6.5.1

2 Select a virtual machine, click it again, and click the Summary tab.
3 Select Virtual Hardware and expand the USB controller menu.
4 Click Remove.
5 Click OK to save your changes and close the dialog box.
The controller is no longer connected to the virtual machine, but remains available to add at a later time.
Remove USB Devices from a Client Computer
You can remove USB devices from a client computer if you do not want those devices to be available to
virtual machines.
When you detach a USB device from the remote client, the device disconnects from the virtual machine.
Ensure that data transfer is not taking place before you remove the device.
Prerequisites
Verify that the devices are not in use.
Procedure
u
To minimize the risk of data loss, follow the instructions to safely unmount or eject hardware for your
operating system. Safely removing hardware allows accumulated data to be transmitted to a file.
Windows operating systems typically include a Remove Hardware icon located in the System Tray.
Linux operating systems use the umount command.
You might need to use the sync command instead of or in addition to the umount command, for
example after you issue a dd command on Linux or other UNIX operating systems.
When you remove the device from the client computer, it is no longer available to virtual machines.
Add a Shared Smart Card Reader to Virtual Machines
You can configure multiple virtual machines to use a virtual shared smart card reader for smart card
authentication. The smart card reader must be connected to a client computer on which the
vSphere Web Client runs. All smart card readers are treated as USB devices.
A license is required for the shared smart card feature. See vCenter Server and Host Management.
When you log out of Windows XP guest operating systems, to log back in, you must remove the smart
card from the smart card reader and re-add it. You can also disconnect the shared smart card reader and
reconnect it.
If the vSphere Web Client disconnects from the vCenter Server or host, or if the client computer is
restarted or shut down, the smart card connection breaks. For this reason, it is best to have a dedicated
client computer for smart card use.
To connect a USB smart card reader that is not shared, see USB Configuration from a Client Computer to
a Virtual Machine.
vSphere Virtual Machine Administration
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