USB-memory not detected during boot. But works later.

[LinuxSam]

Hi! (I'm using KNOPPIX 3.2 from 2003-03-30)

For some reason on my computer KNOPPIX refuses to detect my USB-memory that I want to use as a persistent homedirectory. I don't know the reason for this but maybe it has something to do with my SCSI-card or maybe my USB-mouse or my USB-scanner.

If, when KNOPPIX is done booting, I manually load the module usb-storage by typing modprobe usb-storage I have access to the device. But that is too late to use it as a persistent homedirectory. (after boot lsmod shows that the usb-storage module is NOT loaded)

Is there a way to force KNOPPIX to load the usb-storage module during boot?

On my friends computers it works without any problems.

My system:

AMD XP1500+
MSI K7T266 Pro2
256Mb DDR
2 x 80 Gb WD harddrives (hda and hdc)
1 x 18,3 Gb IBM UltraStar SCSI (sda)
1 x DVD-rom (hdb)
1 x PlexWriter SCSI (sr1)
1 x Plextor Ultraplex SCSI (sr0)
Tekram DC-390F (SCSI-card)
3Com Etherlink XL 100Mbit
PoV Geforce3 Ti200 128Mb DDR
AOpen AW744 (soundcard)
bt878-based TV-card (Hauppage)
Logitec MouseMan Dual Optical (USB-mouse)
Canon FB630 (USB-scanner)


/LinuxSam

[rickenbacherus]

Have a look at /etc/modules

[LinuxSam]

That works when I boot a regular system from harddrive yeah.
But it is kind of a problem when I boot KNOPPIX from CD. don't you think?

or have I missed something?


/LinuxSam

[rickenbacherus]

Well yes that's true. What I was getting at is; is it in there? Is it supposed to be loaded at boot? I thought it was. If it is then why isn't it loading? Does dmesg tell you anything about it.

[LinuxSam]

Ok... that's what you where after... I'll boot it and see what I get...

BRB... :-)

/LinuxSam

[LinuxSam]

Well, now I'm inside KNOPPIX and actually there is nothing inside /etc/modules atleast not any modules listed. Just some text.

dmesg only tells me:


hub.c: new USB device 00:11.2-2, assigned address 3
usb.c: USB device 3 (vend/prod 0xea0/0x6803) is not claimed by any active driver.

but when I load the module manually with modprobe usb-storage I get this:


Initializing USB Mass Storage driver...
usb.c: registered new driver usb-storage
scsi2 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Vendor: OTi Model: Flash Disk Rev: 1.11
Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 02
Attached scsi removable disk sdb at scsi2, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
SCSI device sdb: 258048 512-byte hdwr sectors (132 MB)
sdb: Write Protect is off
sdb: sdb1 sdb2
WARNING: USB Mass Storage data integrity not assured
USB Mass Storage device found at 3
USB Mass Storage support registered.

And that is what I get on my friends computers during boot. But for some reason on this computer it fails to detect it...

/LinuxSam

[garyng]

You are luckier than me, when I said "modprobe usb-storage", I get nothing. Well, at least now I know the my usb-storage module isn't doing the proper thing and don't need to blindly search around those /dev/sd?

Would any linux expert give me a hint on why usb-storage did nothing as supposed on my machine ?



but when I load the module manually with modprobe usb-storage I get this:


Initializing USB Mass Storage driver...
usb.c: registered new driver usb-storage
scsi2 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Vendor: OTi Model: Flash Disk Rev: 1.11
Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 02
Attached scsi removable disk sdb at scsi2, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
SCSI device sdb: 258048 512-byte hdwr sectors (132 MB)
sdb: Write Protect is off
sdb: sdb1 sdb2
WARNING: USB Mass Storage data integrity not assured
USB Mass Storage device found at 3
USB Mass Storage support registered.

And that is what I get on my friends computers during boot. But for some reason on this computer it fails to detect it...

/LinuxSam :cry: :cry: :cry:

[LinuxSam]

what do you get in your log when you unplug and plugin you USB-memory? anything?
if you get nothing, are you sure the USB-memory works? have you tried it in another OS? on another computer?

and I hope that you did the modprobe usb-storage with root priveliges, right?

/LinuxSam

[garyng]

This is what I got :



Initializing USB Mass Storage driver...
usb.c: registered new driver usb-storage
usb-uhci.c: interrupt, status 2, frame# 306
scsi1 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
WARNING: USB Mass Storage data integrity not assured
USB Mass Storage device found at 2
USB Mass Storage support registered.


The difference I see is that the usb-storage module refuse to assign it to a sd? device and if it is not strange enough, The KDE info center does tell me that there is a USB Compact flash & microdrive reader with the following information :



Vendor ID : 0x7c4(DataFab System Inc.)
Product ID : Oxa400(Compact Flash /Microdrive Reader)




what do you get in your log when you unplug and plugin you USB-memory? anything?
if you get nothing, are you sure the USB-memory works? have you tried it in another OS? on another computer?

and I hope that you did the modprobe usb-storage with root priveliges, right?

/LinuxSam

[LinuxSam]

you could ofcourse force the device to be detected as something else... by supplying options for the module.

Is the manufacturer information correct? or is that wrong too?

/LinuxSam

[garyng]

How do I force it to do the sd? assignment ? Comparing with your dmesg output, the usb-storage module somehow refuse to use the scsi emulation and assign sd? to my device.

As for the vendor information, I believe it is correct and most likely than not, the device I have is just a OEM device rebadge with its own brand(that is very common for these cheapo CF readers). And yes, I already have a CF inserted in the reader which in XP can read without any problem.

[LinuxSam]

Do you know anybody else that has got this device working because I found this on the web...

( CF-Reader ) ( Category: Mass Storage )
ID 0x07c4:0xa400
Driver usb-storage
Linux-USB link
Vendor link
Comment Does not work yet (kernel 2.4.19)

source: http://www.qbik.ch/usb/devices/search_res.php?pattern=0xa400

seems like your device but I'm not compleatly sure. If it is I guess you're out of luck for now. I guess that if you'r lucky support has been added since the 2.4.19 kernel or maybe it is added for the 2.4.21 kernel..

/LinuxSam

[garyng]

Thank you for the kind help. I am sure CF reader support is there some where as I tried google and there are pages mentioning how to do it(where all the modules mentioned has been there in KNOPPIX).

Seems that is another rather 'naive' design issue which may need to patch the source file with the specific vender/device id before the module can recognize the device and load the proper drivers. This is a very bad design IMO. M$(XP) on the other hand don't even care about the vendor/device ID so long it said it is a CF reader.