USB storage devices no longer recognized after installing VMware tools

Solution 1:

you might have added other USB driver by installing VMware tools which are needed for driver visualization, so all you need to do is disabling the new installed USB drivers then reboot,

Ps: don't forget to re-enable them when using VMware Tools.

Solution 2:

In VMware Worklstation 15 player, click the down arrow next to Player in upper left corner of VM window and hover on Removable Devices then remove the checkmark next to any device that you want to return to the host.

No need to reboot guest or host.

DW