SDB:VMware - USB support

From openSUSE

WMware doesn't recognize USB devices. That's because VMware (release 18.7.2006) only knows the usbfs.

Solution

• Create a new user group and name it usbfs, let's say that it has gid 108
• within /etc/fstab change the following line:

  usbdevfs /proc/bus/usb usbfs noauto 0 0

  to

  usbfs /proc/bus/usb usbfs rw,devgid=108,devmode=0640,busgid=108,busmode=0550,listgid=108,listmode=0440 0 0

• add vmware users to group usbfs.

Since 10.2 usbfs interface is disabled in the default installed kernel, so you will get an error message like:

mount: mount point /proc/bus/usb does not exist

so you have to compile a custom kernel from sources with CONFIG_USB_DEVICEFS enabled.

10.2 Alternative Solution

Since the release of 10.2, the usbfs option has been re-enabled in recent kernel online updates. It is not enabled by default but you are no longer required to custom compile the kernel.

Steps:
1. Update OpenSUSE 10.2 Kernel (Yast -> Online Update -> Install Patches -> Reboot machine)
2. Run the following command as root:

mount -t usbfs none /proc/bus/usb

3. Start VMWare and boot your guest OS
4. Plug USB device for guest OS to use

This is a temporary fix and the usbfs filesystem will not be present next time you reboot your SUSE10.2 host OS. To make the fix permanent, specify the usbfs mount in /etc/fstab. Follow the instructions above to configure mounting usbfs on boot.

Security Warning: While the fstab instructions above appear to be secure, usbfs was removed for a reason. Please note that enabling usbfs on a custom kernel or the updated SUSE10.2 kernels will bypass the new security enhancements for USB