mp3 player (usb storage device) not detected on second insertion

[J. Bruce Fields]

Binary package hint: linux-image-2.6.28-9-generic

On current jaunty, first insertion of my mp3 player works, and results in a mount. On the second insertion, I get a dialog asking if I'd like to start rhythmbox, but it doesn't appear that a mass storage device is detected. Only rebooting my laptop will clear the problem.

In more detail; on first insertion, in dmesg I see:

[ 5286.404215] usb 7-1: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 2
[ 5286.540223] usb 7-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[ 5286.640215] Initializing USB Mass Storage driver...
[ 5286.640566] scsi5 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
[ 5286.640797] usb-storage: device found at 2
[ 5286.640803] usb-storage: waiting for device to settle before scanning
[ 5286.640808] usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage
[ 5286.640816] USB Mass Storage support registered.
[ 5287.014975] usb 7-1: usbfs: USBDEVFS_CONTROL failed cmd gvfs-gphoto2-vo rqt 192 rq 0 len 1000 ret -75
[ 5287.030840] usb 7-1: usbfs: USBDEVFS_CONTROL failed cmd gvfs-gphoto2-vo rqt 192 rq 0 len 1000 ret -75
[ 5291.640740] usb-storage: device scan complete
[ 5291.696826] scsi 5:0:0:0: Direct-Access Audio Player PQ: 0 ANSI: 0 CCS
[ 5291.736785] sd 5:0:0:0: [sdb] 2002432 512-byte hardware sectors: (1.02 GB/977 MiB)
[ 5291.757152] sd 5:0:0:0: [sdb] Write Protect is off
[ 5291.757159] sd 5:0:0:0: [sdb] Mode Sense: 3b 00 00 00
[ 5291.757165] sd 5:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through
[ 5291.799065] sd 5:0:0:0: [sdb] 2002432 512-byte hardware sectors: (1.02 GB/977 MiB)
[ 5291.799623] sd 5:0:0:0: [sdb] Write Protect is off
[ 5291.799630] sd 5:0:0:0: [sdb] Mode Sense: 3b 00 00 00
[ 5291.799636] sd 5:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through
[ 5291.799648] sdb: sdb1
[ 5291.802084] sd 5:0:0:0: [sdb] Attached SCSI removable disk
[ 5291.802229] sd 5:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg2 type 0

If I unmount, remove, then reinsert, or on any subsequent reconnection, I see:

[ 5664.690580] usb 7-1: USB disconnect, address 2
[ 5675.392213] usb 7-1: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 3
[ 5675.528428] usb 7-1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[ 5675.530672] scsi6 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
[ 5675.531211] usb-storage: device found at 3
[ 5675.531216] usb-storage: waiting for device to settle before scanning
[ 5675.947982] usb 7-1: usbfs: USBDEVFS_CONTROL failed cmd gvfs-gphoto2-vo rqt 192 rq 0 len 1000 ret -75
[ 5676.152090] usb 7-1: usbfs: USBDEVFS_CONTROL failed cmd gvfsd-gphoto2 rqt 192 rq 0 len 1000 ret -75
[ 5676.167484] usb 7-1: usbfs: USBDEVFS_CONTROL failed cmd gvfsd-gphoto2 rqt 192 rq 0 len 1000 ret -75

and get a dialog that says "You have just inserted a digitial audio player. Choose what application to launch. Select how to open "ALi Corp. Audio Player" and whether to perform this action..." etc.

[J. Bruce Fields (bfields-fieldses)]

Note also: this worked reliably under intrepid.

[J. Bruce Fields (bfields-fieldses)]

"Only rebooting my laptop will clear the problem."

Correction: I just noticed that plugging in a *different* usb-storage device (in my case a portable hard drive) will also temporarily clear the problem, so that the next connection of the mp3 player works as in the good case above (with subsequent connections failing again).

[J. Bruce Fields (bfields-fieldses)]

Correction to the correction: actually, it seems to be random; sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Removing and re-inserting enough times will eventually get me what I want.

And what's actually happening seems to be that the device supports both MTP and the usb mass storage protocol, and on insertion it gets mounted as one or the other--it's usb mass storage that I want, but I don't know how to ensure that's what I get every time.