Upgrading from 4 to 5 USB issues

hi,

I hope someone can help me with this. I have been at it for 3 days now with no success.

I used Paralles 4 for over a year with a Windows XP Pro SP2 as a guest OS. A few days ago I purchased the upgrade to 5.

I installed parallels and when started Windows it converted the image to version 5 image. All seem to work ok EXCEPT all the USB connections. Whenever I try connect either an external usb device (e.g. flash drive) or an internal one (e.g. Apple Built-in iSight) I get a message (dialog window on the screen) that says:
"Unable to connect the USB device to your virtual machine.
The device cannot be connected now. Please try again later."

I installed and uninstalled parallels twice. I converted the old version 4 image four times with the same results (I kept an original image I keep using for the conversions). all seem to complete with no problems.

From within windows (when I start it) all devices are up with no warnings (including the USB hub device). I dont know if this is a specific driver compatibility between parallels 5 and the device on windows (?) or something else (I dont know how to check the devices on the Mac OS X.

I am at my wits end. The only alternative I see are either to revert to Parallels 4 and use the proven image.

Any ideas?

My MacBook Pro has the following:
----------------------------------
Model Name: MacBook Pro 15"
Model Identifier: MacBookPro2,2
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.33 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache (per processor): 4 MB
Memory: 4 GB
Bus Speed: 667 MHz
Boot ROM Version: MBP22.00A5.B07
SMC Version: 1.12f5

thanks in advanced

 

I am Having the EXACT same problem

Not sure what to do!

Help please!

Jace

 

Reply from Parallels support

Jason,

I contacted parallels with this issue and got a few things to try. I did all they asked with no success. It's still an open ticket so I hope this issue will be resolved someday. I am pasting the reply I got from them in case it works for you or give you some ideas.


==============================================================
If you have not followed the following steps, I request you to follow the steps mentioned below:


Uninstall Parallels Tools with the help of the following steps:
------------------------------------------------------------------
1) Start virtual machine.
2) Click on Start->Control Panel->Add or Remove Programs->Uninstall Parallels Tools from here.
3) Go to "My Computer" - "C" Drive - "Program Files" - "Parallels" folder and delete the "Parallels Tools" folder.

4) Click the Windows "Start" menu -> "Run" and type "regedit". Hit OK.

5) In Registry Editor, go to "My Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Parallels" and delete the "Parallels Tools" entry.
6) Reboot Windows.

Reinstall Parallels Tools with the help of the following steps:
1) Click on "Virtual Machine" on top menu bar and click on "Install Parallels Tools".
2) Click on "Continue".
3) Wait till you get a message "Parallels Tools are installed successfully".

If the above steps does not work, I request you to follow the steps mentioned below:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1) Open Parallels Desktop ( do not start the Virtual Machine )=> On the Menu bar click on Parallel Desktop.
2) Click on Preferences => On the left column click on USB.
3) Choose the option " connect to the Virtual Machine " or " Ask me what to do ".
4) Click OK and Restart the Mac.
6) Try to Open Parallel Desktop and check if the USB device is getting recognized.

If the above steps does not work, I request you to follow the steps mentioned below:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1) Open Parallels Desktop ( do not start the Virtual Machine ).
2) On the Menu bar click on Parallel Desktop.
3) Click on Preferences.
4) On the left column select the USB.
5) After it is highlighted then click on the Subtraction Icon (-) found in the left hand side of that same window this will remove the USB.
6) On the same page Click on the Addition Icon (+) add USB.
7) Restart the Mac.
8) Try to Open Parallel Desktop and check if the USB device is getting recognized.

If the above steps does not work, I request you to follow the steps mentioned below:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Click Start, click Run, type sysdm.cpl in the Open box, and then click OK.
2. Click the Hardware tab.
3. Click the Device Manager button.
4. Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers.
5. Right-click every device under the Universal Serial Bus controllers node, and then click Uninstall to remove them one at a time.
6. Restart the computer, and then reinstall the USB controllers.
7. Plug in the removable USB storage device, and then test to make sure that the issue is resolved.

 

I have the same issue

I have been suffering from the same issue. can someone please help.

Thanks!

Nima

 

Hi, AvnerPeretz, jason hall, nimad.

To find reason of such behavior we need some additional info.
Please, do the following:

- select checkbox Parallels Desktop -> Preferences -> General -> Use detailed log messages
- reproduce the issue
- make a problem report
- post it number here
- remove back "Use detailed log messages"

 

USB Problem Report

I attached a flash drive to the machine, generated and sent problem report number: 786786

 

Same problem here. Mine is with trying to connect a Logitech webcam.

 

Me too.

ID 793946.

system is Macbook 2.16 Intel Core 2 Duo w/ 3 GB RAM, OS X 10.4.11. Guest is Windows 7 RTM ~ 1.5 GB RAM allocated.

Error only occurs if trying to connect USB to Windows guest. Also if try to connect Apple Bluetooth adaptor.

I look forward to the fix.

Other than this it feels a lot more stable that version 4 and I can run in Coherence without it locking up after a time of not doing anything.

Thanks,

Duncan

 

Thanks, AvnerPeretz.
It looks like a small problem in prl_usb_connect kernel extension for mac os 10.4.x. We will fix it soon.

There is a workaround:

1. Open Info.plist file from prl_usb_connect.kext for editing in text editor. For example in vim:
sudo vim /Library/Parallels/Parallels\ Service.app/Contents/Kexts/10.4/prl_usb_connect.kext/Contents/Info.plist

2. Delete strings which contains word PrlProbeScore (there are two of them) and save file.

3. Reboot host.

 

Hi, zeebaron.

If you have mac os 10.4.x, you can try workaroud posted in previous post.
In other case, please do the following:
- select checkbox Parallels Desktop -> Preferences -> General -> Use detailed log messages
- reproduce the issue
- make a problem report
- post it number here
- remove back "Use detailed log messages"

 

USB problems

I can't seem to find the prl_usb_connect kernel extension (as mentioned above)? Can I get a bit more detail.

 

How do you retrieve those logs, though? I don't see any menu or output.

 

Thanks for the quick work around. It works just as expected.
I'll be waiting to hear about the proper fix to this. Thanks again.

 

Kernel extensions placed in the following folder
/Library/Parallels/Parallels\ Service.app/Contents/Kexts/10.x

where x can be:
4 - for mac os x 10.4.x (tiger)
5 - for mac os x 10.5.x (leopard)
6 - for mac os x 10.6.x (snow leopard)

If you have other version than mac os x 10.4.x, please don't try this workaround - just use detailed log messages and send us problem report's id.

 

Hi, zeebaron.
You can create problem report throw menu:
Help -> Report a Problem

 

Alexander,

Thanks for your help. I have OS X 10.4.11. Just sent the problem report #814718. Please let me know how to proceed.

Thanks!

 

Same Problem here. I'm not a computer guy, but is there fix for this. I cant get any USB device to work. Parallels 4 worked fine. I am running Mac 10.4 tiger

 

Same Problem

Guys I'm not a computer whiz. Can someone walk me through the work around for Mac 10.4. I don't know where to find the files that were previously mentioned.

Parallels 4 worked fine and now with Parallels 5 I cant get any USB device to work. I have some hardware that will only work with windows so I need to be able to get the working.

Thanks

 

why are you not posting my messages here?

 

For all who use Mac OS X 10.4.x (Tiger), more detailed instraction.
Please do the following:

1. Make sure you can administrate your computer:
- Go to the System Preferences --> System --> Accounts
- Select your account and make sure option "Allow user to administer this computer" is checked.

2. Start Terminal application:
- Open Finder
- Go to Applications --> Utilities
- Double click on Terminal

3. Copy-past next strin to Terminal window and press enter:

sudo sed -i".bak" '/PrlProbeScore/d' /Library/Parallels/Parallels\ Service.app/Contents/Kexts/10.4/prl_usb_connect.kext/Contents/Info.plist

4. Enter your password when prompted

5. Reboot your Mac