No USB with qemu+macOS+USB+iPads

[stand...@gmx.net]

Hi from Germany.
Sorry, I found no other way/group to ask.

I want to use macOS to maintain some iPads for my school. I have not found a way to address them via USB in the VM. Even a simple stick does not appear.

I've tried some solutions, which I found via google, but no luck.

some examples:

-usb -device usb-kbd -device usb-tablet
-device usb-ehci,id=ehci
-device usb-kbd,bus=ehci.0
-device usb-mouse,bus=ehci.0
-device nec-usb-xhci,id=xhci
-global nec-usb-xhci.msi=off
-device usb-host,vendorid=0x8086,productid=0x0808


My hardware:
Linux debwin 5.10.0-20-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 5.10.158-2 (2022-12-13) x86_64 GNU/Linux

QEMU emulator version 5.2.0 (Debian 1:5.2+dfsg-11+deb11u2)

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 4th Gen Core Processor DRAM Controller (rev 06)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor PCI Express x16 Controller (rev 06)
00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 9 Series Chipset Family USB xHCI Controller
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation 9 Series Chipset Family ME Interface #1
00:1a.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 9 Series Chipset Family USB EHCI Controller #2
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 9 Series Chipset Family HD Audio Controller
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 9 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 1 (rev d0)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 9 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 3 (rev d0)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 9 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 4 (rev d0)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 9 Series Chipset Family USB EHCI Controller #1
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation H97 Chipset LPC Controller
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 9 Series Chipset Family SATA Controller [AHCI Mode]
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 9 Series Chipset Family SMBus Controller
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GK208B [GeForce GT 730] (rev a1)
01:00.1 Audio device: NVIDIA Corporation GK208 HDMI/DP Audio Controller (rev a1)
03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 0c)
04:00.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge (rev 41)

Bus 003 Device 002: ID 8087:8001 Intel Corp. Integrated Hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:8009 Intel Corp.
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 012: ID 058f:6387 Alcor Micro Corp. Flash Drive
Bus 002 Device 003: ID 046d:c34b Logitech, Inc. USB Keyboard
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 046d:c52b Logitech, Inc. Unifying Receiver
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

/: Bus 04.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/6p, 5000M
/: Bus 03.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=ehci-pci/2p, 480M
|__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/8p, 480M
/: Bus 02.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/14p, 480M
|__ Port 2: Dev 2, If 2, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 12M
|__ Port 2: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 12M
|__ Port 2: Dev 2, If 1, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 12M
|__ Port 3: Dev 3, If 0, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 1.5M
|__ Port 3: Dev 3, If 1, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 1.5M
|__ Port 9: Dev 12, If 0, Class=Mass Storage, Driver=usb-storage, 480M
/: Bus 01.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=ehci-pci/2p, 480M
|__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/6p, 480M

[didier gaumet]

Hello,

You will probably find the dedicated Qemu doc helpful:
https://www.qemu.org/docs/master/system/devices/usb.html

I don't use Qemu directly, I use virtmanager, so I am not familiar with
Qemu syntax and howto.
But I would launch qemu with the "-device qemu-xhci" parameter (you only
need xhci, not ehci, uhci, ohci, it seems)
and then I would carefully follow instructions that figure in the "Using
host USB devices on a Linux host" paragraph.

[stand...@gmx.net]

missed grub cmdline:
[ 0.000000] Command line: vfio-pci.ids=8086:8cb1,1458:5007,8086:8cad,1458:5006,8086:8ca6,1458:5006

[stand...@gmx.net]

didier...@gmail.com schrieb am Dienstag, 31. Januar 2023 um 23:10:05 UTC+1:
> Hello,
>
> You will probably find the dedicated Qemu doc helpful:
> https://www.qemu.org/docs/master/system/devices/usb.html

Thanks, I know it, but nothing of these works for me. I also tred virt-manager without success.

I think there ist another problem which I don't see.

[didier gaumet]

Le 02/02/2023 à 00:15, stand...@gmx.net a écrit :

> Thanks, I know it, but nothing of these works for me. I also tred virt-manager without success.
>
> I think there ist another problem which I don't see.

I do not use Qemu (directly) nor MacOS X nor Ipads so I cannot assure
you what you want is feasible

And beware, in Qemu terminoly, an Ipad is not a tablet, it's a computer.
To Qemu, tablets are pointing/drawing devices (think Wacom and such)

What I would verify with Virtmanager:

- start virtmanager, open and start MacOSX VM
- I could not say if it is strictly necessary in your case, but verify
that you have a guest spice agent or a Qemu guest agent installed in
your MacOSX guest. Install it if it's not the case and if you find a
guest agent to install (Qemu and Spice guest agents seem available for
Linux and Windows guests, MacOS I don't know).
- plug (USB) your Ipad to the host (linux), wait until it is detected by
the host
- in your guest (MacOSX) VM Virtmanager window menu, click on "Virtual
Machine", then "redirect a USB peripheral", then you are offered a
choice: tick the box of the desired USB device. Even if your Ipad
appears in your MacOSX guest, I do not know if will appear in a
manageable way for MacOS to help you maintain this Ipad or if it will
appear as an external disk, for example.
When you say you fail to see your Ipad in the guest, do you mean you
are not offered the choice to redirect it or that is is detected by the
guest but you cannot maintain it from your MacOSX guest?

[stand...@gmx.net]

didier...@gmail.com schrieb am Donnerstag, 2. Februar 2023 um 09:50:07 UTC+1:
> Le 02/02/2023 à 00:15, stand...@gmx.net a écrit :
>
> And beware, in Qemu terminoly, an Ipad is not a tablet, it's a computer.
> To Qemu, tablets are pointing/drawing devices (think Wacom and such)

Not even an usb-stick appears in macOS.

In qemu:
info usb
Device 1.1, Port 1, Speed 480 Mb/s, Product QEMU USB Keyboard
Device 1.2, Port 2, Speed 480 Mb/s, Product QEMU USB Tablet
Device 1.0, Port 3, Speed 1.5 Mb/s, Product USB Host Device

(qemu) info usbhost
Bus 2, Addr 4, Port 9, Speed 480 Mb/s
Class 00: USB device 058f:6387, Mass Storage
Bus 2, Addr 3, Port 3, Speed 1.5 Mb/s
Class 00: USB device 046d:c34b, USB Keyboard
Bus 2, Addr 2, Port 2, Speed 12 Mb/s
Class 00: USB device 046d:c52b, USB Receiver

In the VM there is only visible:
USB 2.0 Bus
USB 3.0 Bus
QEMU USB Tablet
QEMU USB Keyboard

> - in your guest (MacOSX) VM Virtmanager window menu, click on "Virtual
> Machine", then "redirect a USB peripheral",

This is greyed, I can not click it.

Thanks for thinking ;-)

[Curt]

On 2023-01-31, stand...@gmx.net <stand...@gmx.net> wrote:
> Hi from Germany. Sorry, I found no other way/group to ask.
>
> I want to use macOS to maintain some iPads for my school. I have not
> found a way to address them via USB in the VM. Even a simple stick
> does not appear.
>

It seems you have to install the relevant drivers on the VM.

Connect the iPad to the Linux host via USB.

Start the VM.

Open the Finder and click on the "Go" menu.

Look for file "AppleMobileDevice.kext".

If the file exists, the machine has the necessary drivers installed
(in which case I'm stumped). If not, you'll have to install them by
following the appropriate steps for your MacOS version.

[stand...@gmx.net]

Curt schrieb am Donnerstag, 2. Februar 2023 um 18:20:06 UTC+1:
> On 2023-01-31, stand...@gmx.net <stand...@gmx.net> wrote:
>
> Look for file "AppleMobileDevice.kext".

Sorry for the delay.

"Apple no longer recommends using kexts with your macOS device. To make thing worse, macOS Big Sur doesn’t even support some kexts; "

[didier gaumet]

Le 02/02/2023 à 17:00, stand...@gmx.net a écrit :
[...]

>> - in your guest (MacOSX) VM Virtmanager window menu, click on "Virtual
>> Machine", then "redirect a USB peripheral",
>
> This is greyed, I can not click it.

- if this happens while the VM is open but not started, it's normal: the
VM has to started before this feature being available.

- if this happens while the VM is already started, it could (this is a
mere hypothesis) be due to the lack of a guest agent in a MacOS X guest
forbidding dynamic USB redirection.
Then you could try to (guest being stopped, Ipad starded and Ipad USB
cable plugged into your Debian host) to manually create your USB Ipad
device in the guest setup, doing something like (sorry, my VirtManager
is in french, I try to guess an english translation):
[right click on your MacOS X guest VM] > Open > Display > Details >
Add Hardware > USB Host Peripheral > here add your Ipad hopefully being
listed.
Then when you start the MacOS X guest VM it would perhaps display your Ipad.

If the Ipad appears in the guest but as a USB mass storage, perhaps you
can solve the problem with usb-modeswitch

[didier gaumet]

Le 31/01/2023 à 21:36, stand...@gmx.net a écrit :
> Hi from Germany.
> Sorry, I found no other way/group to ask.
>
> I want to use macOS to maintain some iPads for my school.

[...]

That is not exactly what you want but there is the irecovery CLI utility
that is packaged in Debian. I you don't have already discarded it as
irrelevant, perhaps it could be useful in your case.

Upstream website has a presentation:
https://libimobiledevice.org/

[Max Nikulin]

On 02/02/2023 23:00, stand...@gmx.net wrote:
>
> (qemu) info usbhost
> Bus 2, Addr 4, Port 9, Speed 480 Mb/s
> Class 00: USB device 058f:6387, Mass Storage
> Bus 2, Addr 3, Port 3, Speed 1.5 Mb/s
> Class 00: USB device 046d:c34b, USB Keyboard
> Bus 2, Addr 2, Port 2, Speed 12 Mb/s
> Class 00: USB device 046d:c52b, USB Receiver

Does the user running VM have read/write access to the usb device? The
docs mention chown, I used

sudo -A setfacl -m u:`id -un`:rw /dev/bus/usb/002/007

and in qemu monitor

device_add usb-host,hostbus=2,hostport=7,id=usbcam

However it was with linux guest.

[Curt]

You're correct that Apple has discontinued use of kernel extension
(kexts).

If you're using a recent version of macOS, a different method may be
required than the one I enumerated, such as employing the "usbmuxd"
library to connect your device.

It's probably best consulting Apple's official documentation and the
developer community for more precise info. Good luck.

[stand...@gmx.net]

> If you're using a recent version of macOS, a different method may be
> required than the one I enumerated, such as employing the "usbmuxd"
> library to connect your device.

I need an actuell version for the Apple Configurator.

>
> It's probably best consulting Apple's official documentation and the
> developer community for more precise info. Good luck.

thanks.

[stand...@gmx.net]

Max Nikulin schrieb am Montag, 6. Februar 2023 um 13:30:06 UTC+1:
...

>
> sudo -A setfacl -m u:`id -un`:rw /dev/bus/usb/002/007
>

I think running as root doesn't requirte this change, or?

[Max Nikulin]

Then I have no idea. Does it work if you pass a USB device to a Linux
guest (e.g. boot some live image)?

[Charles Curley]

On Wed, 8 Feb 2023 22:07:37 +0700
Max Nikulin <mani...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Does it work if you pass a USB device to a Linux
> guest (e.g. boot some live image)?

Yes. I can hand a USB memory stick to a Debian guest, Debian installer,
bullseye and bookworm. Host is bullseye. One must still mount it on the
guest.

--
Does anybody read signatures any more?

https://charlescurley.com
https://charlescurley.com/blog/

[Charles Curley]

On Wed, 8 Feb 2023 11:23:04 -0700
Charles Curley <charle...@charlescurley.com> wrote:

> Yes. I can hand a USB memory stick to a Debian guest, Debian
> installer, bullseye and bookworm. Host is bullseye. One must still
> mount it on the guest.

And do not mount it on the host.

[peze]

Am 08.02.23 um 19:30 schrieb Charles Curley:

> Yes. I can hand a USB memory stick to a Debian guest, Debian installer,
> bullseye and bookworm. Host is bullseye. One must still mount it on the
> guest.

If your host is linux, can you show me your qemu-parameters?
TIA

[Charles Curley]

On Wed, 8 Feb 2023 21:03:39 +0100
peze <fele...@gmx.net> wrote:

> Am 08.02.23 um 19:30 schrieb Charles Curley:

> [...]

>
> If your host is linux, can you show me your qemu-parameters?
> TIA
>

I was afraid you were going to ask me that. I run qemu via libvirt. So
I will do a bit of detective work. Here goes.

The XML for libvirt is:

--------------------------------------------------
<hostdev mode="subsystem" type="usb" managed="yes">
<source>
<vendor id="0x0718"/>
<product id="0x0637"/>
<address bus="2" device="6"/>
</source>
<alias name="hostdev0"/>
<address type="usb" bus="0" port="4"/>
</hostdev>
--------------------------------------------------

You would have to modify the vendor, product, bus, and device IDs to
suit your device.

The command (imported not wrapped, but possibly wrapped in transport)
line is:

--------------------------------------------------
root@hawk:/etc/new.virtual# ps aux | grep -i dti386
libvirt+ 62108 1.9 3.4 2958008 555240 ? Sl Jan27 345:08 /usr/bin/qemu-system-x86_64 -name guest=dti386,debug-threads=on -S -object secret,id=masterKey0,format=raw,file=/var/lib/libvirt/qemu/domain-6-dti386/master-key.aes -machine pc-q35-5.2,accel=kvm,usb=off,vmport=off,dump-guest-core=off,memory-backend=pc.ram -cpu pentium2 -m 1024 -object memory-backend-ram,id=pc.ram,size=1073741824 -overcommit mem-lock=off -smp 2,sockets=2,cores=1,threads=1 -uuid 0f0b9d2c-d741-47f0-842b-336fbbc64c12 -no-user-config -nodefaults -chardev socket,id=charmonitor,fd=40,server,nowait -mon chardev=charmonitor,id=monitor,mode=control -rtc base=utc,driftfix=slew -global kvm-pit.lost_tick_policy=delay -no-hpet -no-shutdown -global ICH9-LPC.disable_s3=1 -global ICH9-LPC.disable_s4=1 -boot menu=on,strict=on -device pcie-root-port,port=0x10,chassis=1,id=pci.1,bus=pcie.0,multifunction=on,addr=0x2 -device pcie-root-port,port=0x11,chassis=2,id=pci.2,bus=pcie.0,addr=0x2.0x1 -device pcie-root-port,port=0x12,chassis=3,id=pci.3,bus=pcie.0,addr=0x2.0x2 -device pcie-root-port,port=0x13,chassis=4,id=pci.4,bus=pcie.0,addr=0x2.0x3 -device pcie-root-port,port=0x14,chassis=5,id=pci.5,bus=pcie.0,addr=0x2.0x4 -device pcie-root-port,port=0x15,chassis=6,id=pci.6,bus=pcie.0,addr=0x2.0x5 -device pcie-root-port,port=0x16,chassis=7,id=pci.7,bus=pcie.0,addr=0x2.0x6 -device qemu-xhci,p2=15,p3=15,id=usb,bus=pci.2,addr=0x0 -device virtio-scsi-pci,id=scsi0,bus=pci.4,addr=0x0 -device virtio-serial-pci,id=virtio-serial0,bus=pci.3,addr=0x0 -blockdev {"driver":"file","filename":"/var/lib/libvirt/images/firmware-testing-i386-netinst.iso","node-name":"libvirt-2-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap"} -blockdev {"node-name":"libvirt-2-format","read-only":true,"driver":"raw","file":"libvirt-2-storage"} -device ide-cd,bus=ide.0,drive=libvirt-2-format,id=sata0-0-0,bootindex=2 -blockdev {"driver":"file","filename":"/var/lib/libvirt/images/dti386.qcow2","node-name":"libvirt-1-storage","auto-read-only":true,"discard":"unmap"} -blockdev {"node-name":"libvirt-1-format","read-only":false,"driver":"qcow2","file":"libvirt-1-storage","backing":null} -device ide-hd,bus=ide.1,drive=libvirt-1-format,id=sata0-0-1,bootindex=1 -netdev tap,fd=45,id=hostnet0,vhost=on,vhostfd=46 -device virtio-net-pci,netdev=hostnet0,id=net0,mac=52:54:00:6f:aa:6a,bus=pci.1,addr=0x0 -chardev pty,id=charserial0 -device isa-serial,chardev=charserial0,id=serial0 -chardev socket,id=charchannel0,fd=47,server,nowait -device virtserialport,bus=virtio-serial0.0,nr=1,chardev=charchannel0,id=channel0,name=org.qemu.guest_agent.0 -chardev spicevmc,id=charchannel1,name=vdagent -device virtserialport,bus=virtio-serial0.0,nr=2,chardev=charchannel1,id=channel1,name=com.redhat.spice.0 -device usb-tablet,id=input0,bus=usb.0,port=1 -spice port=5902,addr=127.0.0.1,disable-ticketing,image-compression=off,seamless-migration=on -device qxl-vga,id=video0,ram_size=67108864,vram_size=67108864,vram64_size_mb=0,vgamem_mb=16,max_outputs=1,bus=pcie.0,addr=0x1 -device ich9-intel-hda,id=sound0,bus=pcie.0,addr=0x1b -device hda-duplex,id=sound0-codec0,bus=sound0.0,cad=0 -chardev spicevmc,id=charredir0,name=usbredir -device usb-redir,chardev=charredir0,id=redir0,bus=usb.0,port=2 -chardev spicevmc,id=charredir1,name=usbredir -device usb-redir,chardev=charredir1,id=redir1,bus=usb.0,port=3 -device usb-host,hostdevice=/dev/bus/usb/002/006,id=hostdev0,bus=usb.0,port=4 -device virtio-balloon-pci,id=balloon0,bus=pci.5,addr=0x0 -object rng-random,id=objrng0,filename=/dev/urandom -device virtio-rng-pci,rng=objrng0,id=rng0,bus=pci.6,addr=0x0 -sandbox on,obsolete=deny,elevateprivileges=deny,spawn=deny,resourcecontrol=deny -msg timestamp=on
charles 124050 0.0 0.0 12232 2396 pts/6 S+ Jan28 0:00 ssh ro...@dti386.virtual
root 209851 0.0 0.0 12104 1928 pts/32 Ss+ Jan30 0:00 ssh -o ControlMaster=auto -o ControlPath=tramp.%C -o ControlPersist=no -e none dti386.virtual
charles 507969 0.0 0.0 12108 6684 pts/38 Ss+ 15:04 0:00 ssh -o ControlMaster=auto -o ControlPath=tramp.%C -o ControlPersist=no -e none dti386.virtual
charles 508029 0.0 0.0 12108 6784 pts/39 Ss+ 15:06 0:00 ssh -l root -o ControlMaster=auto -o ControlPath=tramp.%C -o ControlPersist=no -e none dti386.virtual
root 508252 0.0 0.0 6376 2348 pts/18 S+ 15:13 0:00 grep --colour=auto -i dti386
root@hawk:/etc/new.virtual#
--------------------------------------------------

I think the part of that mess you want is this:

--------------------------------------------------
-device usb-host,hostdevice=/dev/bus/usb/002/006,id=hostdev0,bus=usb.0,port=4
--------------------------------------------------

Where the /002/006 point to the usb device:

--------------------------------------------------
root@hawk:/etc/new.virtual# lsusb
…
Bus 002 Device 006: ID 0718:0637 Imation Corp. Nano Pro
…
root@hawk:/etc/new.virtual#
--------------------------------------------------

Check that aginst the XML above, and the vendor, product ID, bus
number and device all agree.

On the guest, the device shows up like so:

--------------------------------------------------
root@dti386:~# lsusb
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0718:0637 Imation Corp. Nano Pro
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0627:0001 Adomax Technology Co., Ltd QEMU USB Tablet

Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

root@dti386:~#
--------------------------------------------------

I suspect that the "id=hostdev0,bus=usb.0,port=4" is zero-based
(meaning the first entry is entry 0), while the lsusb listing is
one-based. But you may have to fiddle around with that anyway.

I hope that helps.

[Max Nikulin]

On 09/02/2023 01:23, Charles Curley wrote:
> On Wed, 8 Feb 2023 22:07:37 +0700
> Max Nikulin wrote:
>
>> Does it work if you pass a USB device to a Linux
>> guest (e.g. boot some live image)?
>
> Yes. I can hand a USB memory stick to a Debian guest, Debian installer,
> bullseye and bookworm. Host is bullseye. One must still mount it on the
> guest.

My question was addressed to stand...@gmx.net with hope to determine if
the problem is related to qemu configuration or to missing drivers in
macOSX. Unsure if qemu allows to change the kind of USB bridges (similar
to e.g. ethernet adapters).

Concerning USB configuration, devices are specified in different ways.
stand...@gmx.net:
> -device usb-host,vendorid=0x8086,productid=0x0808
Charles Curley:
> -device usb-host,hostdevice=/dev/bus/usb/002/006,id=hostdev0,bus=usb.0,port=4