USB passthrough to guest OS problem? It's the OSE version of Virtualbox!

Recently I set up an installation of Ubuntu for a good friend who had experienced Windows XP problems (ntfs.sys had corrupted) and wanted something that would be less prone to viruses and malware. So, I suggested Ubuntu and we went for it! After the install, I added Virtualbox and installed Windows XP as a virtual machine. No problems - everything was rock solid and very fast. The only issue was that there were no USB devices passed through to the guest OS.

After a while it became clear that it was because it was the OSE version rather than the version from the Virtual Box website. Easy fix:

1. Go to add/remove programs, search for Virtualbox. You should see Virtualbox OSE in the list. Mark it for uninstallation and apply. Say yes to any prompts that appear.

2. Go to http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads and download the correct Ubuntu version (i386 in our case). Open this and allow the install manager to install it for you. Say yes to any prompts that appear.

3. Wait for it to complete the install and reboot. The correct version of Virtualbox should be in the menu now, waiting for you to install your guest OS and USB passthrough WILL now work.

Why it's stripped out of the OSE version is very puzzling!