This affected a new installation of Parallels Desktop 3.0 (5608) with Windows XP Pro guest OS on Leopard 10.5.4. The USB drive would show up in Parallels Devices as checked, but Windows would never notice the USB drive. Received the following from Ekaterina Tuzova at Parallels Tech Support which resolved the issue: 1. Start Windows guest OS, go to Start -> Control Panel -> System -> Device Manager and uninstall all devices under the Universal Serial Bus Controllers (right-click the devices). 2. Shut down your VM. 3. In VM Configuration Editor, delete the USB Controller and start Windows guest OS again. 4. Wait 5-10 minutes until Windows finishes the driver setup. 5. Shut down Windows. 6. Add "USB Controller" back to your VM configuration and start Windows again. In my case, in step 4 Windows never appeared to do any driver setup, Windows installed USB drivers after step 6 when I reinserted the USB device. Now works as expected, USB drive visible in Windows. This avoids the (low performance) workarounds like creating a link to the USB drive and accessing through Parallels Shared Folders. (Those not in US can substitute recognise for recognize above.)
Works for USB scanner/printer as well I just updated to PD4 yesterday and, among other issues that seem to resemble a beta, I couldn't get my scanner/printer to be recognized. The above method worked for me in both Win 2000 and Win XP Pro. Thanks for the tip! Hopefully the next version won't require this workaround.
I found that your suggestion got my USB device (Canoscan 8800F scanner) to be recognised again, but it only seems to be a short term fix. After suspending my WinXP2 system and then restarting, the scanner no longer works. It shows up under USB devices as Canoscan but WinXP cannot find it. If I turn the scanner off and then on again, Parallels asks me if I want to assign the scanner to the Mac or the virtual system. I choose the virtual system and then once again it shows up under Devices, USB, Canoscan. But XP still doesn't find it. What next? (Everything was working perfectly under v3 of Parallels.
One further point: If I don't turn off the scanner before I suspend my WinXP session and then make sure that the scanner is turned on before restarting my session, I find that when I restart the session it is locked. I then have to restart my session.
Build 3540 is problematic I had a similar experience. Originally upgraded to 4.0 via build 3522. Updated to the new, improved build 3540 and had all sorts of problems (lockups, etc.) After many exchanges with tech support, they finally told me to remove 4.0 and reinstall as 4.0 build 3522. Still not perfect but problems are more manageable and can work around.
I posted an easier interim solution a bit earlier today. When your USB is assigned to the (Windows XP) VM and connected, Start, Control Panel, Add Hardware. The Add Hardware Wizard will start and as soon as it scans for all connected devices, your USB will magically be recognized. No need to let the Wizard continue. You just need to perform this procedure each time you reconnect your USB device. Mike
deleting the USB controller in Device Manager as above is required (once only) if USB devices are not recognized by windows - in the cases when Add Hardware doesn't see any new hardware
Any chance of a fix coming along some day? It is really getting on my nerves that every time I want to use a scanner or camera I have to go thru a time-wasting procedure in order to get my USB devices recognized. Any information on this subject including time estimates would be much appreciated.
THanks nealitc this solution did it for me! I have a parallel 5.0 with a xp sp3 VM. And the XP was not seeing any of my USB devices. Not it does! Cheers Yoshi ============================= Nealitc This affected a new installation of Parallels Desktop 3.0 (5608) with Windows XP Pro guest OS on Leopard 10.5.4. The USB drive would show up in Parallels Devices as checked, but Windows would never notice the USB drive. Received the following from Ekaterina Tuzova at Parallels Tech Support which resolved the issue: 1. Start Windows guest OS, go to Start -> Control Panel -> System -> Device Manager and uninstall all devices under the Universal Serial Bus Controllers (right-click the devices). 2. Shut down your VM. 3. In VM Configuration Editor, delete the USB Controller and start Windows guest OS again. 4. Wait 5-10 minutes until Windows finishes the driver setup. 5. Shut down Windows. 6. Add "USB Controller" back to your VM configuration and start Windows again. In my case, in step 4 Windows never appeared to do any driver setup, Windows installed USB drivers after step 6 when I reinserted the USB device. Now works as expected, USB drive visible in Windows. This avoids the (low performance) workarounds like creating a link to the USB drive and accessing through Parallels Shared Folders. (Those not in US can substitute recognise for recognize above.)
