Ubuntu 18.04 external USB hard drive performance 1/10th of 16.04

[Phil Stevenson]

I cannot get my external 8TB sata hard drive (attached via USB 3) to write faster than about 10 megabytes per second under Ubuntu 18.04. I have another that writes at the expected full speed or close enough (100+ MBps).

I have tried:

* Changing the enclosure from the stock to a new one
* Using usb-storage "quirks" options in modprobe conf files to work around any UAS incompatibilities with the bridge (many reports of the drive working at full performance when disabling UAS, no such luck for me)
* Checking the disk for errors
* Updating the kernel to the most recent mainline (4.18.6 at the time)
* Checking UEFI settings (I'm already on the most recent revision of the firmware)
* Applying all available updates
* Changing USB ports
* Checking dmesg for any obvious errors (dead end, I googled everything)

Again, a different external 3TB USB 3 drive does not have any write speed issues at all, so it's not the computer (Intel NUC7PJYH).

However, the very same drive in both of the enclosures I have used works *perfectly* in Ubuntu 16.04 on kernel 4.15.0-34 in both a live session and installed. I am not sure what the difference is between the two LTS versions that is causing this, but unfortunately I think I've reached the end of my know-how on this.

Thank you for your time, and please let me know what other information I can provide.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04
Package: linux-image-4.15.0-33-generic 4.15.0-33.36
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.15.0-33.36-generic 4.15.18
Uname: Linux 4.15.0-33-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.3
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse: Error: command ['fuser', '-v', '/dev/snd/by-path', '/dev/snd/hwC0D0', '/dev/snd/pcmC0D1p', '/dev/snd/pcmC0D0c', '/dev/snd/pcmC0D0p', '/dev/snd/controlC0', '/dev/snd/seq', '/dev/snd/timer'] failed with exit code 1:
CurrentDesktop: XFCE
Date: Tue Sep 11 18:33:46 2018
InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-09-06 (4 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS "Bionic Beaver" - Release amd64 (20180725)
Lsusb:
 Bus 002 Device 002: ID 174c:55aa ASMedia Technology Inc. ASM1051E SATA 6Gb/s bridge, ASM1053E SATA 6Gb/s bridge, ASM1153 SATA 3Gb/s bridge
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
 Bus 001 Device 003: ID 8087:0aaa Intel Corp.
 Bus 001 Device 002: ID 1997:2433
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
MachineType: Intel Corporation NUC7PJYH
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm-256color
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB:

ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.15.0-33-generic root=UUID=b40fd1a1-0de5-40bb-b598-7f4cd53daee1 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=1
PulseList: Error: command ['pacmd', 'list'] failed with exit code 1: No PulseAudio daemon running, or not running as session daemon.
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-4.15.0-33-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-4.15.0-33-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.173.1
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
WifiSyslog:

dmi.bios.date: 08/21/2018
dmi.bios.vendor: Intel Corp.
dmi.bios.version: JYGLKCPX.86A.0044.2018.0821.1915
dmi.board.name: NUC7JYB
dmi.board.vendor: Intel Corporation
dmi.board.version: J67969-401
dmi.chassis.type: 35
dmi.chassis.vendor: Intel Corporation
dmi.chassis.version: 2.0
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnIntelCorp.:bvrJYGLKCPX.86A.0044.2018.0821.1915:bd08/21/2018:svnIntelCorporation:pnNUC7PJYH:pvrJ67992-401:rvnIntelCorporation:rnNUC7JYB:rvrJ67969-401:cvnIntelCorporation:ct35:cvr2.0:
dmi.product.family: Intel NUC
dmi.product.name: NUC7PJYH
dmi.product.version: J67992-401
dmi.sys.vendor: Intel Corporation

[Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v4.19 kernel[0].

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.19-rc3

[Phil Stevenson (philstevenson25)]

Hi there,

Thank you for your response. As requested I tested the newest mainline kernel 4.19-rc3. Unfortunately the issue persists.

Something of note that I just discovered: A live session of 18.04 does NOT have this issue. The kernel version reported there is 4.15.0-29 (I think. Whatever ships on the amd64 ISO image). So I booted 18.04 to that kernel version during startup... and the issue is still there with that one external drive only. Another USB 3 thumb drive still writes at full performance (30 MB/s).

This makes me think it isn't a kernel issue but rather some other package that got updated.

[Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng)]

What filesystem does the external disk use?

[Phil Stevenson (philstevenson25)]

All of the tested disks use ext4.

On Fri, Sep 14, 2018 at 4:11 AM Kai-Heng Feng <email address hidden>
wrote:

> What filesystem does the external disk use?
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1792045
>
> Title:
> Ubuntu 18.04 external USB hard drive performance 1/10th of 16.04
>
> Status in linux package in Ubuntu:
> Confirmed
>
> Bug description:
> I cannot get my external 8TB sata hard drive (attached via USB 3) to
> write faster than about 10 megabytes per second under Ubuntu 18.04. I
> have another that writes at the expected full speed or close enough
> (100+ MBps).
>
> I have tried:
>
> * Changing the enclosure from the stock to a new one
> * Using usb-storage "quirks" options in modprobe conf files to work
> around any UAS incompatibilities with the bridge (many reports of the drive
> working at full performance when disabling UAS, no such luck for me)
> * Checking the disk for errors
> * Updating the kernel to the most recent mainline (4.18.6 at the time)
> * Checking UEFI settings (I'm already on the most recent revision of the
> firmware)
> * Applying all available updates
> * Changing USB ports
> * Checking dmesg for any obvious errors (dead end, I googled everything)
>
> Again, a different external 3TB USB 3 drive does not have any write
> speed issues at all, so it's not the computer (Intel NUC7PJYH).
>
> However, the very same drive in both of the enclosures I have used
> works *perfectly* in Ubuntu 16.04 on kernel 4.15.0-34 in both a live
> session and installed. I am not sure what the difference is between
> the two LTS versions that is causing this, but unfortunately I think
> I've reached the end of my know-how on this.
>
> Thank you for your time, and please let me know what other information
> I can provide.
>
> ProblemType: Bug
> DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04
> Package: linux-image-4.15.0-33-generic 4.15.0-33.36
> ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.15.0-33.36-generic 4.15.18
> Uname: Linux 4.15.0-33-generic x86_64
> ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.3
> Architecture: amd64
> AudioDevicesInUse: Error: command ['fuser', '-v', '/dev/snd/by-path',
> '/dev/snd/hwC0D0', '/dev/snd/pcmC0D1p', '/dev/snd/pcmC0D0c',
> '/dev/snd/pcmC0D0p', '/dev/snd/controlC0', '/dev/snd/seq',
> '/dev/snd/timer'] failed with exit code 1:
> CurrentDesktop: XFCE
> Date: Tue Sep 11 18:33:46 2018
> InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-09-06 (4 days ago)
> InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS "Bionic Beaver" - Release amd64
> (20180725)
> Lsusb:
> Bus 002 Device 002: ID 174c:55aa ASMedia Technology Inc. ASM1051E SATA
> 6Gb/s bridge, ASM1053E SATA 6Gb/s bridge, ASM1153 SATA 3Gb/s bridge
> Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
> Bus 001 Device 003: ID 8087:0aaa Intel Corp.
> Bus 001 Device 002: ID 1997:2433
> Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
> MachineType: Intel Corporation NUC7PJYH
> ProcEnviron:
> TERM=xterm-256color
> PATH=(custom, no user)
> LANG=en_US.UTF-8
> SHELL=/bin/bash
> ProcFB:
>
> ProcKernelCmdL...

[Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng)]

Would it be possible for you to do a kernel bisection?

First, find the last good -rc kernel and the first bad -rc kernel from http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/

Then,
$ sudo apt build-dep linux
$ git clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git
$ cd linux
$ git bisect start
$ git bisect good $(the good version you found)
$ git bisect bad $(the bad version found)
$ make localmodconfig
$ make -j`nproc` deb-pkg
Install the newly built kernel, then reboot with it.
If the issue still happens,
$ git bisect bad
Otherwise,
$ git bisect good
Repeat to "make -j`nproc` deb-pkg" until you find the commit that causes the regression.

[Phil Stevenson (philstevenson25)]

Hi there,

Sorry for the delayed reply. Yes, I can try that. I won't be able to get to
it until this weekend, though. I really appreciate the help! I'll report
back when I have more information.

Thanks again,
Phil

On Mon, Sep 17, 2018 at 1:40 AM Kai-Heng Feng <email address hidden>
wrote:

> Would it be possible for you to do a kernel bisection?
>
> First, find the last good -rc kernel and the first bad -rc kernel from
> http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/
>
> Then,
> $ sudo apt build-dep linux
> $ git clone git://
> git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git
> $ cd linux
> $ git bisect start
> $ git bisect good $(the good version you found)
> $ git bisect bad $(the bad version found)
> $ make localmodconfig
> $ make -j`nproc` deb-pkg
> Install the newly built kernel, then reboot with it.
> If the issue still happens,
> $ git bisect bad
> Otherwise,
> $ git bisect good
> Repeat to "make -j`nproc` deb-pkg" until you find the commit that causes
> the regression.
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1792045
>
> Title:
> Ubuntu 18.04 external USB hard drive performance 1/10th of 16.04
>
> Status in linux package in Ubuntu:
> Confirmed
>
> Bug description:
> I cannot get my external 8TB sata hard drive (attached via USB 3) to
> write faster than about 10 megabytes per second under Ubuntu 18.04. I
> have another that writes at the expected full speed or close enough
> (100+ MBps).
>
> I have tried:
>
> * Changing the enclosure from the stock to a new one
> * Using usb-storage "quirks" options in modprobe conf files to work
> around any UAS incompatibilities with the bridge (many reports of the drive
> working at full performance when disabling UAS, no such luck for me)
> * Checking the disk for errors
> * Updating the kernel to the most recent mainline (4.18.6 at the time)
> * Checking UEFI settings (I'm already on the most recent revision of the
> firmware)
> * Applying all available updates
> * Changing USB ports
> * Checking dmesg for any obvious errors (dead end, I googled everything)
>
> Again, a different external 3TB USB 3 drive does not have any write
> speed issues at all, so it's not the computer (Intel NUC7PJYH).
>
> However, the very same drive in both of the enclosures I have used
> works *perfectly* in Ubuntu 16.04 on kernel 4.15.0-34 in both a live
> session and installed. I am not sure what the difference is between
> the two LTS versions that is causing this, but unfortunately I think
> I've reached the end of my know-how on this.
>
> Thank you for your time, and please let me know what other information
> I can provide.
>
> ProblemType: Bug
> DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04
> Package: linux-image-4.15.0-33-generic 4.15.0-33.36
> ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.15.0-33.36-generic 4.15.18
> Uname: Linux 4.15.0-33-generic x86_64
> ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.3
> Architecture: amd64
> AudioDevicesInUse: Error: command ['fuser', '-v', '/dev/snd/by-path',
> '/dev/snd/hwC0D0', '/dev/snd/pcmC0D1p', '/dev/snd/pcmC0D0c',
> '/dev/snd/pcmC0D0p', '/dev/snd/con...

[Phil Stevenson (philstevenson25)]

Hello again! I apologize for never updating this bug report again. Right after my last response I had a series of bad life events one after another for a few months that kept me away.

I'm happy to report that this no longer seems like an issue for me in Ubuntu 18.04. USB speeds are maxing out the devices I've tested. Please close this submission.