You Cannot Directly Access PCMCIA Devices in Virtual PC (824623)



The information in this article applies to:

  • Connectix Virtual PC for Mac version 6.0
  • Connectix Virtual PC for Mac version 5.0
  • Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac 6.1 Upgrade
  • Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac 6.1 with Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac 6.1 with Windows XP Home
  • Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac 6.1 with Windows XP Professional

SYMPTOMS

You cannot directly access your PC Card device in a virtual machine.

CAUSE

This issue occurs because Virtual PC does not support direct access of PC Card devices in a virtual machine.

WORKAROUND

To work around this issue, you can access the PC Card device by using shared services.

For example, if the Macintosh computer is configured to access the Web by using a PC Card network adapter, then the virtual machine can also access the Web by using Shared Networking. To set up Shared Networking, follow these steps:
  1. On the Window menu, click Virtual PC List, click the virtual machine that you want to configure, and then click Settings.
  2. Click Networking, and then verify that the Enable Networking check box and either the Shared Networking check box or the Virtual Switch check box is selected.
  3. Click OK or Restart to apply your changes.
For additional information about Shared Networking, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

825372 Virtual PC Internet Connection Setup and Troubleshooting

Another common use for PC Cards is disk storage. If the Macintosh computer is using a PC Card hard disk, then the virtual machine can also access the hard disk by using Shared Folders. To change the Shared Folder settings, follow these steps:
  1. On the Window menu, click Virtual PC List, and then click the virtual machine that you want to configure.
  2. Click Settings, and then click Shared Folders.
  3. Select the behavior that you want (for example, click Network volumes or Removable media), and then click OK or Restart.

    Note If a virtual machine is currently running, and you change one of the Shared Folder options, you must restart the virtual machine.
  4. After you restart the virtual machine, click the Shared Folders icon, and then click Share Folder. You can then specify the Mac folder or the hard disk device that you want to use.
  5. Open My Computer to see the shared Mac folder or hard disk devices that are now available.

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:2/16/2005
Keywords:kbprb KB824623 kbAudEndUser