Using USB

Now Im testing P2P progs, it just occured to me that simply using a seperate partition might not be the best idea, to avoid spreading anything into my every day partition.
The problem is, I download the installer for the p2p progs onto my usb pen drive, which also holds the firewall, screen capture, HJT, Spybot and totalUninstall program installers, but when I tried VMWare earlier, everytime I plugged in the pen drive it would only load up into the host sytem, not the VM.
How can i change that?

Make sure that your VM is active.

When Windows in your VM boots up, click inside the VM. Then plug in your USB drive. Windows should now show that a new USB drive is inserted and will need to install the relevant drivers.

If it doesn't work, try dragging and dropping - only if your copy of VM is paid (Workstation and above, Player doesn't support that).

I wonder now if that was where I went wrong, not being clicked into the VM when i plugged in the drive?
If it doesnt work Ill just have to copy to CD and see if that works.

You need to be working from the VM for it to be working correctly. I always wondered why until my teacher corrected me. I was writing some codes for Linux and Windows and find it a hassle to keep uploading codes to the school server, then download it to the VM (which has Windows).

The drive will always show up in my Linux machine, but not my Windows VM. As long as you can do click on the Start button of your Windows VM, just plugged in your USB drive. From there, everything should work fine.

Also make sure a USB controller is present. You can add one by clicking Edit virtual machine settings.

Then when your VM is active and the USB device plugged in, go to VM (menu at the top) > Removable Devices and there select the device you want to plug into your VM.