VirtualBox 101: Enable USB in Winhoes XP on Mac OS X host (same for Unices)

Hello! Why do I let others keep on forcing me to do things that are against my will (yet I enjoy them)? Crap!

I don't want to jinx but my target for the year is a Solaris certification. I know, I know, I got a very long way to go and steep hill to climb but I'm not that easy to give up!

You might wonder, what the hell is the connection? Anyone care? Well, certainly no one but just want to shout a piece of my mind anyway - remember, I get to write whatever I want, ayt? This is to "force" me to really go for it for I will be judged from here on. Crap! Stressful!

Going back, I got some materials - Tats note, legally obtained - in preparation but the sad part is, it will run only in Winhoes (now, this is really crap!). I really got no choice but to install XP in my VirtualBox. I planned to share folders from my Mac but from what I read, it is still not supported (Note however that Shared Folders are only supported with Windows (2000 or newer), Linux and Solaris guests.). So, I'll use my flash drive (SanDisk Cruzer Micro - 4GB, 16GB looks awesome BUT it burns a deep hole in your pocket!). With this, I have to activate USB in the settings of my Guest OS. After I "checked" to enable it and run my guest OS, nothing showed up in XP. Neither it was detected in VirtualBox yet I can see it mounted in my Mac. I tried to create a Filter with empty details for I knew nothing about it, and still nothing. Now, I was forced to read the user guide (when everything doesn't work, check the manual.. perfect), and I found this to get the info I need for the Filter:

$ VBoxManage list usbhost

VirtualBox Command Line Management Interface Version 2.2.0

(C) 2005-2009 Sun Microsystems, Inc.

All rights reserved.

Host USB Devices:

UUID: 98ac0131-bc9e-48f1-8dd9-9512cba98fba

VendorId: 0x045e (045E)

ProductId: 0x0737 (0737)

Revision: 1.0 (0100)

Manufacturer: Microsoft

Product: Compact Optical Mouse 500

Address: p=0x0737;v=0x045e;s=0x000005f7ad04cd23;l=0x06200000

Current State: Unavailable

...

UUID: 796f5590-1ed2-45fc-9c98-6baec073ad0e

VendorId: 0x0781 (0781)

ProductId: 0x5406 (5406)

Revision: 2.0 (0200)

Manufacturer: SanDisk

Product: U3 Cruzer Micro

SerialNumber: 08777107D092855A

Address: p=0x5406;v=0x0781;s=0x0000022d92a681f1;l=0x26200000

Current State: Unavailable

Armed, I filled in the details and re-started XP and voila, it's now working. Couldn't be happier.

Microsoft’s take on virtualization: re-print edition

By Anna Valmero
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 18:51:00 09/26/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- “The IT industry is in the middle of the next paradigm shift toward virtualization,” said Bill Hilf, general manager of Windows Server and Platform Strategy for Microsoft Corp. Hilf visited the Philippines Friday to promote the release of Microsoft’s virtualization software in the country.

Virtualization, as defined by Microsoft, means having the power to run multiple systems, such as server, storage device, network or even an operating system and applications in just one machine, making a business run its system more efficiently. This virtualization trend comes at the right time to harness the processing power of multi-core processors being deployed in the industry.

As the next trend to shape the IT industry, virtualization can revolutionize the use of computing machines, said Hilf.

A virtualized box can run multiple operating systems compared to a traditional server without virtualization that can handle only one operating system. By deploying virtual machines, one box can serve the function achieved previously by two or more boxes without virtualization. This is also true for desktops.

“Virtualization leads to a lot of savings,” said Hilf.

First, the savings can come from lesser space to be occupied by boxes with virtualization. By having lesser boxes, this also reduces the costs required to cool the server systems. Cooling is required to remove the heat from the server environment, which when reduced translates to lower power utilities. A company can also cut the number of servers it needs to acquire for its business since one box running virtualization can serve the function of two or more servers. Virtualization software packs also offer bulk licensing, as in the case of Microsoft’s premium software products, thus bringing down licensing costs.

Another advantage of virtualization is the ability of a single machine to handle previous-generation applications while running modern applications. This is specifically beneficial to businesses that maintain servers to run old legacy applications.

“By being able to run these old legacy applications on a new, better-performance server, it will help save a lot of money,” Hilf said. Organizations thus achieve better management efficiencies in its resources.

Aside from being able to run multiple operating systems on one desktop, how can the common business person benefit from virtualization?

Explains Hilf: “Imagine this: You have a small device, maybe a laptop or just a small box. Through virtualization, you are able to access via streaming your required applications from a remote server. Technology such as Microsoft's Remote Display Protocol streams keystrokes and mouse clicks to the server and a view of the screen back to the user, who can be located hundreds of miles away from the server or desktop.”

Simply, it can allow users to access a remote PC when he is offsite.


Link: Microsoft’s take on virtualization.

***
I was surprised when I saw and read this article. What the *&%$?!? This is already an "old" [relatively] thing. You should check and get VMWare instead. Well, what's the connection with HP-UX in particular? This can be done on the hardware level: node partitioning [npar]; 'though there is such as virtual partitioning [vpar].