Hello, I have a USB hard disk that I use to make backups of my system. Previously it has worked just fine. In fact it still does work fine on my work computer. Unfortunately, it is my home computer I am trying to backup, not my work computer. When I plug it it, it detects it fine. Then I try to mount the filesystem. The mount process hangs. Neither dmesg or /var/log/kern.log logs anything unusual. I can kill the mount process with ctrl-c, and the file system isn't mounted. I can then unplug the USB device if I so desire. Nothing is logged. However at this point the computer is "crashed", as if I type in "sync", the sync process hangs for ever too. If I wait long enough I get CPU x hung type messages. Shutdown won't work, I have to hard reboot the system. My working theory I have is that USB support on my motherboard may be dodgy. However this doesn't explain how the same drive has worked in the past, for the same computer, but suddenly doesn't work any more. Alternatively, maybe the entire motherboard is an unreliable piece of rubbish, and I should ditch it. Any ideas? This is running Ubuntu 12.04 64 bit. Thanks -- Brian May <brian@microcomaustralia.com.au>
On 2012-08-14 09:14, Brian May wrote:
Hello,
I have a USB hard disk that I use to make backups of my system. Previously it has worked just fine. In fact it still does work fine on my work computer. Unfortunately, it is my home computer I am trying to backup, not my work computer.
When I plug it it, it detects it fine. Then I try to mount the filesystem. The mount process hangs. Neither dmesg or /var/log/kern.log logs anything unusual. I can kill the mount process with ctrl-c, and the file system isn't mounted. I can then unplug the USB device if I so desire. Nothing is logged. However at this point the computer is "crashed", as if I type in "sync", the sync process hangs for ever too. If I wait long enough I get CPU x hung type messages. Shutdown won't work, I have to hard reboot the system.
My working theory I have is that USB support on my motherboard may be dodgy. However this doesn't explain how the same drive has worked in the past, for the same computer, but suddenly doesn't work any more.
Alternatively, maybe the entire motherboard is an unreliable piece of rubbish, and I should ditch it.
Any ideas?
This is running Ubuntu 12.04 64 bit.
I'd eliminate that particular OS installation as an issue first,; I personally would try booting a Debian Live USB key (or failing that, a CD), and then try mounting the HDD. -- Regards, Matthew Cengia
Matthew Cengia wrote:
On 2012-08-14 09:14, Brian May wrote:
Hello,
I have a USB hard disk that I use to make backups of my system. Previously it has worked just fine. In fact it still does work fine on my work computer. I know this is luv-main; but are you sure this is not some kind of USB networking thing?; the polite way to describe problems with USB hubs and networking would seem to be; "not robust; due to highly contingent functionality"; since replacing a USB connection to my Epson Artisan 725 printer; with an Ethernet connection via the router; I have pretty much given up on USB hubs altogether; regards Rohan McLeod
On 14 August 2012 16:56, Rohan McLeod <rhn@jeack.com.au> wrote:
I know this is luv-main; but are you sure this is not some kind of USB networking thing?;
The USB drive was plugged directly into the computer, so I doubt it... Could another USB device plugged into another port interfere? Have been assuming no, maybe I shouldn't be making this assumption? I have my keyboard/mouse plugged into a hub built into my monitor. They seem to work fine, even after the crash. Somebody else asked me for the output of lsusb, here it is: Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 006 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 001 Device 002: ID 05e3:0608 Genesys Logic, Inc. USB-2.0 4-Port HUB Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0000:0000 Bus 005 Device 002: ID 046d:0a0b Logitech, Inc. ClearChat Pro USB Bus 001 Device 005: ID 045e:0025 Microsoft Corp. IntelliEye Mouse Bus 001 Device 006: ID 413c:2003 Dell Computer Corp. Keyboard Bus 001 Device 007: ID 04e8:5f07 Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd dmesg, before mount attempt, says: Aug 14 18:42:17 andean kernel: [ 1804.364066] usb 1-8: new high-speed USB device number 7 using ehci_hcd Aug 14 18:42:17 andean kernel: [ 1804.559243] Initializing USB Mass Storage driver... Aug 14 18:42:17 andean kernel: [ 1804.559478] scsi14 : usb-storage 1-8:1.0 Aug 14 18:42:17 andean kernel: [ 1804.559645] usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage Aug 14 18:42:17 andean kernel: [ 1804.559649] USB Mass Storage support registered. Aug 14 18:42:17 andean kernel: [ 1804.579186] usbcore: registered new interface driver uas Aug 14 18:42:18 andean kernel: [ 1805.598181] scsi 14:0:0:0: Direct-Access Samsung STORY Station PQ: 0 ANSI: 2 CCS Aug 14 18:42:18 andean kernel: [ 1805.599231] sd 14:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg3 type 0 Aug 14 18:42:18 andean kernel: [ 1805.599797] sd 14:0:0:0: [sdc] 3907029168 512-byte logical blocks: (2.00 TB/1.81 TiB) Aug 14 18:42:18 andean kernel: [ 1805.600665] sd 14:0:0:0: [sdc] Write Protect is off Aug 14 18:42:18 andean kernel: [ 1805.600673] sd 14:0:0:0: [sdc] Mode Sense: 28 00 00 00 Aug 14 18:42:18 andean kernel: [ 1805.603281] sd 14:0:0:0: [sdc] No Caching mode page present Aug 14 18:42:18 andean kernel: [ 1805.603286] sd 14:0:0:0: [sdc] Assuming drive cache: write through Aug 14 18:42:18 andean kernel: [ 1805.605647] sd 14:0:0:0: [sdc] No Caching mode page present Aug 14 18:42:18 andean kernel: [ 1805.605653] sd 14:0:0:0: [sdc] Assuming drive cache: write through Aug 14 18:42:18 andean kernel: [ 1805.620046] sdc: sdc1 Aug 14 18:42:18 andean kernel: [ 1805.622653] sd 14:0:0:0: [sdc] No Caching mode page present Aug 14 18:42:18 andean kernel: [ 1805.622658] sd 14:0:0:0: [sdc] Assuming drive cache: write through Aug 14 18:42:18 andean kernel: [ 1805.622662] sd 14:0:0:0: [sdc] Attached SCSI disk Hmm... probably not related, but one of my SATA hard disks in my raid1 started generating ugly messages tonight: [...] Aug 14 18:16:50 andean kernel: [ 277.807131] ata1.00: failed command: WRITE FPDMA QUEUED Aug 14 18:16:50 andean kernel: [ 277.807139] ata1.00: cmd 61/20:68:04:63:54/00:00:0a:00:00/40 tag 13 ncq 16384 out Aug 14 18:16:50 andean kernel: [ 277.807141] res 40/00:6c:04:63:54/00:00:0a:00:00/40 Emask 0x1 (device error) Aug 14 18:16:50 andean kernel: [ 277.807145] ata1.00: status: { DRDY } Aug 14 18:16:50 andean kernel: [ 277.807398] ata1.00: both IDENTIFYs aborted, assuming NODEV Aug 14 18:16:50 andean kernel: [ 277.807401] ata1.00: revalidation failed (errno=-2) Aug 14 18:16:50 andean kernel: [ 277.807408] ata1: hard resetting link Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 278.296033] ata1: softreset failed (device not ready) Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 278.296041] ata1: applying PMP SRST workaround and retrying Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 278.468042] ata1: SATA link up 3.0 Gbps (SStatus 123 SControl 300) Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 278.468912] ata1.00: SB600 AHCI: limiting to 255 sectors per cmd Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 278.469837] ata1.00: SB600 AHCI: limiting to 255 sectors per cmd Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 278.469843] ata1.00: configured for UDMA/133 Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 278.484065] ata1: EH complete Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 278.486025] ata1: limiting SATA link speed to 1.5 Gbps Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 278.486032] ata1.00: exception Emask 0x50 SAct 0x7f0 SErr 0x400800 action 0x6 frozen Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 278.486037] ata1.00: irq_stat 0x08000000, interface fatal error Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 278.486043] ata1: SError: { HostInt Handshk } Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 278.486048] ata1.00: failed command: WRITE FPDMA QUEUED Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 278.486057] ata1.00: cmd 61/f8:20:94:1b:b0/00:00:04:00:00/40 tag 4 ncq 126976 out Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 278.486060] res 40/00:54:d4:85:1d/00:00:0d:00:00/40 Emask 0x50 (ATA bus error) [...] Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 278.486164] ata1.00: failed command: WRITE FPDMA QUEUED Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 278.486172] ata1.00: cmd 61/18:50:d4:85:1d/00:00:0d:00:00/40 tag 10 ncq 12288 out Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 278.486174] res 40/00:54:d4:85:1d/00:00:0d:00:00/40 Emask 0x50 (ATA bus error) Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 278.486179] ata1.00: status: { DRDY } Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 278.486185] ata1: hard resetting link Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 278.976022] ata1: softreset failed (device not ready) Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 278.976029] ata1: applying PMP SRST workaround and retrying Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 279.148051] ata1: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 310) Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 279.148931] ata1.00: SB600 AHCI: limiting to 255 sectors per cmd Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 279.149858] ata1.00: SB600 AHCI: limiting to 255 sectors per cmd Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 279.149863] ata1.00: configured for UDMA/133 Aug 14 18:16:51 andean kernel: [ 279.164052] ata1: EH complete Then it "came good". Yuck. -- Brian May <brian@microcomaustralia.com.au>
On 14 August 2012 18:52, Brian May <brian@microcomaustralia.com.au> wrote:
Could another USB device plugged into another port interfere? Have been assuming no, maybe I shouldn't be making this assumption? I have my keyboard/mouse plugged into a hub built into my monitor. They seem to work fine, even after the crash.
Ok, so I unplugged this USB HUB, and another one, instead plugging in the keyboard and mouse directly, and everything seems to work this time. Coincidence? -- Brian May <brian@microcomaustralia.com.au>
Brian May wrote:
On 14 August 2012 18:52, Brian May <brian@microcomaustralia.com.au> wrote:
Could another USB device plugged into another port interfere? Have been assuming no, maybe I shouldn't be making this assumption? I have my keyboard/mouse plugged into a hub built into my monitor. They seem to work fine, even after the crash.
Ok, so I unplugged this USB HUB, and another one, instead plugging in the keyboard and mouse directly, and everything seems to work this time.
Coincidence?
[I haven't been paying attention to this thread, but...] If these are unpowered hubs, could it simply be the port doesn't have enough juice to run all the hubs and devices you plugged into it?
On Tue, Aug 14, 2012 at 9:24 AM, Trent W. Buck <trentbuck@gmail.com> wrote:
Ok, so I unplugged this USB HUB, and another one, instead plugging in the keyboard and mouse directly, and everything seems to work this time.
Coincidence?
[I haven't been paying attention to this thread, but...]
If these are unpowered hubs, could it simply be the port doesn't have enough juice to run all the hubs and devices you plugged into it?
That was the exact problem my friend had recently. He went from a desktop with 6 USB ports to a laptop with 2. He bought a cheap hub that was un-powered and had all sorts of problem. When I found out what he had done I replaced his cheap hub with a decent quality externally powered Belkin (IIRC) hub and all his problems went away -- Mark "Hiddensoul" Clohesy Mob Phone: (+61) 406 417 877 Email: hiddensoul@twistedsouls.com G-Talk: mark.clohesy@gmail.com - www.shed.twistedsouls.com - GNU/Linux.. Linux Counter #457297 "I would love to change the world, but they won't give me the source code" "Linux is user friendly...its just selective about who its friends are" "Never underestimate the bandwidth of a V8 station wagon full of tapes hurtling down the highway" "The difference between e-mail and regular mail is that computers handle e-mail, and computers never decide to come to work one day and shoot all the other computers"
On 14 August 2012 18:52, Brian May <brian@microcomaustralia.com.au> wrote:
Could another USB device plugged into another port interfere? Have been assuming no, maybe I shouldn't be making this assumption? I have my keyboard/mouse plugged into a hub built into my monitor. They seem to work fine, even after the crash.
Ok, so I unplugged this USB HUB, and another one, instead plugging in the keyboard and mouse directly, and everything seems to work this time.
Coincidence?
Is the device powered by USB or external power? Is there the opportunity to power it externally, or just use a 2 port attachment to draw more power? I have seen 2.5" drives that should be powered by USB fail on some machines but not others, presumably because they are drawing more current than they should. James
On 14 August 2012 20:03, James Harper <james.harper@bendigoit.com.au> wrote:
Is the device powered by USB or external power? Is there the opportunity to power it externally, or just use a 2 port attachment to draw more power?
External power for the hard disk. The only thing I can think of different when it stopped working is that this is the first time I plugged USB HUB on my monitor. Presumably it is also a powered hub, although it shouldn't matter, it was only driving a keyboard and mouse. -- Brian May <brian@microcomaustralia.com.au>
participants (6)
-
Brian May -
Hiddensoul (Mark Clohesy) -
James Harper -
Matthew Cengia -
Rohan McLeod -
Trent W. Buck