I've added three more USB sotrage devices, with the same result. (The original card reader, plus iRiver T50 MP3 player, Western Digital portable hard drive, and a Hanvon e-reader running OpenInkpot). Here's a transcript showing that none of these triggered usb-storage at boot time. (dmesg shows them only after 700 seconds, when I ran modprobe manually) $ lsusb Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub Bus 001 Device 003: ID 4102:1029 iRiver, Ltd. Bus 001 Device 004: ID 1058:0740 Western Digital Technologies, Inc. My Passport 1TB Bus 001 Device 005: ID 0525:a4a5 Netchip Technology, Inc. Linux-USB File Storage Gadget Bus 002 Device 003: ID 05e3:070e Genesys Logic, Inc. USB 2.0 Card Reader Bus 002 Device 004: ID 045e:0750 Microsoft Corp. Wired Keyboard 600 $ ls /dev/sd* /dev/sda /dev/sda1 /dev/sda5 /dev/sda6 $ $ sudo modprobe usb-storage [sudo] password for alan: $ $ ls /dev/sd* /dev/sda /dev/sda6 /dev/sdc1 /dev/sdc6 /dev/sdc9 /dev/sdf /dev/sdh1 /dev/sda1 /dev/sdb /dev/sdc10 /dev/sdc7 /dev/sdd /dev/sdg /dev/sdi /dev/sda5 /dev/sdc /dev/sdc5 /dev/sdc8 /dev/sde /dev/sdh $ $ $ dmesg|tail -n 100 [ 8.501599] type=1400 audit(1349522607.252:15): apparmor="STATUS" operation="profile_replace" name="/usr/lib/cups/backend/cups-pdf" pid=1224 comm="apparmor_parser" [ 8.501967] type=1400 audit(1349522607.252:16): apparmor="STATUS" operation="profile_replace" name="/usr/sbin/cupsd" pid=1224 comm="apparmor_parser" [ 8.724577] type=1400 audit(1349522607.476:17): apparmor="STATUS" operation="profile_load" name="/usr/sbin/mysqld-akonadi" pid=1225 comm="apparmor_parser" [ 8.724782] type=1400 audit(1349522607.476:18): apparmor="STATUS" operation="profile_load" name="/usr/sbin/mysqld-akonadi///usr/sbin/mysqld" pid=1225 comm="apparmor_parser" [ 8.954591] type=1400 audit(1349522607.704:19): apparmor="STATUS" operation="profile_load" name="/usr/sbin/mysqld-digikam" pid=1226 comm="apparmor_parser" [ 9.732817] r8169 0000:03:00.0: eth0: link up [ 9.733079] ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): eth0: link becomes ready [ 14.155039] audit_printk_skb: 9 callbacks suppressed [ 14.155042] type=1400 audit(1349522612.916:23): apparmor="STATUS" operation="profile_load" name="/usr/bin/evince" pid=1215 comm="apparmor_parser" [ 14.155643] type=1400 audit(1349522612.916:24): apparmor="STATUS" operation="profile_load" name="/usr/bin/evince//launchpad_integration" pid=1215 comm="apparmor_parser" [ 14.155856] type=1400 audit(1349522612.916:25): apparmor="STATUS" operation="profile_load" name="/usr/bin/evince//sanitized_helper" pid=1215 comm="apparmor_parser" [ 14.156367] type=1400 audit(1349522612.916:26): apparmor="STATUS" operation="profile_load" name="/usr/bin/evince-previewer" pid=1215 comm="apparmor_parser" [ 14.156773] type=1400 audit(1349522612.916:27): apparmor="STATUS" operation="profile_load" name="/usr/bin/evince-previewer//launchpad_integration" pid=1215 comm="apparmor_parser" [ 14.156977] type=1400 audit(1349522612.916:28): apparmor="STATUS" operation="profile_load" name="/usr/bin/evince-previewer//sanitized_helper" pid=1215 comm="apparmor_parser" [ 14.157324] type=1400 audit(1349522612.916:29): apparmor="STATUS" operation="profile_load" name="/usr/bin/evince-thumbnailer" pid=1215 comm="apparmor_parser" [ 14.157592] type=1400 audit(1349522612.916:30): apparmor="STATUS" operation="profile_load" name="/usr/bin/evince-thumbnailer//sanitized_helper" pid=1215 comm="apparmor_parser" [ 14.240917] init: alsa-restore main process (1425) terminated with status 99 [ 19.819004] eth0: no IPv6 routers present [ 34.480499] Initializing XFRM netlink socket [ 42.268421] init: tty2 main process ended, respawning [ 42.742322] [drm:drm_mode_getfb] *ERROR* invalid framebuffer id [ 50.735014] [UFW BLOCK] IN=eth0 OUT= MAC=10:bf:48:79:f3:a1:00:22:3f:84:7c:7c:08:00 SRC=10.184.27.116 DST=10.184.27.59 LEN=342 TOS=0x00 PREC=0x00 TTL=64 ID=6 DF PROTO=UDP SPT=1900 DPT=34163 LEN=322 [ 51.738058] [UFW BLOCK] IN=eth0 OUT= MAC=10:bf:48:79:f3:a1:00:22:3f:84:7c:7c:08:00 SRC=10.184.27.116 DST=10.184.27.59 LEN=344 TOS=0x00 PREC=0x00 TTL=64 ID=7 DF PROTO=UDP SPT=1900 DPT=34163 LEN=324 [ 68.852426] init: plymouth-stop pre-start process (2971) terminated with status 1 [ 232.205341] [drm:drm_mode_getfb] *ERROR* invalid framebuffer id [ 714.460404] Initializing USB Mass Storage driver... [ 714.460613] scsi6 : usb-storage 1-1.1:1.0 [ 714.461613] scsi7 : usb-storage 1-1.3:1.0 [ 714.461712] usb-storage 1-1.4:1.0: Quirks match for vid 0525 pid a4a5: 10000 [ 714.461738] scsi8 : usb-storage 1-1.4:1.0 [ 714.462440] scsi9 : usb-storage 2-1.5:1.0 [ 714.462512] usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage [ 714.462514] USB Mass Storage support registered. [ 715.459959] scsi 8:0:0:0: Direct-Access Linux File-Stor Gadget 0327 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2 [ 715.460002] scsi 7:0:0:0: Direct-Access WD My Passport 0740 1007 PQ: 0 ANSI: 6 [ 715.460276] scsi 6:0:0:0: Direct-Access iriver MP3 T50 0.83 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2 [ 715.460380] scsi 8:0:0:1: Direct-Access Linux File-Stor Gadget 0327 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2 [ 715.460481] scsi 7:0:0:1: Enclosure WD SES Device 1007 PQ: 0 ANSI: 6 [ 715.460856] scsi 9:0:0:0: Direct-Access Generic STORAGE DEVICE 9602 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0 [ 715.461636] sd 6:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg2 type 0 [ 715.463047] sd 7:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg3 type 0 [ 715.463398] scsi 7:0:0:1: Attached scsi generic sg4 type 13 [ 715.463633] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdb] 1929216 512-byte logical blocks: (987 MB/942 MiB) [ 715.465636] sd 8:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg5 type 0 [ 715.465793] sd 8:0:0:1: Attached scsi generic sg6 type 0 [ 715.466472] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdb] Write Protect is off [ 715.466477] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdb] Mode Sense: 03 00 00 00 [ 715.467329] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdc] 976707584 512-byte logical blocks: (500 GB/465 GiB) [ 715.467744] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdb] No Caching mode page present [ 715.467749] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through [ 715.468359] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdc] Write Protect is off [ 715.468364] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdc] Mode Sense: 47 00 10 08 [ 715.469197] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdc] No Caching mode page present [ 715.469201] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdc] Assuming drive cache: write through [ 715.471440] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdc] No Caching mode page present [ 715.471443] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdc] Assuming drive cache: write through [ 715.472983] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdb] No Caching mode page present [ 715.472987] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through [ 715.474099] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdd] 758016 512-byte logical blocks: (388 MB/370 MiB) [ 715.474428] sd 8:0:0:1: [sde] 3858489 512-byte logical blocks: (1.97 GB/1.83 GiB) [ 715.474804] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdd] Write Protect is off [ 715.474806] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdd] Mode Sense: 0f 00 00 00 [ 715.475185] sd 8:0:0:1: [sde] Write Protect is off [ 715.475189] sd 8:0:0:1: [sde] Mode Sense: 0f 00 00 00 [ 715.475550] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdd] Write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA [ 715.475971] sd 8:0:0:1: [sde] Write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA [ 715.484672] sdd: [ 715.491212] sde: [ 715.494266] sd 8:0:0:0: [sdd] Attached SCSI removable disk [ 715.497134] sd 8:0:0:1: [sde] Attached SCSI removable disk [ 715.510256] sdb: [ 715.513232] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdb] No Caching mode page present [ 715.513238] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdb] Assuming drive cache: write through [ 715.513242] sd 6:0:0:0: [sdb] Attached SCSI removable disk [ 715.538958] scsi 9:0:0:1: Direct-Access Generic STORAGE DEVICE 9602 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0 [ 715.539688] scsi 9:0:0:2: Direct-Access Generic STORAGE DEVICE 9602 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0 [ 715.540444] scsi 9:0:0:3: Direct-Access Generic STORAGE DEVICE 9602 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0 [ 715.540990] sd 9:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg7 type 0 [ 715.541151] sd 9:0:0:1: Attached scsi generic sg8 type 0 [ 715.541309] sd 9:0:0:2: Attached scsi generic sg9 type 0 [ 715.541479] sd 9:0:0:3: Attached scsi generic sg10 type 0 [ 715.545469] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdf] Attached SCSI removable disk [ 715.546225] sd 9:0:0:1: [sdg] Attached SCSI removable disk [ 715.546611] sd 9:0:0:2: [sdh] 125440 512-byte logical blocks: (64.2 MB/61.2 MiB) [ 715.548540] sd 9:0:0:2: [sdh] Write Protect is off [ 715.548543] sd 9:0:0:2: [sdh] Mode Sense: 03 00 00 00 [ 715.550295] sd 9:0:0:2: [sdh] No Caching mode page present [ 715.550299] sd 9:0:0:2: [sdh] Assuming drive cache: write through [ 715.557153] sd 9:0:0:3: [sdi] Attached SCSI removable disk [ 715.562150] sd 9:0:0:2: [sdh] No Caching mode page present [ 715.562153] sd 9:0:0:2: [sdh] Assuming drive cache: write through [ 715.565897] sdh: sdh1 [ 715.571437] sd 9:0:0:2: [sdh] No Caching mode page present [ 715.571441] sd 9:0:0:2: [sdh] Assuming drive cache: write through [ 715.571444] sd 9:0:0:2: [sdh] Attached SCSI removable disk [ 716.040499] sdc: sdc1 < sdc5 sdc6 sdc7 sdc8 sdc9 sdc10 > [ 716.043862] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdc] No Caching mode page present [ 716.043866] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdc] Assuming drive cache: write through [ 716.043869] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdc] Attached SCSI disk [ 716.082677] ses 7:0:0:1: Attached Enclosure device