What to do when the VMware virtual machine in the MAC does not recognize the USB key

Many users who have just installed a VMware virtual machine on a Mac computer have discovered that the USB device is missing when they want to use the Usbkey encryption lock. So there is no such device in Windows below the virtual machine, so what about the USB key that is not recognized by the VMware Virtual machine in the Mac? It is possible to identify the device and use it normally by bootcamp the Windows system. and the system information under the MAC system can also see the device information, indicating that the device is not a problem, it should be VMware's problem.

Depending on the content of VMware's troubleshooting, this issue is successfully addressed, as follows:

The first step is to open VMware and find the window-virtual machine repository on the top menu bar

MAC VMware Virtual Machines

In the list to find the virtual machine to solve the problem, I was directly bootcamp to do the virtual machine, so check the bootcamp, and then right button.

MAC VMware Virtual Machines

Click "Show in Finder", in fact, this can be by holding down the option button, directly appear edit function options, but hold option when I can't screenshot, so write a full tutorial, if you hold down option, you can go directly to the editing steps, The steps to find a file can be omitted.

Right-click the virtual machine file in the Finder and select Show Package content.

Then locate the Vmx file:

MAC VMware Virtual Machines

Select Open With text edit

Add a row to a file

Usb.generic.allowHID = "TRUE"

This is the editing process, pay attention to the English quotes, you can directly copy the line I wrote here:

MAC VMware Virtual Machines

Save the exit, exit VMware, restart the virtual machine, the original USB device, it should now appear in the VMware USB list, select the device to connect to.

Success appears usbkey, end of tutorial.

Principle and Note:

What is the purpose of this line setting, and why does it have the usbkey to do so, and how does this affect the system? I'll answer them all, so that we don't worry.

First, the keyboard and touchpad of the Apple notebook, in fact, is also a USB device, but it is connected through the internal line, we do not see the USB interface, in fact, for the system, are unified according to the USB device to identify and use, their type is HID devices (can be considered a kind of USB devices), HID is the English abbreviation of the Human body learning input device, VMware's default setting is not to put HID devices in the list of USB devices, otherwise if the user accidentally connected to a HID device, if the keyboard or touchpad, the MAC system will not use these devices, can only be used in the virtual machine , I haven't tried, do not know the power button is also useful not, and in general, the signal of these devices will also be passed through the MAC system to the virtual machine, and do not need to exclusive USB connection, so for various reasons, HID devices will not appear in the VMware USB device list.

Unfortunately, our usbkey is considered a HID device, so it will not appear in the VMware USB device list, causing the virtual machine to choose to connect to the device.

The above line of code means to have VMware display all USB devices, do not shield hid devices, so Usbkey appears. However, look at the following figure:

MAC VMware Virtual Machines

Next to what I've just said about Apple's built-in keyboard/touchpad device, if you choose to connect this, then the keyboard and touchpad under the Mac will not work, but do not worry, the virtual machine, these devices will be released to the Mac, but before shutting down, it is impossible to switch to the Mac to use these devices, And when you choose to connect HID devices, VMware prompts you to confirm (although this warning can be canceled, but not recommended), so it is generally not possible to make a mistake about which device to connect to.