USB Device Crashes XP VM

[adzam]

I created a Windows XP SP3 VM for the sole purpose of using a Pinnacle Dazzle 80 USB video converter. Unfortunately, the device is old and drivers are only available for XP. I have a couple VHS tapes I would like to convert to digital, but they are not important enough to buy a newer converter.

Anyway, I did a fresh install of XP, installed the software and drivers for the Dazzle and added the USB device from the Proxmox CLI. Windows sees the device and starts configuring it when I plug it in however, the VM immediately crashes. No BSOD, it just stops.

I read some posts saying USB Server must be installed for USB pass through to work with some devices, but the post were old and referring to much older versions of Proxmox.

Any suggestions?

 

[LnxBil]

Windows sees the device and starts configuring it when I plug it in however, the VM immediately crashes.

What about a start if it is already plugged in?

 

[adzam]

What about a start if it is already plugged in?

If I start it while it is already plugged in, Windows begins to load and as soon as the "New Hardware Found" notification comes up in the taskbar the VM just stops. This is the exact same behavior as plugging it in with the VM already running.

Since my initial post I have tested the capture device in VirtualBox and it works fine. Well, the audio is out of sync on captured videos, but the VM doesn't crash.

It seems like my best option if I want to create digital versions of some VHS tapes is to get a USB capture device that will work with Windows 10 of MacOS. However I am still curious why the device would crash my Proxmox VM.

 

[LnxBil]

However I am still curious why the device would crash my Proxmox VM.

Unfortunately, this is not an easy task. I tried it multiple times and failed, yet I also get an USB scanner to work with Windows 2000. I still smile when I think about the ancient technology only because Canon won't make any Windows 10 64-bit driver.

It seems like my best option if I want to create digital versions of some VHS tapes is to get a USB capture device that will work with Windows 10 of MacOS.

Use just VirtualBox on your Mac for that. One single, slim VM (XP can be stripped down to at most 2 GB IIRC) and you're good to go. I had one XP VM in VirtualBox for years to do my taxes. It is still best to virtualize a desktop operating system with a desktop virtualization solution.

Yet another solution would be to use an old PC or old laptop to that purpose. I also have at least one laptop per decade lying around to use it for some specialized purpose. One e.g. with multiple serial ports and PCMCIA serial adapter an such things. I really like the old and true IBM Thinkpads (not that Lenovo stuff). Built for decades, maybe you can get your hands on a used one for free.