[Alex]

I have installed Windows XP in a virtual box in order to access some files i had saved. How do or can I get the Win XP in the virtual to 'see' USB drives?

[gold_finger]

Go to Help Manual -> Software -> Software Tutorials -> VirtualBox and you'll find instructions for getting USBs to work in VBox.  Or you can read same page online here:  https://dfgkh547-jsdfv8.iyhkj.tk/manual/softw....html#vbox.

[Alex]

Thank you Gold_finger.  ...must learn to use the manual!

Anyway I did follow the instructions and now XP tells me that the hardware is installed and working properly, but it does not 'see' it = according to 'My Computer' it's not there at all. Maybe i have to make another virtual box installation from scratch now that i have the VB extensions installed.

[gold_finger]

You shouldn't need to re-install VBox.

Did you follow instructions at very end of the tutorial to add yourself to "vboxusers" group?  And did you click the little USB logo on bottom right of VBox window to select the USB (see last screenshot in tutorial)?

Did you close VBox and logout (or reboot) computer before trying to use the USB?  You need to do that before extension pack takes effect.

[Alex]

er...I have now  :

Thanks

[Alex]

Well, now XP recognizes that there is a USB connected but calls it an 'Unknown' device. So I went to the Sandisk site looking for a driver for the Sandisk Ultra and it informed me that I do not need drivers for it. I did go through the suggested method on that site to get Windows to recognize the Ultra but it did not work. My original Win XP had no problem installing it and using it, just as LL had also no problems at all reading  this drive straight off.

Maybe it's the version of XP I downloaded from KAT or maybe I have to make another virtual box install now that I have made the suggested vboxusers alterations.

[gold_finger]

I have a feeling it's a Windows XP problem and not a VBox problem, so probably no need to go through re-installing VBox.  You can find out for sure by testing out using USB's in another VM using a different OS.  If you still have the Linux Lite ISO file that you used to install system with, you could install that to a VM and test to see if you can access the USB.  Or you could download any other Linux distro's ISO and use it for testing.

Another option, if you don't want to bother creating another virtual hard drive, is to set up a VM that is specifically for booting live ISO's without installing them.  You setup the VM, but don't make a hard drive for it.  The procedure for that is described here if you're interested:  Creating a Dedicated VM for Live ISO/CD/DVD Booting.


P.s.  Sorry, I don't know solution if it is Windows specific.

[Alex]

I think that you are right that the problem is Windows specific, as LL and other distros I have tested previously had no trouble reading that USB

Thank you for that. I will have a go at creating a dedicated VM as you describe, your tutorial seems to be pretty self explanatory.