Hello,
I'm having nasty problems with my external HD on RHES 3.
uname -a
Linux devlin 2.4.21-37.ELsmp #1 SMP
lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation E7520 Memory Controller Hub (rev 09)
00:00.1 Class ff00: Intel Corporation E7525/E7520 Error Reporting Registers (rev 09)
00:02.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation E7525/E7520/E7320 PCI Express Port A (rev 09)
00:03.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation E7525/E7520/E7320 PCI Express Port A1 (rev 09)
00:04.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation E7525/E7520 PCI Express Port B (rev 09)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge (rev c2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 02)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) IDE Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801EB (ICH5) SATA Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) SMBus Controller (rev 02)
01:00.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6700PXH PCI Express-to-PCI Bridge A
01:00.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6700PXH PCI Express-to-PCI Bridge B
02:0c.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Rage XL (rev 27)
03:0c.0 RAID bus controller: Adaptec ASC-39320(B) U320 w/HostRAID (rev 10)
03:0c.1 RAID bus controller: Adaptec ASC-39320(B) U320 w/HostRAID (rev 10)
03:0d.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82557/8/9 [Ethernet Pro 100] (rev 0d)
03:0e.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82545GM Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 04)
06:0d.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82557/8/9 [Ethernet Pro 100] (rev 0d)

lsmod
Module Size Used by Tainted: GF
usb-storage 74944 1
ehci-hcd 20776 0 (unused)
oracleasm 15312 1
autofs4 16888 0 (autoclean) (unused)
ipt_pkttype 984 0 (autoclean)
ipt_owner 2392 0 (autoclean)
ipt_multiport 1176 0 (autoclean)
ipt_conntrack 1688 0 (autoclean)
iptable_mangle 2776 0 (autoclean)
ip_nat_irc 3056 0 (unused)
ip_nat_tftp 2704 0 (unused)
ip_nat_ftp 3920 0 (unused)
iptable_nat 22776 3 [ip_nat_irc ip_nat_tftp ip_nat_ftp]
ip_conntrack_irc 4208 1 [ip_nat_irc]
ip_conntrack_tftp 2672 1
ip_conntrack_ftp 5392 1 [ip_nat_ftp]
e100 31336 1
ipt_REJECT 4632 1 (autoclean)
ipt_state 1080 2 (autoclean)
ip_conntrack 29768 6 (autoclean) [ipt_conntrack ip_nat_irc ip_nat_tftp ip_nat_ftp iptable_nat ip_conntrack_irc ip_conntrack_tftp ip_conntrack_ftp ipt_state]
iptable_filter 2412 1 (autoclean)
ip_tables 16544 11 [ipt_pkttype ipt_owner ipt_multiport ipt_conntrack iptable_mangle iptable_nat ipt_REJECT ipt_state iptable_filter]
sg 37388 0 (autoclean)
microcode 6912 0 (autoclean)
ide-cd 34016 0 (autoclean)
cdrom 32896 0 (autoclean) [ide-cd]
loop 12728 0 (autoclean)
keybdev 2944 0 (unused)
mousedev 5656 0 (unused)
input 6176 0 [keybdev mousedev]
usbcore 81152 1 [usb-storage ehci-hcd]
ext3 90088 8
jbd 55380 8 [ext3]
lvm-mod 65568 6
ata_piix 5384 0
scsi_dump_register 2368 0 [ata_piix]
libata 47324 0 [ata_piix]
aic79xx 188956 9
diskdumplib 5260 0 [aic79xx]
sd_mod 14160 20
scsi_mod 115756 5 [usb-storage sg ata_piix libata aic79xx sd_mod]
---end ---

Description of the problem :
external drive has one partition, FS is EXT3, size 200G.
i plug it in, load usb_core and ehci moduls - everything works smooth.
after running a backup to this drive it comes back with usb_control/bulk_msg: timeout

and it seems usb subsystem crashes after this.
the "workaround" : to umount the drive, rmmod the usb_cor and ehci, switch off the drive. load the modules, switch on the drive...
Please see the log:

-- start ----
Jan 25 14:03:05 devlin kernel: usb.c: deregistering driver usb-storage
Jan 25 14:03:05 devlin kernel: scsi : 4 hosts left.
Jan 25 14:03:29 devlin kernel: ehci-hcd 00:1d.7: Intel Corp. 82801EB USB2
Jan 25 14:03:29 devlin kernel: ehci-hcd 00:1d.7: irq 23, pci mem f88cf800
Jan 25 14:03:29 devlin kernel: usb.c: new USB bus registered, assigned bus number 1
Jan 25 14:03:29 devlin kernel: ehci-hcd 00:1d.7: enabled 64bit PCI DMA
Jan 25 14:03:29 devlin kernel: ehci-hcd 00:1d.7: USB 2.0 enabled, EHCI 1.00, driver 2003-Jan-22
Jan 25 14:03:29 devlin kernel: hub.c: USB hub found
Jan 25 14:03:29 devlin kernel: hub.c: 8 ports detected
Jan 25 14:03:32 devlin /etc/hotplug/usb.agent: Setup usbcore for USB product 0/0/204
Jan 25 14:03:32 devlin /etc/hotplug/usb.agent: Setup usbcore for USB product 0/0/204
Jan 25 14:03:32 devlin devlabel: devlabel's temporary ignore list /etc/sysconfig/devlabel.d/ignore_list has been emptied due to a change in device configuration.
Jan 25 14:03:34 devlin devlabel: devlabel service started/restarted
Jan 25 14:03:34 devlin devlabel: The device /dev/sde is being put in devlabel's temporary ignore list /etc/sysconfig/devlabel.d/ignore_list to avoid errors.
Jan 25 14:03:34 devlin devlabel: The symlink /dev/usb_hd -> /dev/sde is being ignored in /etc/sysconfig/devlabel because the correct device cannot be found.
Jan 25 14:03:52 devlin kernel: hub.c: new USB device 00:1d.7-5, assigned address 2
Jan 25 14:03:52 devlin kernel: usb.c: USB device 2 (vend/prod 0x5e3/0x702) is not claimed by any active driver.
Jan 25 14:03:55 devlin /etc/hotplug/usb.agent: Setup usb-storage for USB product 5e3/702/33
Jan 25 14:03:55 devlin kernel: Initializing USB Mass Storage driver...
Jan 25 14:03:55 devlin kernel: usb.c: registered new driver usb-storage
Jan 25 14:03:55 devlin kernel: scsi4 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Jan 25 14:03:55 devlin kernel: Vendor: ST320082 Model: 2A Rev: 0811
Jan 25 14:03:55 devlin kernel: Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 02
Jan 25 14:03:55 devlin kernel: Attached scsi disk sde at scsi4, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
Jan 25 14:03:55 devlin kernel: SCSI device sde: 390721968 512-byte hdwr sectors (200050 MB)
Jan 25 14:03:55 devlin kernel: sde: unknown partition table
Jan 25 14:03:55 devlin kernel: USB Mass Storage support registered.
Jan 25 14:03:55 devlin devlabel: devlabel's temporary ignore list /etc/sysconfig/devlabel.d/ignore_list has been emptied due to a change in device configuration.
Jan 25 14:03:57 devlin devlabel: devlabel service started/restarted
Jan 25 14:04:06 devlin kernel: kjournald starting. Commit interval 5 seconds
Jan 25 14:04:06 devlin kernel: EXT3 FS 2.4-0.9.19, 19 August 2002 on sd(8,64), internal journal
Jan 25 14:04:06 devlin kernel: EXT3-fs: recovery complete.
Jan 25 14:04:06 devlin kernel: EXT3-fs: mounted filesystem with ordered data mode.
Jan 25 14:13:30 devlin kernel: kjournald starting. Commit interval 5 seconds
Jan 25 14:13:30 devlin kernel: EXT3 FS 2.4-0.9.19, 19 August 2002 on sd(8,64), internal journal
Jan 25 14:13:30 devlin kernel: EXT3-fs: mounted filesystem with ordered data mode.
Jan 25 14:14:07 devlin su(pam_unix)[4776]: session closed for user root
Jan 25 14:39:06 devlin kernel: usb_control/bulk_msg: timeout
Jan 25 14:39:26 devlin last message repeated 2 times
Jan 25 14:39:26 devlin kernel: hub.c: USB device not accepting new address (error=-71)
Jan 25 14:39:31 devlin kernel: scsi: device set offline - not ready or command retry failed after bus reset: host 4 channel 0 id 0 lun 0
Jan 25 14:39:31 devlin kernel: SCSI disk error : host 4 channel 0 id 0 lun 0 return code = 70000
Jan 25 14:39:31 devlin kernel: I/O error: dev 08:40, sector 53939472
Jan 25 14:39:31 devlin kernel: I/O error: dev 08:40, sector 53939480
Jan 25 14:39:31 devlin kernel: I/O error: dev 08:40, sector 53939720
Jan 25 14:39:31 devlin kernel: I/O error: dev 08:40, sector 53939968
Jan 25 14:39:31 devlin kernel: I/O error: dev 08:40, sector 54001664
Jan 25 14:39:31 devlin kernel: I/O error: dev 08:40, sector 53940216
Jan 25 14:39:31 devlin kernel: EXT3-fs error (device sd(8,64)): read_block_bitmap: Cannot read block bitmap - block_group = 206, block_bitmap = 6750208
Jan 25 14:39:31 devlin kernel: I/O error: dev 08:40, sector 53940464
-- cut ---
an 25 14:39:36 devlin kernel: ext3_abort called.
Jan 25 14:39:36 devlin kernel: EXT3-fs abort (device sd(8,64)): ext3_journal_start: Detected aborted journal
Jan 25 14:39:36 devlin kernel: Remounting filesystem read-only
Jan 25 14:39:37 devlin kernel: EXT3-fs error (device sd(8,64)) in start_transaction: Journal has aborted
Jan 25 14:39:37 devlin last message repeated 8 times
Jan 25 14:39:37 devlin kernel: I/O error: dev 08:40, sector 34607120
Jan 25 14:39:37 devlin kernel: EXT3-fs error (device sd(8,64)) in start_transaction: Journal has aborted
Jan 25 14:39:37 devlin last message repeated 6 times
--cut--
Jan 25 14:48:20 devlin kernel: usb.c: USB disconnect on device 00:1d.7-5 address 2
Jan 25 14:48:20 devlin devlabel: devlabel's temporary ignore list /etc/sysconfig/devlabel.d/ignore_list has been emptied due to a change in device configuration.
Jan 25 14:48:22 devlin devlabel: The device /dev/sde is being put in devlabel's temporary ignore list /etc/sysconfig/devlabel.d/ignore_list to avoid errors.
Jan 25 14:48:23 devlin devlabel: devlabel service started/restarted
Jan 25 14:48:23 devlin devlabel: The symlink /dev/usb_hd -> /dev/sde is being ignored in /etc/sysconfig/devlabel because the correct device cannot be found.
Jan 25 14:48:37 devlin kernel: hub.c: new USB device 00:1d.7-5, assigned address 3
Jan 25 14:48:40 devlin /etc/hotplug/usb.agent: Setup usb-storage for USB product 5e3/702/33
Jan 25 14:48:40 devlin devlabel: devlabel's temporary ignore list /etc/sysconfig/devlabel.d/ignore_list has been emptied due to a change in device configuration.
Jan 25 14:48:42 devlin devlabel: The device /dev/sde is being put in devlabel's temporary ignore list /etc/sysconfig/devlabel.d/ignore_list to avoid errors.
Jan 25 14:48:42 devlin devlabel: devlabel service started/restarted
Jan 25 14:48:42 devlin devlabel: The symlink /dev/usb_hd -> /dev/sde is being ignored in /etc/sysconfig/devlabel because the correct device cannot be found.
Jan 25 14:48:44 devlin kernel: usb.c: USB disconnect on device 00:1d.7-5 address 3
Jan 25 14:48:44 devlin devlabel: devlabel's temporary ignore list /etc/sysconfig/devlabel.d/ignore_list has been emptied due to a change in device configuration.
Jan 25 14:48:46 devlin devlabel: The device /dev/sde is being put in devlabel's temporary ignore list /etc/sysconfig/devlabel.d/ignore_list to avoid errors.
Jan 25 14:48:46 devlin devlabel: devlabel service started/restarted
Jan 25 14:48:46 devlin devlabel: The symlink /dev/usb_hd -> /dev/sde is being ignored in /etc/sysconfig/devlabel because the correct device cannot be found.
Jan 25 14:49:05 devlin kernel: ehci-hcd 00:1d.7: remove state 1
Jan 25 14:49:05 devlin kernel: usb.c: USB disconnect on device 00:1d.7-0 address 1
Jan 25 14:49:05 devlin kernel: usb.c: USB bus 1 deregistered
Jan 25 14:49:05 devlin kernel: usb.c: deregistering driver usb-storage
Jan 25 14:49:05 devlin kernel: scsi : 4 hosts left.
Jan 25 14:49:05 devlin devlabel: devlabel's temporary ignore list /etc/sysconfig/devlabel.d/ignore_list has been emptied due to a change in device configuration.
Jan 25 14:49:07 devlin devlabel: devlabel service started/restarted
Jan 25 14:49:07 devlin devlabel: The device /dev/sde is being put in devlabel's temporary ignore list /etc/sysconfig/devlabel.d/ignore_list to avoid errors.
Jan 25 14:49:07 devlin devlabel: The symlink /dev/usb_hd -> /dev/sde is being ignored in /etc/sysconfig/devlabel because the correct device cannot be found.
Jan 25 14:49:56 devlin kernel: ehci-hcd 00:1d.7: Intel Corp. 82801EB USB2
Jan 25 14:49:56 devlin kernel: ehci-hcd 00:1d.7: irq 23, pci mem f88cf800
Jan 25 14:49:56 devlin kernel: usb.c: new USB bus registered, assigned bus number 1
Jan 25 14:49:56 devlin kernel: ehci-hcd 00:1d.7: enabled 64bit PCI DMA
Jan 25 14:49:56 devlin kernel: ehci-hcd 00:1d.7: USB 2.0 enabled, EHCI 1.00, driver 2003-Jan-22
Jan 25 14:49:56 devlin kernel: hub.c: USB hub found
Jan 25 14:49:56 devlin kernel: hub.c: 8 ports detected
Jan 25 14:49:59 devlin /etc/hotplug/usb.agent: Setup usbcore for USB product 0/0/204
Jan 25 14:49:59 devlin /etc/hotplug/usb.agent: Setup usbcore for USB product 0/0/204
Jan 25 14:49:59 devlin devlabel: devlabel's temporary ignore list /etc/sysconfig/devlabel.d/ignore_list has been emptied due to a change in device configuration.
Jan 25 14:50:01 devlin devlabel: devlabel service started/restarted
Jan 25 14:50:01 devlin devlabel: The device /dev/sde is being put in devlabel's temporary ignore list /etc/sysconfig/devlabel.d/ignore_list to avoid errors.
Jan 25 14:50:01 devlin devlabel: The symlink /dev/usb_hd -> /dev/sde is being ignored in /etc/sysconfig/devlabel because the correct device cannot be found.
Jan 25 14:50:22 devlin kernel: hub.c: new USB device 00:1d.7-5, assigned address 2
Jan 25 14:50:22 devlin kernel: usb.c: USB device 2 (vend/prod 0x5e3/0x702) is not claimed by any active driver.
Jan 25 14:50:25 devlin /etc/hotplug/usb.agent: Setup usb-storage for USB product 5e3/702/33
Jan 25 14:50:25 devlin kernel: Initializing USB Mass Storage driver...
Jan 25 14:50:25 devlin kernel: usb.c: registered new driver usb-storage
Jan 25 14:50:25 devlin kernel: scsi4 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Jan 25 14:50:25 devlin kernel: Vendor: ST320082 Model: 2A Rev: 0811
Jan 25 14:50:25 devlin kernel: Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 02
Jan 25 14:50:25 devlin kernel: Attached scsi disk sde at scsi4, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
Jan 25 14:50:25 devlin kernel: SCSI device sde: 390721968 512-byte hdwr sectors (200050 MB)
Jan 25 14:50:25 devlin kernel: sde: unknown partition table
Jan 25 14:50:25 devlin kernel: USB Mass Storage support registered.
Jan 25 14:50:25 devlin devlabel: devlabel's temporary ignore list /etc/sysconfig/devlabel.d/ignore_list has been emptied due to a change in device configuration.
Jan 25 14:50:27 devlin devlabel: devlabel service started/restarted
Jan 25 14:50:27 devlin kernel: kjournald starting. Commit interval 5 seconds
Jan 25 14:50:27 devlin kernel: EXT3 FS 2.4-0.9.19, 19 August 2002 on sd(8,64), internal journal
Jan 25 14:50:27 devlin kernel: EXT3-fs: recovery complete.
Jan 25 14:50:27 devlin kernel: EXT3-fs: mounted filesystem with ordered data mode.
-- cut --


!!!!!!!HELP!!!!!!!

not a single idea ?