Okay, I did a search of the forums and couldn't find anything so maybe I am the only one who has this issue.

I have a WD2500XMS(or so it says) and need it to run. I am running Ubuntu 10.04 on an old IBM thinkpad z60t. I have automount disabled but that shouldn't keep me from even seeing the drive. When I run fdisk -l I only get my internal HD on the list. when I run lsusb I get:
user@Thinkpad:~$ lsusb
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 003: ID 0483:2016 SGS Thomson Microelectronics Fingerprint Reader
Bus 004 Device 002: ID 0a5c:2110 Broadcom Corp. Bluetooth Controller
Bus 004 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 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

aka: NADA

Then I realized that most (if not all) external drives are NTFS so I did sudo fdisk -l | grep NTFS | awk '{print $1}'

Again: ZILCH

But the little light on the drive is on and I hear the little bugger whir to life when it's plugged in so I know SOME form of communication is taking place. Is there a more hardcore way to probe this device to see it?

Additional info:
I rebooted and pulled up the device boot list and it wasn't on it (EVERY usb drive I have ever plugged in gets recognized). I am beginning to think I have a cable problem, but, if I did, would the dern thing even come on?

Hello,

When you plug it in, have you looked at your dmesg and/or /var/log/messages output for any debug information? When you plug your device in, you will get output within one of the two, if not both, of what is happening when you plug it in.

Cheers,

Josh

DOH
Should have thought of that! Here's dmesg for usb:

384.452064] usb 3-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 10
[ 384.572049] usb 3-1: device descriptor read/64, error -71
[ 384.796060] usb 3-1: device descriptor read/64, error -71
[ 385.012049] usb 3-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 11
[ 385.132070] usb 3-1: device descriptor read/64, error -71
[ 385.356049] usb 3-1: device descriptor read/64, error -71
[ 385.572048] usb 3-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 12
[ 385.980046] usb 3-1: device not accepting address 12, error -71
[ 386.092060] usb 3-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 13
[ 386.500051] usb 3-1: device not accepting address 13, error -71
[ 386.500081] hub 3-0:1.0: unable to enumerate USB device on port 1

googling usb 3-1: device descriptor read/64, error -71 only confuses me because it seems to be a driver/device issue with a slough of devices. However, googling just usb error 71 takes me to another thread from this very site.

Should I try: echo -1 >/sys/module/usbcore/parameters/autosuspend ... ?

P.S. Thanks for the quick response!

You can also try anything.... But looking at that output makes me want to ask something.... Is your device a USB 3.0 device? And what type of USB ports does your system have? 3.0, or 2.0?

It's definitely 2.0 and 1.0 (or so lsusb tells me)


is that really my problem?! I dont have usb 3.0?

I was only asking because I had similar problems because of the 3.0 specifications. That aside though.... I would try the autosuspend trick that you mentioned before because I was going to suggest that also. Report back and let me know what happens man.

Ah, well it didn't work. However, I now have a new dmesg output:

[ 66.556032] usb 2-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 10
[ 66.692030] usb 2-1: device descriptor read/64, error -71
[ 66.916051] usb 2-1: device descriptor read/64, error -71
[ 67.136875] usb 2-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 11
[ 67.260031] usb 2-1: device descriptor read/64, error -71
[ 67.484036] usb 2-1: device descriptor read/64, error -71
[ 67.700043] usb 2-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 12
[ 68.108025] usb 2-1: device not accepting address 12, error -71
[ 68.220055] usb 2-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 13
[ 68.632044] usb 2-1: device not accepting address 13, error -71
[ 68.632059] hub 2-0:1.0: unable to enumerate USB device on port 1

Instead of usb 3-1 it says 2-1. I am a little confused now.

USB HD was not seen......
Actually the USB was not seen, due to «Quick Boot» being activated in the BIOS

I have the same problem as wLancer, with some of my USB devices;
I don't understand Robert Leleu's reply,
or how it can be used to answer wLancer's question.
John Koval

It was just to say that your problem was due to some BIOS action, which I suspect in some case to start before the detection of external USB devices.
S playing with some of its options could be of some help.

Hi,
Actually the <Quiet Boot> option is for the BIOS not the Kernel. With Quiet boot set to on you will not see the POST(Power On self Test) message information or just a limited abbreviated version.

My suggestion to you is create a New thread with your problem and associated data to help us aid you in diagnosis of the problem/query.

FYI: I suggest that you look at 'How to Ask Questions the Smart Way' so in the future your queries provide information that will aid us in diagnosis of the problem or query.