VirtualBox & USB Printer Setup

rpmjax · 12-03-2010, 09:08 AM

There may be a better forum to post this question in, but...

Running VB 3.2.10 r66523. I can print to my HP-1022 without problem from VB/WindowsXP, but can't print if I switch back to Mac 10.6.3 unless I quit VB. Is there a setup that will allow me to print from either os?

TIA...

catkin · 12-03-2010, 09:15 AM

Is Mac 10.6.3 running in another VirtualBox VM? If so you would have to detach the real USB port from the WXP VM and attach it to the Mac 10.6.3 VM. The Devices -> USB Devices list can be used for that.

rpmjax · 12-04-2010, 09:55 AM

No, host = Mac. IOW, how do I get VM/WXP to release the printer back to the Mac, short of quitting VB altogether?

catkin · 12-04-2010, 10:05 AM

Use the Devices -> USB Devices list to detach the printer from the guest.

rpmjax · 12-05-2010, 04:41 PM

That will most certainly do the trick, catkin...but it seems a bit clunky. Why can't the printer be attached to both VM and my Mac?

tailinlinux · 12-05-2010, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rpmjax

That will most certainly do the trick, catkin...but it seems a bit clunky. Why can't the printer be attached to both VM and my Mac?

why dont you try to install it in your pc not on vbox

rpmjax · 12-06-2010, 06:12 AM

The printer is installed on my host computer, which is a Mac. It's also installed as a USB device on my VM, and that works fine. The issue I raised here is that I can't use the printer in host mode while VM is running. Catkin instructed me to "detach" the printer from VM whenever I want to print in host mode.

catkin · 12-06-2010, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rpmjax

That will most certainly do the trick, catkin...but it seems a bit clunky. Why can't the printer be attached to both VM and my Mac?

AFAIK USB devices are not designed to take instructions from more than one system simultaneously so the designers of VirtualBox created it so USB devices can only be attached to one system -- host or a guest -- at a time. IDK Mac but if it is capable of sharing its printer(s) on the network or printing to printers shared on the network (it must be?), you may be able to leave the printer attached to either host or guest and using it from the other as a printer shared on the network

rpmjax · 12-07-2010, 07:05 AM

Interesting thought, Catkin. I'll see if I can do that. Thx!

jefro · 12-07-2010, 05:26 PM

There are two ways to get printing in a client. One is to take control of the usb device from the host and return it when done. The second way is to use the host's printer without disconnection. I think it is with tools.

rpmjax · 12-08-2010, 08:26 AM

"...with tools"? No "tools" menu item in my VM....