Setting Up a USB Printer Under VMware Workstation 3.0 for Linux

Support knowledgebase (fhassel_vmware_usbprinter)
Applies to

SuSE Linux: Versions since 7.3
Kernel: Versions since 2.4.10
VMware Workstation: Version 3.0

Symptom

You want to use a USB printer under VMware. However, when you try to integrate the USB device via the menu Devices -> USB port, an error message about the device being in use by a driver on the host file system is displayed.

Cause

When connecting the USB printer, the module printer is automatically loaded on the Linux host file system.

Solution

Unload the module printer by hand. This can be done by entering as root user the following command in a shell: 
rmmod printer
Now you will be able to integrate the printer through the menu Devices -> USB port. Please note that USB is not supported by several guest operating systems such as Windows NT.
See also:
o VMware Workstation 3.0 for Linux: Setting Up Hardware Components
o Problems with USB in SuSE Linux 7.3
Keywords: VMWARE, USB, PRINTER
Categories: X Applications
SDB-fhassel_vmware_usbprinter, Copyright SuSE Linux AG, Nürnberg, Germany - Version: 05. Feb 2002
SuSE Linux AG - Last generated: 05. Feb 2002 by ip (sdb_gen 1.40.0)