Parallels Desktop VM- external SSD recognition as physical drive

[herbert7265]

My question: Is there a possibility to have an external SSD recognized in a Windows 11 virtual machine in Parallels Desktopp as a physical drive, not just a virtual drive? Or is that just not possible, considering that Windows is running in a virtual machine?

The reason I ask: I need to do a firmware update and some configuration on a SSD enclosure, but the application to do so is Windows only. The application works fine on a Windows computer, the external SSD is then correctly recognized by the application. But when running the application in in Windows in a virtual machine the external SSD is not recognized by the application.

Any hint and advice would be highly appreciated.

Herbert

 

[BigBlur]

Yes, you can connect the disk directly to the VM.

KB Parallels: How do I connect an external device directly to my virtual machine?

kb.parallels.com

However, remember that you would have to be using the ARM-based version of Windows 11 (assuming you're running on Apple Silicon). I'm guessing the app is compiled for x86/x64, so it'd need to go through Windows 11's x86/x64 emulation...which may or may not work. The drivers would also be different because of the different architecture. Perhaps that's why it's not getting recognized in your VM. Personally, I wouldn't chance it for something like this.

 

[herbert7265]

However, remember that you would have to be using the ARM-based version of Windows 11 (assuming you're running on Apple Silicon). I'm guessing the app is compiled for x86/x64, so it'd need to go through Windows 11's x86/x64 emulation...which may or may not work. The drivers would also be different because of the different architecture. Perhaps that's why it's not getting recognized in your VM. Personally, I wouldn't chance it for something like this.

Considering that
- I also found that article in the internet and it didn´t work that way
- that I am using the ARM-based version of Windows 11 on my MacBook Pro M2
I assume your explanation concerning the app (compiled for x86/x64, drivers, etc.) may be the key. And I also totally agree that it most likely is not worth the hassle to put in here a lot of work to get it potentially to work, way more easy will be going with a friends Windows computer.

Thank you very much for your feedback and explanation, highly appreciated.

Herbert

 

[joevt]

My question: Is there a possibility to have an external SSD recognized in a Windows 11 virtual machine in Parallels Desktopp as a physical drive, not just a virtual drive?

I think that can only work for USB devices (as the KB article indicates), not Thunderbolt or AHCI or NVMe or SATA.
What type of external SSD do you want to connect?

 

[herbert7265]

@joevt

What type of external SSD do you want to connect?

I want to connect a OWC Express 1M2 enclosure w/ WD Black SN850X SSD. As of OWC, the 1M2 is a USB4, not TB4, device.

For clarification: The Windows 11 virtual machine recognizes the SSD as a virtual storage medium and I can use the SSD. What does not work is the possibility to access the 1M2 controller (ASM2464) w/ the firmware update and configuration application, to perform firmware updates and change the configuration of the controller.

Herbert

 

[joevt]

I want to connect a OWC Express 1M2 enclosure w/ WD Black SN850X SSD. As of OWC, the 1M2 is a USB4, not TB4, device.

For clarification: The Windows 11 virtual machine recognizes the SSD as a virtual storage medium and I can use the SSD. What does not work is the possibility to access the 1M2 controller (ASM2464) w/ the firmware update and configuration application, to perform firmware updates and change the configuration of the controller.

Mac virtual machines cannot access real Thunderbolt, USB4, or PCIe devices.
I've heard of virtual machines in Linux being able to access PCIe devices but not Thunderbolt or USB4 devices.

 

[joevt]

Mac virtual machines cannot access real Thunderbolt, USB4, or PCIe devices.
I've heard of virtual machines in Linux being able to access PCIe devices but not Thunderbolt or USB4 devices.

If a Linux virtual machine could take over a Thunderbolt PCIe controller, then it could maybe take over a Thunderbolt or USB4 device.
But Thunderbolt controllers are weird because they have connections to the motherboard that are not all PCIe.

Google AI has some info about "Linux Thunderbolt controller PCIe pass through"