What is holding my USB device when I try to use it in VirtualBox?

Solution 1:

I have a similar problem with a different USB device, a Garmin sports watch.

This is my configuration:

• Host: VirtualBox 5.0.0 r101573 on Ubuntu 14.04, with Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack installed
• Guest: Windows 7, with VirtualBox Guest Additions installed

No matter what USB controller I choose in the VM settings, whenever I start up the VM I get the error:

Failed to create a proxy device for the USB device. (Error: VERR_READ_ERROR).

Result Code: NS_ERROR_FAILURE (0x80004005) Component: ConsoleWrap Interface: IConsole {872da645-4a9b-1727-bee2-5585105b9eed}

After some research, I've concluded it's likely to be a notorious VirtualBox bug that is still in the open state (reopened defect, to be precise). See VirtualBox Ticket #5175 for the details. It's something to do with the current state of the device, which is somehow in the Held state (that can be checked by running the VBoxManage list usbhost command as you also did).