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Alex
Asked: 2013-10-26 12:25:21 +0800 CST

Virtualbox not seeing any usb devices in the usb filters settings

  • 772

I was following this question but found a problem. Use my webcam with Ubuntu running in VirtualBox

I used guvcview to test the camera, it works. I installed the 12.04 virtualbox release from their website and installed the extension pack. But when I click the usb with the green plus sign it says no devices available.

enter image description here

virtualbox

8 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    This may help you access the USB devices in your guest OS hosted in Ubuntu

    First install dkms :

    • sudo apt-get install dkms

    Next install Gnome-System-Tools

    • sudo apt-get install gnome-system-tools

    Now launch the application - Users and Groups. If you're using unity you can do this by tapping the Super key and type user then click Users and Groups icon to start up the User Settings.

    Click Manage Groups, find vboxusers, click properties, add your own user name and any other desired users to the vboxusers group. Click Ok.

    Next you'll have to log out (sudo restart lightdm if you're using this DM) and back in. Now start VirtualBox and proceed with adding the USB devices.

    • 107

  2. This command will add your account to the vbox users group. It will allow your VirtualBox to detect USB flash drives.

    sudo usermod -G vboxusers -a $USER

    $USER value is your username. You can see it with echo $USER

    $ whoami
foo
$ echo $USER
foo

    You could also replace $USER by your Home username.

    Then logout or reboot your computer and VirtualBox will now detect USB devices.

    Sources :
    Virtualbox Documentation on Ubuntu (French)
    VirtualBox/USB - Community Help Wiki (English)

    • 58

  3. It should be enough to run 

    sudo gedit /etc/group

    then find vboxusers line and add to it's end Yours user name.

    After this reboot is suggested, but logging out or kill -9 -1 and logging in should be enough.

    • 5

  4. After having added yourself to the vboxusers group:

    sudo gpasswd -a $USER vboxusers

    If you naturally do not want to log out or restart for whatever reasons there are, you may run VirtualBox with a forced effective group:

    sg vboxusers virtualbox

    This should be unnecessarily after the next reboot.

    • 3

  5. I had the same problem with Linux Mint 17 (Ubuntu 14.04) using the standard distro version 4.3.20. gnome-system-tools and dkms were already installed but open-vm-dkms wasn't. I did this:

    sudo apt-get install open-vm-dkms

    After a re-boot, I could see the USB devices. The package exists in Ubuntu 12.04 and 14.04 as well so I assume it would work there too.

    Could be a dependancy problem?

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  6. Try this. Once in VirtualBox, click on Devices --> USB Devices --> click on your desired USB device. Do you see the desired device?

    enter image description here

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  7. I have Ubuntu 14.04 Lts.Installed 5.0.8 version of oracle Vm and ext. pack.Tried all above solutions.I could't see my usb devices.I downgraded Oracle VM virtualbox and extention pack to 4.3.32 and worked. I am outdated but at least works.

    • 0

  8. My fix was simple...

    I had this problem today, and I think it was because I ignored a installation warning about some virtualbox service running. I had to restart my host, but afterward the USB was broken, which brought me here.

    I re-installed Virtualbox from scratch, completely removing using "Programs and Features", then installed again.

    Now the USB works correctly, I have devices showing up. I had to unplug and replug one of my devices to get it to work within the client however.

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