All USB ports/devices randomly stop working

[Julian Edwards]

I do not know how to reliably reproduce this, but since an update in trusty a couple of days ago I am getting a random USB device stop working and then they all start going one by one. The mouse and keyboard included in this of course.

This has happened to me before and it was fixed in saucy. This is a regression.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: linux-image-3.13.0-23-generic 3.13.0-23.45
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-23.45-generic 3.13.8
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-23-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu1
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: ed 2480 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Wed Apr 9 15:07:40 2014
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=73dd7b46-df18-4ae4-9a16-7e635959e1b1
IwConfig:
 eth0 no wireless extensions.

 lo no wireless extensions.

 virbr0 no wireless extensions.
MachineType: System manufacturer System Product Name
ProcFB:

ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-23-generic root=UUID=38c98076-521e-408e-af6a-2e8e00de0f05 ro nomdmonddf nomdmonisw nomdmonddf nomdmonisw nomdmonddf nomdmonisw
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.13.0-23-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.13.0-23-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.127
RfKill:

SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to trusty on 2014-01-20 (78 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 05/28/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: Phoenix Technologies, LTD
dmi.bios.version: ASUS M3N72-D ACPI BIOS Revision 0202
dmi.board.name: M3N72-D
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: 1.XX
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: 123456789000
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnPhoenixTechnologies,LTD:bvrASUSM3N72-DACPIBIOSRevision0202:bd05/28/2008:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnSystemProductName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnM3N72-D:rvr1.XX:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: System Product Name
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

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 v3.14 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'.

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot, please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-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/v3.14-trusty/

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Also, it would be good to know if this bug goes away if you boot back into the previous Trusty kernel(3.13.0-22).

[Julian Edwards (julian-edwards)]

I am unable to test the upstream kernel as X no longer works; it said it had built my nvidia module but it still failed to load under the new kernel, which leaves me with no desktop.

[Julian Edwards (julian-edwards)]

In fact previously installed kernels are not working for the same reason. How can I fix this?

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Are only previous Trusty kernels affected? Are the kernels for previous Ubuntu releases also affected?

[Michael Lueck (mlueck)]

I last loaded the test ThinkPad T540p with a Xubuntu 14.04 20140225 Beta 1 ISO. New HDD today, thus new Xubuntu ISO, and I cannot get the USB mouse to light up (optical mouse) in either USB port on each side of the unit.

How can I help test to resolve this critical bug?

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

@Michael,

Thanks for the offer to help. Can you test some prior kernel versions to see when this issue was introduced. It would be good to start with newer kernels and work back. We should test v3.13 final first, then some 3.13 release candidates. If they all have the bug, then test some 3.12 kernels. We basically want to find the last good kernel and first bad kernel. All the kernel versions can be found at:

http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/

There are builds of the upstream kernels, but they should also exhibit the bug, unless it was introduced by a SAUCE specific patch.

[Michael Lueck (mlueck)]

I put the former drive back in. It appears to have only one kernel update older than current, and the USB mouse works fine. Packages on that drive are as follows:

$ dpkg -l | grep linux-
ii linux-firmware 1.125 all Firmware for Linux kernel drivers
ii linux-generic 3.13.0.12.16 amd64 Complete Generic Linux kernel and headers
ii linux-headers-3.13.0-12 3.13.0-12.32 all Header files related to Linux kernel version 3.13.0
ii linux-headers-3.13.0-12-generic 3.13.0-12.32 amd64 Linux kernel headers for version 3.13.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-headers-generic 3.13.0.12.16 amd64 Generic Linux kernel headers
ii linux-image-3.13.0-12-generic 3.13.0-12.32 amd64 Linux kernel image for version 3.13.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-extra-3.13.0-12-generic 3.13.0-12.32 amd64 Linux kernel extra modules for version 3.13.0 on 64 bit x86 SMP
ii linux-image-generic 3.13.0.12.16 amd64 Generic Linux kernel image
ii linux-libc-dev:amd64 3.13.0-12.32 amd64 Linux Kernel Headers for development
ii linux-sound-base 1.0.25+dfsg-0ubuntu4 all base package for ALSA and OSS sound systems

$ uname -a
Linux noah 3.13.0-12-generic #32-Ubuntu SMP Fri Feb 21 17:45:10 UTC 2014 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Are further details needed?

[Julian Edwards (julian-edwards)]

@Joseph: It's stopped happening for me now.... the only change I made was to revert to the older nvidia driver available in trusty as the newer one causes Xorg crashes for me.

Can the USB problems really be linked to other kernel modules like this?

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

They should not be linked. Strange indeed. Can you apply all of hte latest Trusty updates, so you are running the current release and see if this bug still exists?

[Michael Lueck (mlueck)]

I just reloaded the production drive in the test machine with the GA release of Xubuntu 14.04 x64 and find that the USB mouse is working as expected.

I note the mention of nvidia drivers in #11. I had not added those what I found USB ports dead. I need to install those. I had opened a bug report about difficulties installing the nvidia drivers on this machine, here:

"Nvidia Optimus + bumblebee configuration not optimized by default"
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1280613

We shall see if that damages USB mouse support, if it actually works as well in the GA release.

[Julian Edwards (julian-edwards)]

This problem has not re-occurred since trusty release. I'm happy for it to be closed, I'll re-open if I see it again.