Select the product you need help with

Some USB devices are not available via RemoteFX USB redirection

Article ID: 2653326 - View products that this article applies to.

SYMPTOMS

On a system where RemoteFX USB redirection is enabled, devices of the following types may not be listed in Remote Desktop Connection under the "Other Supported RemoteFX USB devices" category:

Printer
Audio Recording/Playback
Mass Storage Device (examples include hard drives, CD/DVD-RW drives, flash drives, and memory card readers)
Smart Card Reader
PTP Camera
MTP Media Player
Apple iPod/iPod Touch/iPhone/iPad
Blackberry PDA
Windows Mobile PDA
Network Adapter

Additionally, composite devices containing a device interface corresponding to any of the above also may not be listed in Remote Desktop Connection under the "Other Supported RemoteFX USB devices" category.

Back to the top | Give Feedback

CAUSE

By default, devices in the aforementioned categories are accessible in the remote session by using high-level device redirection methods. These methods of redirection enable optimal performance and backward compatibility of the device in the majority of user scenarios. Consequently, these devices are not offered via RemoteFX USB redirection.

Back to the top | Give Feedback

RESOLUTION

An override mechanism is provided to selectively enable the use of specific device types in the aforementioned categories via RemoteFX USB redirection. Device types enabled by this mechanism will be made available for RemoteFX USB redirection, and will appear in Remote Desktop Connection under the "Other Supported RemoteFX USB devices" category. In order to use the device via RemoteFX USB redirection, it still must be selected for remoting by using the Remote Desktop Connection UI, usbdevicestoredirect:s: RDP file string, or other methods.

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

322756

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756/ )

How to back up and restore the registry in Windows

To enable a device type for RemoteFX USB redirection:

Identify the appropriate interface class GUID for the device type you wish to make available. Examples include:

Collapse this tableExpand this table
Device Type Interface Class GUID
Hard Drive {53F56307-B6BF-11D0-94F2-00A0C91EFB8B}
CD-ROM {53F56308-B6BF-11D0-94F2-00A0C91EFB8B}
For a complete listing of all system-defined device interface classes, please refer to the following Microsoft Developer Network website: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff553412(v=VS.85).aspx
(http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff553412(v=VS.85).aspx)

Note For a device with multiple interface class GUIDs to be made available via this mechanism, only one corresponding interface class GUID needs to be added to the registry.

Important Addition of the following GUIDs is not supported:
GUID_CLASS_USB_DEVICE
GUID_CLASS_USB_HOST_CONTROLLER
GUID_CLASS_USBHUB
GUID_DEVINTERFACE_USB_DEVICE
GUID_DEVINTERFACE_USB_HOST_CONTROLLER
GUID_DEVINTERFACE_USB_HUB
Locate the following key in the registry of the client computer (the computer that is using the Remote Desktop Connection application to connect to another computer):

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\Client\UsbSelectDeviceByInterfaces
Under this key, add a value for each device interface class GUID you wish to make available, using the following format:

Type: REG_SZ (String)
Name: Any unique string
Data: The interface class GUID, in the following format: {xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx} , where each x represents a hexadecimal digit, case insensitive.
Example To enable RemoteFX USB redirection of CD-ROM drives, add the following value:

Type: REG_SZ
Name: 100
Data: {53F56308-B6BF-11D0-94F2-00A0C91EFB8B}

Or simply run the following command from an Administrator command prompt:

reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\Client\UsbSelectDeviceByInterfaces" /v 100 /t REG_SZ /d {53f56308-b6bf-11d0-94f2-00a0c91efb8b} /f
Restart Remote Desktop Connection if it is currently running.

Back to the top | Give Feedback

MORE INFORMATION

For step-by-step instructions on configuring an evaluation deployment of RemoteFX USB redirection for Windows 7 SP1, please visit the following Microsoft Technet web site: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff817581(WS.10).aspx

(http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff817581(WS.10).aspx)

For more information about RemoteFX USB redirection, please review the Introducing Microsoft RemoteFX USB Redirection article series on the Remote Desktop Services blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/rds/archive/2010/11/08/introducing-microsoft-remotefx-usb-redirection-part-3.aspx

(http://blogs.msdn.com/b/rds/archive/2010/11/08/introducing-microsoft-remotefx-usb-redirection-part-3.aspx)

Back to the top | Give Feedback

Note This is a "FAST PUBLISH" article created directly from within the Microsoft support organization. The information contained herein is provided as-is in response to emerging issues. As a result of the speed in making it available, the materials may include typographical errors and may be revised at any time without notice. See Terms of Use

(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=151500)

for other considerations.

Back to the top | Give Feedback