virtualbox-usb.html