USB 3.0 storage devices in Windows 7 under Fusion 11?

[WalterGR]

I recently upgraded from Fusion 8 to Fusion 11.

I run Windows 7 in Fusion.  I heavily use a USB 3.0 external drive and it was working fine in Fusion 8.  I had (and have) the USB 3.0 drivers installed in Windows 7, as per the link in Settings -> USB & Bluetooth.  Settings -> USB & Bluetooth -> USB Compatibility was set to 3.0 in Fusion 8.

After upgrading, as far as I know the only changes I made are that - when prompted by Fusion to upgrade the VM itself - I did so.  And under VM/s Settings -> Compatibility -> Use Hardware Version changed it to 16.  (The previous value was probably whatever Fusion 8 defaulted to.)

Whenever I connect the USB 3.0 external drive, it get mounted by MacOS.  Fusion 11 never gives me the opportunity to mount it in Windows 7 neither via the dialog when I connect the drive to the computer (Fusion is set to prompt me when connecting devices) nor other means.

Then I found that Settings -> USB & Bluetooth -> USB Compatibility doesn't give USB 3.0 as an option.  It's 1.1, 2.0, or 3.1.

I've seen many posts about USB devices failing to connect while using Fusion 11, both here and other sites (reddit, superuser, etc.)  Does this have something to do with USB 3.0 compatibility not being an option?  If so, will USB 3.0 support be restored in a point upgrade to Fusion 11? 

Alternately, what's the official workaround, or how can I further diagnose this?

Thanks.

[WalterGR]

I found a Windows 7 VM from Fusion 8 that I have neither upgraded (when prompted when starting the VM in Fusion 11) nor changed the Hardware Version from 12.

I see the same behavior: no way to mount the USB 3 drive in the Windows 7 VM under Fusion 11.

[wila]

Hi,

Does USB2 work for the VM?
Can you try with another USB device to see if it isn't the whole USB pass-through functionality that is failing?

--
Wil

[WalterGR]

> Does USB2 work for the VM?

No.  Same behavior.

> Can you try with another USB device to see if it isn't the whole USB pass-through functionality that is failing?

I tried with a couple other devices and I'm never asked if I want to attach any of them to the Win 7 VM.  So "if it isn't the whole USB pass-through functionality that is failing" seems to be the case.

[wila]

Hi,

Figured that it wasn't just the USB3 part.
Have a look at this post and see if the suggestion down here helps:
https://communities.vmware.com/t5/VMware-Fusion-Discussions/Cannot-connect-usb-devices-inside-a-VM/m...

edit: sorry, actually I meant this one:

https://communities.vmware.com/t5/VMware-Fusion-Discussions/USB-devices-no-longer-recognised-on-VMWa...

--
Wil

[WalterGR]

> edit: sorry, actually I meant this one:

> https://communities.vmware.com/t5/VMware-Fusion-Discussions/USB-devices-no-longer-recognised-on-VMWa...

Thanks, that worked!

I had found that thread and tried the workaround previously but without success.   /shrug

[WalterGR · Accepted solution]

> > edit: sorry, actually I meant this one:

> > https://communities.vmware.com/t5/VMware-Fusion-Discussions/USB-devices-no-longer-recognised-on-VMWa...

> Thanks, that worked!

> I had found that thread and tried the workaround previously but without success.   /shrug

I think the reason it didn't work before is that I didn't have a USB device plugged in when I opened the VM settings - step 6 below.  (Is it possible that Fusion doesn't try to install the USB extensions into MacOS until both 1. a USB device is plugged in and at the same time 2. the VM settings are opened?)

The following is the workaround from the above link rewritten to include that step.  It worked for me in VMWare Fusion 11.5.7 under macOS Mojave 10.14.6 with a Windows 7 SP1 VM.

1. Shut down the VM and exit Fusion.
2. To allow the USB extension, open the System Preferences -> Security & Privacy pane.  Click the "General" tab.
3. Unlock it and then CLICK THE "SHOW ALL" BUTTON TO RETURN TO THE MAIN SYSTEM PREFERENCES PANE.  (The Security & Privacy pane will not refresh if it is showing - Apple's mistake.)
4. Attach a USB device that Fusion would ordinarily prompt to attach to the VM.
5. Start Fusion.
6. Open the settings for the VM (but do not start the VM.)
7. Switch back to the System Preferences -> Security & Privacy pane.
8. You should see a message about VMware with an Allow button.  Click it.  Nothing will happen.  Close the VM settings.  Now click Allow again and the message should disappear.
9. Quit and restart VMware Fusion.
10. Run a VM and insert a USB device.  It should be treated as you would expect. 
    1. (Alternately leave the device in step 4 attached, and it should appear in the VM's Virtual Machine -> USB & Bluetooth menu.)

If a mod could mark this comment as the Solution for this post, I'd appreciate it.