Can't connect USB devices due to lack of 'host controller ports'

S

spacejockeys

Bit poster
I've been trying everything to connect my Blackberry 8130 to my Win XP SP2 installation. I think I have made micro progress but am now getting this error:

"The USB device cannot be connected.

There are no virtual USB host controller ports available in the virtual machine for the "Research In Motion - Blackberry Handheld" device to be connected."

What does this mean and how do I get past the problem?

Up until last weekend, I was running Mac OSX Tiger with Parallels 3. I upgraded to Leopard and Parallels 4 in a foolish attempt to become someone who backs up their computer. Ideally, I will be able to synch my Blackberry with Outlook on Parallels 4, but if not please just save me some time and tell me to go back to version 3. :P
 
Yes - when I go to Virtual Machine Configuration -> Hardware -> USB Controller, the 'Enabled' checkbox is greyed out but shown as checked, and it lists that 'No USB devices are connected.' Note that I get this message even if I DO have a USB device connected.
 
Hello, spacejockeys,

Please, click on Devices -> USB in Parallels Desktop menu and check what devices are listed and if some of them are 'ticked'.
Secondly, please, right-click on My Computer -> Manage -> Device Manager -> View -> Show hidden devices and see what USB controllers and devices are present.
 
On a fresh and clean boot of Parallels, when I click on Devices -> USB, I have the following items listed. All of these show a grey padlock icon; none are 'ticked' (if I understand correctly what you mean here):

- Apple Bluetooth USB Host Controller
- Apple Built-in iSight
- Apple Internal Keyboard/Trackpad
- Apple IR Receiver

Inside Windows XP, when I right-click on My Computer -> Manage -> Device Manager -> View -> Show hidden devices, a get a long list of items. I believe this is the category that you find relevant:

- Universal Serial Bus Controllers
- Intel 82801FB/FBM USB Universal Host Controller - 2658
- Intel 82801FB/FBM USB2 Enhanced Host Controller - 265C
- USB Root Hub
- USB Root Hub

That's it...now what?

Please, click on Devices -> USB in Parallels Desktop menu and check what devices are listed and if some of them are 'ticked'.
Secondly, please, right-click on My Computer -> Manage -> Device Manager -> View -> Show hidden devices and see what USB controllers and devices are present.
Click to expand...
 
What you listed in device menu doesn't show Blackberry connected
- Apple Bluetooth USB Host Controller
- Apple Built-in iSight
- Apple Internal Keyboard/Trackpad
- Apple IR Receiver
 
I now have the Blackberry showing up in the list of USB devices in the Devices ->USB menu. Like the others on that list, it has a grey padlock icon on the left. When I click on the 'Research in Motion - Blackberry Handheld' item, I get that popup error reading

"The USB device cannot be connected.

There are no virtual USB host controller ports available in the virtual machine for the "Research In Motion - Blackberry Handheld" device to be connected."

Please help get this device connected! Clearly something has gone wrong in Parallels 4 since this was working just fine in Parallels 3, but I don't know where the change is.
 
Try this: Reset virtual machine (this will re-boot windows). Upon Windows restart, connect your Blackberry Device. You should get alerts saying new hardware was found (several alerts). Wait until it says they are available. Check under devices and make sure the RIM Blackberry device has a check next to it. Start Blackberry Desktop Manager. It should find the device (if not check to make sure the connection is set to usb). Never suspend the VM and quit parallels. Always stop or shut down windows when you leave it.
 
I was finally able to connect and use my USB device. Apparently I had too many devices attached, flash drive and keyspan hub. I removed the flash drive and my USB device was recognized and worked.
 
showing up in device list, but won't unlock

OK - some modest progress has been made, but I am still unable to access my Blackberry Pearl via USB in Parallels. I have fully updated Parallels, Windows, Office, Blackberry Desktop, and Leopard. I have tried making the connection both with and without the current, fully updated version of PocketMac (there was a recent patch) installed. I have tried making the connection with every variation of Parallels Preferences selected - assign USB to host, to guest, ask what to do, and even with a permanent assignment of the RIM device to Windows in the permanent assignment section.

Note, I have also tried multiple times to reset the virtual machine, uninstall the device, etc. as some other forum discussions suggest. These solutions do not work either.

Here is what I see: the full list of USB devices attached to my computer, including my RIM device. Each one of these items has a grey locked padlock to the left. If I click on any item EXCEPT FOR THE RIM DEVICE, the padlock will unlock, thereby assigning the device to Parallels. If I right-click on any item EXCEPT FOR THE RIM DEVICE, I get a popup asking me if I want to assign the device to the host or to the guest OS.

If I click on the RIM device in the USB list, the item disappears from the list for about 30 seconds, then reappears in the list. It is still padlocked when it reappears.

If I right-click on the RIM device in the USB list, nothing happens. If I try again and again, I can occasionally see the dialog box that I am 90% sure would give me the option to assign the device to the guest OS. Unfortunately, the dialog box is only a flicker and closes itself within 1/10th of a second at most. This part is the probably the weirdest.

PLEASE PLEASE HELP! And if this is a known, unfixed issue, please just tell me so that I can return to Parallels 3.0. In which case, give me instructions on how to do this. (And ideally, a refund for my 4.0 upgrade.)

Thanks!
 
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