Can't attach USB or see printer in XP mode

[DCG123]

Hi all,
New here and hope you can help. I run a few old apps in XP as they were never migrated to
Vista. For a few years I've been using XP mode in Windows 7 and this has worked just fine. My pc was making too many worrying noises so I've got a new one and also a new copy of Windows 7 professional. Having launched Virtual pc and XP mode I find that (1) I can't attach USBs in the new environment and (2) I can't connect to a printer - when I try to "add printer" the system fails to find one despite the fact that I have one connected by USB cable to the host pc and that can print to it ok. I can, however, see the USBs via the My Computer option from the start menu where they are listed at the bottom under "other". I can use this route to transfer files from them into the virtual machine environment. Not exactly seamless integration! My new pc has 2.0 and 3.0 USB ports and I've tried and failed to get the attachment to work on the 2.0 ones. I've reinstalled XP mode several times without success. I wonder whether it might be a network or connectivity problem. Any suggestions. Thanks.

 

[Kari]

Hi DCG123, welcome to the Seven Forums.

To check I understand you correctly, are you saying this does not work for you?

• Turn on the USB device, connect it to host system (Windows 7)
• Run XP Mode, enable integration features
• On XP Mode, open the USB menu and select the device you want to attach to XP Mode:
  
  
• Install device drivers for attached device on XP Mode virtual machine, for instance if attaching a printer you need to install its drivers for Windows XP on XP Mode

If this does not work for you, please tell if you can see your USB devices in XP Mode USB menu?

Kari

 

[DCG123]

Hi Kari
Thanks for getting back to me. I'm testing this with some USB memory sticks. I've put them in several of the USB slots. I've started XP mode and the integration features are set to run automatically. When in XP mode I go to the USB menu that you show in the screen shot and try to attach the printer which is at the top of the menu list. XP comes back with a message that says "Could not attach the USB device...". On the same drop down list from the USB menu are the memory sticks I have inserted with Shared next to them on the right column. If I click on one of them I first get a message warning me that if I attach the devices it will detach from the host computer. If I click yes to proceed then I get the same message as above "Could not attach the USB device...". This happens for memory sticks on both 2.0 and 3.0 ports. However, if I go to Start/My Computer (in the XP mode window) then I get a map of the devices which includes all the USB drives and I can read the folders on the memory sticks.
Regarding installing printer drivers, I have a disk with the drivers on and have previously installed them - but since deleted as part off my attempts to reinstall - but the XP mode machine can't find the printer when I try "add printer".

 

[DCG123]

Hi DCG123, welcome to the Seven Forums.


To check I understand you correctly, are you saying this does not work for you?

• Turn on the USB device, connect it to host system (Windows 7)
• Run XP Mode, enable integration features
• On XP Mode, open the USB menu and select the device you want to attach to XP Mode:
  
  

  
  ​
• Install device drivers for attached device on XP Mode virtual machine, for instance if attaching a printer you need to install its drivers for Windows XP on XP Mode

If this does not work for you, please tell if you can see your USB devices in XP Mode USB menu?

Kari

Hi Kari
Have you had any thoughts on this? I am able to see the USB devices in the XP mode USB menu, just can't attach them.

 

[Kari]

Is the printer connected to USB2 port? Virtual PC does not support USB3.

 

[DCG123]

Is the printer connected to USB2 port? Virtual PC does not support USB3.

The printer is connected to a 2.0 port

 

[DCG123]

Is the printer connected to USB2 port? Virtual PC does not support USB3.

The printer is connected to a 2.0 port

Well, at least according to the user guide that port is 2.0 and it has 2.0 markings on the panel next to it. Is there a way to test that it really is 2.0 and they didn't put a 3.0 one in by mistake. Surely, Dell wouldn't do that?