USB Kernel support

[hongman]

Hi

I was on the 2.4 series Kernel, and my USB worked as follows:

1) Insert USB
2) CD to /mnt/sda1

Now I have upgraded to the 2.6.11 kernel, and USB has stopped working. I get error 'Invalid Block Device'

I did take off some USB support, mostly obvious stuff I thought I know I didnt need. But I obviously have disabled one too many now..

Does anyone know what kernel options I need to enable for my USB pen drive, printer and card reader to work? I am guessing its the kernel thats the problem becuase when its booting up, I think I see something like 'usbdevfs is not supported in this kernel'. Its something like that, but it goes quite quick.

Also, I noticed when I was on the old kernel, at boot time it said Hotplug wa managing USB...now it doesnt.

Anu suggestions appreciated,

Hong

[deathadder]

For a usb stick/pen you need:
usbcore
usb-storage
ehci-hcd
uhci-hcd
usbhid
You might also need ohci-hcd. A usb printer uses the printer, module. In the usb section of the kernel config I believe its called Usb - Printer, or Printer support. As for the card reader I'm guessing you need usbcore, usb-storage and usbhid, along with support for the filesystem on the card, probably vfat?

[mrBen]

It's also worth double checking that modules are loading properly - I had a load of problems moving from 2.4 to 2.6 until I realised I need a newer version of modutils.

[hongman]

Well a lsmod only shows usbcore and ehci_hcd.

so that means I am definately missing some kernel modules right?

Which options in the make menuconfig should I tick to get the rest I need?

I already have the newest version of modutils.

Thanks :)

[mrBen]

Yes - definitely missing some ;)

Start with deathadders list, and we'll work from there ;)

It's probably worth giving us a list of the USB devices you currently use.

[hongman]

Hi mrBen

Ok, I currently use my usb pen drive, and card reader.

I plan on getting a usb printer in the near future so i would like support for that as well.

I sometimes connect my sister-in-laws camera to it as well, to rip the photos off.

And thats about it, to be honest.

Which options in the make menuconfig should I tick to get the rest I need?

to repeat the question...how do I know which options to tick in make menuconfig? Coz they arent listed as usb-storage, uhci-hcd, etc are they...

also, should i star * them or put in an M?

[Hayl]

Originally posted by hongman
to repeat the question...how do I know which options to tick in make menuconfig? Coz they arent listed as usb-storage, uhci-hcd, etc are they...

also, should i star * them or put in an M?

yes they are pretty much called exactly what he called them save for the fact that the mass storage on s called usb mass storage.

if you want them loaded and unloaded then make them modular (m); if you are going to leave them loaded all the time anyway then build them right in (*)

[hongman]

yes they are pretty much called exactly what he called them save for the fact that the mass storage on s called usb mass storage.

Oh, ok. :) I'll take your word for it!! ;)

I read somewhere I might need scsi emulation support, is this true?

[mrBen]

Hmmm - not sure. I thought it wasn't required with 2.6, but I see that I have the ide_scsi module loaded, although it doesn't have anything hanging off it. Previously that was for CDRW drives, and not USB, IIRC.

Compile it as a module, and you don't have to use it if it isn't needed ;)

[hongman]

I'm just doing make modules now.

All my USB bits were selected as M's, does that mean I have to manually load the modules everytime I wanna use USB?

[mrBen]

Originally posted by hongman
I'm just doing make modules now.

All my USB bits were selected as M's, does that mean I have to manually load the modules everytime I wanna use USB?

Not if you use hotplug.

Most distros also have a setup whereby you can add modules to be started at bootup.

[hongman]

Thanks for the help mrBen.

Well, hotplug isnt displayed at boot time anymore, like it used to with the Old Kernel.

Its ok though, as long as I know which modules to load, I can add them to my startup script.

here's my output of lsmod:

Module Size Used by
ext3 133256 2
jbd 73060 1 ext3
evdev 9344 0
ide_cd 41988 0
cdrom 41184 1 ide_cd
8250_pnp 8512 0
ehci_hcd 32904 0
snd_intel8x0 34368 0
snd_ac97_codec 79352 1 snd_intel8x0
snd_pcm_oss 63328 0
snd_mixer_oss 22144 1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm 107208 3 snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_timer 28036 1 snd_pcm
snd 66436 6 snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_ oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer
snd_page_alloc 10500 2 snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm
pci_hotplug 12740 0
soundcore 10272 1 snd
8139too 26880 0
sis900 20804 0
8250 25156 1 8250_pnp
serial_core 23680 1 8250
scsi_mod 95240 0
ohci_hcd 22024 0
uhci_hcd 33040 0
usbcore 121976 4 ehci_hcd,ohci_hcd,uhci_hcd
video 16068 0
thermal 13448 0
processor 17316 1 thermal
fan 4484 0
button 6608 0


I cant test whether USB works or not, since I am not at my machine (I am doing everything over SSH at the mo!).

But just looking at that output, do I now have all the necessary modules for USB?

Thanks

Hong

[deathadder]

You need the usb-storage module as well.

[hongman]

I swear I enabled it...

I'll check again. :)

[hongman]

I did. See attached.

I also have SCSI Support turned on, and SCSI Disk Support as well.

Any suggestions now?

[mrBen]

modprobe usb-storage

and run the hotplug daemon.

[hongman]

Thanks.

That loaded usb-storage.

As for hotplug, I just typed 'hotplug'...??


We shall see if it works when I get in. Should I just browse to sda1 like I used to, or do i have to mount it manually, etc?

[deathadder]

You can either use 'mount -a' this mounts, or remounts all the mount points in /etc/fstab. If you haven't got /dev/sda1 in your fstab your going to have to do it all manually.

[hongman]

Well I do have /dev/sda1 in my fstab, so hopefully I can just add:

modprobe usb-storage
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/sda1


in my startup script.

Does this sound ok? I'll be able to tell soon if it actually works :)

Hong

[deathadder]

I'm guessing thats this is for Knoppix / Debian, from your sig. If so add usb-storage, and any other modules to /etc/modules. Other distro's have the same, the file may be a different name though. The line in your /etc/fstab should let you mount it with 'mount /mnt/sda1'

/etc/fstab
/dev/sda1 /mnt/Storage vfat noauto,umask=0 0 0

By your startup script did you mean /etc/modules and /etc/fstab or something else like rc.d?

[hongman]

Thanks deathadder. All Done.

Now all that is left is to get home, plug my pen drive in and confirm it works!!

Hong

[hongman]

This is really wierd.

Ok. So I stick in my cardreader, and type mount /mnt/sda1.

No errors.

Browsed to it, permission denied. So I did it as root and hurray!! its all there.

So then try moving to another USB port and seeing if I could mount it as sdb1. Couldnt do it. Moved it back to the first port, and it says its all mounted and stuff, but an ls brings up nothing...

So I umounted it, remounted it, invalid block device. WHAT???

So I redid that a few times, and now it says its mounted except it wont read anything, nor let me write to it...

Whats going on?

How do I troubelshoot this?

[deathadder]

How about /var/log/dmesg or kern.log?

[hongman]

hi all

i dunno whats happened, but all i did after my last post was turn my PC off.

Jusdt turned it back on, pluged in my card reader, opened up a xterm and typed mount /mnt/sda1. I then open up /mnt/sda1 and bingo there it was.

I'm not touching it now, it works, I'll leave it well alone!!

Thanks all

Hong

Ps you can mark it solved :)

[hongman]

This is really annoying me now :mad:

So like I said, I got it to work.

To test it further, I unplugged the card reader, did a umount /mnt/sda1, plugged my pen drive in and remounted it.

Nothing. The folder shows as empty. I tried copying a file to the pen drive since it is actually empty, and I got a Disk is Full message.

Umounted, upon remount guess what? Not a valid block device.

What the hell is going on?

Why is this so difficult? USB is supposed to be easy, PnP, this isnt plug and play!! This is plug and stress!

:mad: :mad:

Rant over. So how does this work? Is there anyway to get it to work like its supposed to, and I hate to say it, but work like it does in XP? Has anybody got it working like that?

Thanks for bearing with me

Hong

[deathadder]

Are you unplugging it then running 'umount /mnt/sda1' ?

If so the kernel might still think that the card reader or pen drive is there, but because you pulled it out, when you go to view it, theres nothing there.

Not that my answer is based on anything more than my own thoughts ;)

[hongman]

To be honest I cant remember :p

How would I 'reset it', wihout rebooting?

I tried a simple umount but its still screwed it up.

Is there anyway to get it to be true plug and play? Hot pluggable?

[hongman]

drive cache: write through
sdb: sdb1
Attached scsi removable disk sdb at scsi1, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
usb-storage: device scan complete
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 491) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 492) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 493) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 494) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 495) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 496) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 497) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 498) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 499) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 500) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 501) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 502) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 503) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 504) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 505) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 506) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 507) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 508) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 509) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 510) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 511) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 512) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 513) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 514) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 515) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 516) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 517) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 518) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 519) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 520) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 521) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 522) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 491) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 492) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 493) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 494) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 495) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 496) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 497) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 498) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 499) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 500) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 501) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 502) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
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scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 504) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 505) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
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scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 507) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 508) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 509) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 510) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 511) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 512) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 513) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 514) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 515) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 516) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 517) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 518) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 519) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 520) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 521) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 522) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 491) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 492) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 493) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 494) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 495) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 496) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 497) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 498) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 499) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 500) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 501) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 502) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 503) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 504) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 505) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 506) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 507) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 508) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 509) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 510) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 511) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 512) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 513) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 514) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 515) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 516) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 517) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 518) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 519) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 520) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 521) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 522) failed
usb 2-3: USB disconnect, address 3
usb 2-3: new full speed USB device using ohci_hcd and address 4
scsi2 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
usb-storage: device found at 4
usb-storage: waiting for device to settle before scanning
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 491) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 492) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 493) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 494) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 495) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 496) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 497) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 498) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 499) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 500) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 501) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 502) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 503) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 504) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 505) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
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scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 507) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 508) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 509) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 510) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 511) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 512) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 513) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 514) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 515) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 516) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 517) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 518) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 519) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 520) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 521) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 522) failed
Vendor: Generic Model: USB CF Reader Rev: 2.00
Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 00
SCSI device sdb: 1000944 512-byte hdwr sectors (512 MB)
sdb: assuming Write Enabled
sdb: assuming drive cache: write through
SCSI device sdb: 1000944 512-byte hdwr sectors (512 MB)
sdb: assuming Write Enabled
sdb: assuming drive cache: write through
sdb: sdb1
Attached scsi removable disk sdb at scsi2, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
usb-storage: device scan complete
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 491) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 492) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 493) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 494) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 495) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 496) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 497) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 498) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 499) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 500) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 501) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 502) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 503) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 504) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 505) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 506) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 507) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 508) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 509) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 510) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 511) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 512) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 513) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 514) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 515) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 516) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 517) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 518) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 519) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 520) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 521) failed
scsi0 (0:0): rejecting I/O to dead device
FAT: Directory bread(block 522) failed
usb 2-3: USB disconnect, address 4
usb 1-3: new full speed USB device using ohci_hcd and address 2
scsi3 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
usb-storage: device found at 2
usb-storage: waiting for device to settle before scanning
Vendor: Generic Model: USB CF Reader Rev: 2.00
Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 00
SCSI device sda: 1000944 512-byte hdwr sectors (512 MB)
sda: assuming Write Enabled
sda: assuming drive cache: write through
SCSI device sda: 1000944 512-byte hdwr sectors (512 MB)
sda: assuming Write Enabled
sda: assuming drive cache: write through
sda: sda1
Attached scsi removable disk sda at scsi3, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
usb-storage: device scan complete
usb 1-3: USB disconnect, address 2
usb 2-3: new full speed USB device using ohci_hcd and address 5
scsi4 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
usb-storage: device found at 5
usb-storage: waiting for device to settle before scanning
Vendor: Generic Model: USB CF Reader Rev: 2.00
Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 00
SCSI device sda: 1000944 512-byte hdwr sectors (512 MB)
sda: assuming Write Enabled
sda: assuming drive cache: write through
SCSI device sda: 1000944 512-byte hdwr sectors (512 MB)
sda: assuming Write Enabled
sda: assuming drive cache: write through
sda: sda1
Attached scsi removable disk sda at scsi4, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
usb-storage: device scan complete

[hongman]

Ok, that tells me that it sees my devices, and not much else I can gather from that (apart from LOADSA errors)...

What does it tell you, guru's?

[deathadder]

Mandrake, uses Supermount, I believe it is, which does what you want for cdrom drives. I dont see why it wouldnt work for usb devices. You could probably patch your kernel. As for all the output I dont know what it means, sorry.

[hongman]

Ok thats wierd, I think i have come to a conclusion.

I just tried remounting it, and it worked. Looks like it needs some settling in time to work...???

[hongman]

UPDATE:

i ran umount, THEN unplugged, plugged in my Pen Drive and mounted, it worked.

What gives? Bit tempermental.

I dunno whether to laugh or cry!

[deathadder]

Using umount first, safely stops the drive. The kernel could still be reading or writing to the device even though your not. So using umount stops any processes that are using the drive and cleans up afterwards. But that doesnt happen when you just pull the drive out, so the kernel is left in a inconsistant state. Which could cause the problems you've been having.

If thats not right, can someone please correct me:)

[hongman]

Sounds about right.

I also looked up on Supermount, there's a debian package available, although for the 2.6.2 kernel. Useable on my 2.6 kernel you think?

[deathadder]

I wouldnt like to say, I've got no idea whats actually change between the 2.6.2 and .11 releases. Ypu could try looking on the site for a update of the package, or did you find it via apt?

[hongman]

I looked on the site...didnt try thru apt.

Anyways, I'm gonna concentrate on getting to grips with avidmux now for my movies. Video editing/transcoding in Linux is a damn site harder than Windoze!

[XiaoKJ]

Ok, I read that you saw usbdevfs complaining in your bootup sequence. its called usbfs now.

post /etc/fstab, the whole file to us. and probably your kernel configfile too. and to your usb entries in fstab, add sync to the options that will resolve the problems with inconsistent file system in the drive, but not the kernel. At least your files will be intact after you remove your drive.

[bwkaz]

Originally posted by XiaoKJ
and to your usb entries in fstab, add sync to the options that will resolve the problems with inconsistent file system in the drive, but not the kernel. At least your files will be intact after you remove your drive. However, this will slow down every file write that happens on the device (and quite possibly a lot of reads too).

Considering you can flush the data to the device with a umount before removing it, why shouldn't you only pay the penalty once (at umount time), instead of every time anything gets written to the device?

[hongman]

Ok, USB is working fine now, with the exception of a few niggles:

1) I have to make sure I umount before I remove the drive, but its no biggie. Prefer hotpluggable but...

2)Sometimes I have to wait 10-15 mins before it will let me do a umount, due to 'device is busy'.

And thats about it...

[XiaoKJ]

Originally posted by hongman
Ok, USB is working fine now, with the exception of a few niggles:

1) I have to make sure I umount before I remove the drive, but its no biggie. Prefer hotpluggable but...

2)Sometimes I have to wait 10-15 mins before it will let me do a umount, due to 'device is busy'.

And thats about it... If you add sync, you can forget abt umount, although you are supposed to do it in both linux and windows. but it will speed up umount because of the sync (at the expense of continuoual lag while writing)