Comments on: HP T5545 (Linux) VMWare View and USB Redirection

By: Jeo

Jeo — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:40:10 +0000

Hello,

This works also with 2003 TSE.
You only need to install server side HP software.
USB ports (virtual) will be created and you only need to install the printer with this port.

Thanks

By: Foreignkid Moderator

Foreignkid Moderator — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:58:20 +0000

John, thanks for the pointers and the guidance. Honestly, the whole article I wrote was mostly the result of my research for what ended up working for me. To be honest, I thought they were too much of a pain to get them to work. So I’m actually switching to the Wyse V10L terminals now, which work like a charm, out of the box.

Also, the method that you had listed in your comment is the way that I was able to get it to work in section #1. I’m honestly not too sure about the version number at this point. (been a while since I’ve worked with them), but the new version of the firmware, which, for whatever reason, didn’t exist on the HP site anywhere included all 3 components that you listed, right in the OS, so I didn’t really have to do anything else after installing it. That’s why I put the old – multi-step – method, and the new one-step-does-all method.

That said, you bring up a valid point about USB devices moving in vMotion. I’m running vSphere 4.0 U1, but in the case where I’m using the View clients (at my schools), I’m only running one VM Host in most cases, so I’m usually not needing to do vMotion. i guess that’s why I haven’t thought of it. I will be doing a deployment soon that does reside on a cluster with shared storage though, but the clients will definitely not be HPs, so I may not run into this problem.

I guess we’ll see.

By: John Lockie

John Lockie — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:44:27 +0000

The only components required to get USB redirection going on the HP T5545 are:

1. HP FIRMWARE M5ST0031 (build 31)
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=12454&prodSeriesId=3719101&prodNameId=3719106&swEnvOID=4030&swLang=13&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=vc-72896-1

2. HP THIN PRO ADD-ON (VMware View Broker 4.0)
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=12454&prodSeriesId=3719101&prodNameId=3719106&swEnvOID=4030&swLang=13&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=vc-79094-1

3. HP RDP MULTIMEDIA AND USB ENHANCEMENT SOFTWARE (Server Side)
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=12454&prodSeriesId=3719101&prodNameId=3719106&swEnvOID=4030&swLang=13&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=vc-69151-1

Install #1 and #2 on your actual thin client (flash OS with a USB drive or push from HP DM). You can FTP the files for VMWARE CLIENT install (#2) via FTP and then run the “hpkg -i *.deb” from the directory you downloaded to on the thin client. The directions above are pretty correct about doing “fsunlock” except there is no need to “su”.

Install #3 on your virtual desktop (the one you are connecting to). DO NOT install the USB server side utility on your view connection server. The “server” in this case is actually your virtual desktop(s). So this client should be prepackaged for any VM you intend to deploy as a desktop or in a desktop pool.

And finally, once you do all the above you need to configure the thin client. Go to control panel as root admin (administrator mode, default password is “root”). Under “peripherals” tab (in build 31) there is a USB option. Select “RDP”. Then go to general settings > RDP and configure what type of USB devices you want forwarded. Launch your view connection, connect to desktop, and your vm sould now recognize the hardware.

I think it works like these units, which are used

http://www.amazon.com/Digi-Intl-ANYWHERE-O-CONC-301-1130-01/dp/B00006HWX6/ref=cm_cr-mr-title

And I also have to disagree – I am not sure what version of VMWare you are using in your environment but in ESX and vSphere it is not supported to include “USB” device . This is not a requirement per your section “3″! This is because you cannot vmotion from one server to another and take your “USB” device with you

By: Babylon

Babylon — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:14:12 +0000

USB redirection is now working, but I still can't get a USB controller added to my VM. LOL It's ok, I'm in a testing phase and it's not a huge requirement. I am having more issues with things like copy/paste when using client access software for the AS400 in the remote desktop.

By: Babylon

Babylon — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:38:20 +0000

well, adding the USB controller is as described in section 3 (Your virtual machine template) If you look at the screenshot, I do , in fact, have a USB controller on the VM. So, that should tell you that it's possible. If your VM is powered on, you won't be able to add the controller, you need to power it off, and add that USB controller to your VM template, for it to show up on all the rest of your VM deployments. Once the controller is there, then, once you boot up the VM, it should detect some additional USB Hub devices which can then be leveraged to use the USB redirection function within your thin clients.

Hope this helps,

By: Babylon

Babylon — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:28:29 +0000

Good information. Thanks for sharing. The only thing I am not getting out of this is the USB controller on the VM… everything I've read says it's not possible to add a USB Controller to a VM… Can you expand on how you added it? Please?