Sandisk Ultra USB 3.0 Flash Drive doesn't work in USB 3 ports

[Adam Novak]

I have a 128 GB Sandisk Ultra USB Flash Drive. It works when I plug it into a USB 2.0 port, or if I partially insert it into a USB 3.0 port (so the USB 3 pins don't make contact).

Here's what lsusb says about it:

Bus 001 Device 005: ID 0781:5581 SanDisk Corp. Ultra

And dmesg from a successful connection:

[ 1269.667097] usb 3-1.4: new high-speed USB device number 6 using xhci_hcd
[ 1269.779871] usb 3-1.4: New USB device found, idVendor=0781, idProduct=5581
[ 1269.779875] usb 3-1.4: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[ 1269.779878] usb 3-1.4: Product: Ultra
[ 1269.779880] usb 3-1.4: Manufacturer: SanDisk
[ 1269.779883] usb 3-1.4: SerialNumber: 4C530001080228105161
[ 1269.780937] usb-storage 3-1.4:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[ 1269.781346] scsi host10: usb-storage 3-1.4:1.0
[ 1270.800187] scsi 10:0:0:0: Direct-Access SanDisk Ultra 1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 6
[ 1270.800733] sd 10:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg3 type 0
[ 1270.800919] sd 10:0:0:0: [sdd] 240254976 512-byte logical blocks: (123 GB/115 GiB)
[ 1270.801887] sd 10:0:0:0: [sdd] Write Protect is off
[ 1270.801891] sd 10:0:0:0: [sdd] Mode Sense: 43 00 00 00
[ 1270.802269] sd 10:0:0:0: [sdd] Write cache: disabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA
[ 1270.811703] sdd: sdd1
[ 1270.813869] sd 10:0:0:0: [sdd] Attached SCSI removable disk

But if I insert the drive all the way into a USB 3.0 port on a hub, I get nothing. And on a USB 3.0 port on the machine directly, I get this in dmesg:

[ 1395.230629] xhci_hcd 0000:03:00.0: Cannot set link state.
[ 1395.230641] usb usb2-port4: cannot disable (err = -32)
[ 1396.966273] xhci_hcd 0000:03:00.0: Cannot set link state.
[ 1396.966285] usb usb2-port4: cannot disable (err = -32)
[ 1398.706493] xhci_hcd 0000:03:00.0: Cannot set link state.
[ 1398.706505] usb usb2-port4: cannot disable (err = -32)
[ 1400.446161] xhci_hcd 0000:03:00.0: Cannot set link state.
[ 1400.446172] usb usb2-port4: cannot disable (err = -32)
[ 1402.182073] xhci_hcd 0000:03:00.0: Cannot set link state.
[ 1402.182085] usb usb2-port4: cannot disable (err = -32)
...repeats until unplugged...

It doesn't show up in lsusb in the USB 3.0 port.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04
Package: linux-image-4.15.0-22-generic 4.15.0-22.24
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.15.0-22.24-generic 4.15.17
Uname: Linux 4.15.0-22-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: zfs zunicode zavl icp zcommon znvpair
ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.1
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Wed Jun 6 18:22:35 2018
GvfsMonitorError:
 This tool has been deprecated, use 'gio mount' instead.
 See 'gio help mount' for more info.
HotplugNewDevices:

HotplugNewMounts:

InstallationDate: Installed on 2017-08-06 (304 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 17.04 "Zesty Zapus" - Release amd64 (20170412)
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm-256color
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: linux-signed
Symptom: storage
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to bionic on 2018-05-29 (8 days ago)

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Did this issue start happening after an update/upgrade? Was there a prior kernel version where you were not having this particular problem?

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v4.17 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/v4.17

[Adam Novak (interfect)]

The drive that was giving me this problem failed. I got a replacement (which is notionally the same model, with the same USB ID 0781:5581), and, on kernel 4.15-22, under Xen, the new drive seems to work fine in USB 3 ports.

However, I also tested with the latest v4.17 kernel from the given link (4.17.0-041700.201806041953)

That kernel does not boot under Xen where I run my system (it seems to suffer from https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-signed/+bug/1777338).

When I load it outside of Xen, it does not mount my home directory, because it is on a ZFS disk and the provided builds do not seem to include ZFS support.

It also does seem to work fine with the drive, but it has other substantial problems.

[Derek (bugs-m8y)]

I just encountered this as well with an identical drive and ID.
[1342096.266871] usb 2-1.2: new high-speed USB device number 21 using ehci-pci
[1342096.361163] usb 2-1.2: New USB device found, idVendor=0781, idProduct=5581
[1342096.361174] usb 2-1.2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[1342096.361181] usb 2-1.2: Product: Ultra
[1342096.361187] usb 2-1.2: Manufacturer: SanDisk
[1342096.361192] usb 2-1.2: SerialNumber: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
[1342096.361828] usb-storage 2-1.2:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[1342096.362084] scsi host13: usb-storage 2-1.2:1.0
[1342097.360314] scsi 13:0:0:0: Direct-Access SanDisk Ultra 1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 6
[1342097.361040] sd 13:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg3 type 0
[1342097.361604] sd 13:0:0:0: [sdc] 121307136 512-byte logical blocks: (62.1 GB/57.8 GiB)
[1342097.362867] sd 13:0:0:0: [sdc] Write Protect is off
[1342097.362873] sd 13:0:0:0: [sdc] Mode Sense: 43 00 00 00
[1342097.363850] sd 13:0:0:0: [sdc] Write cache: disabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA
[1342097.378277] sdc: sdc1
[1342097.382102] sd 13:0:0:0: [sdc] Attached SCSI removable disk
[1342097.717566] FAT-fs (sdc1): unable to read boot sector to mark fs as dirty
[1342227.032350] usb-storage 2-1.2:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[1342227.032697] usb 2-1.2: USB disconnect, device number 21
[1342227.032843] scsi host14: usb-storage 2-1.2:1.0

Ubuntu 14.04 LTS

Functioned perfectly under OSX and Windows - my workaround was to plug it into the OSX machine and copy off the files I needed.

[Tom Colley (tcolley)]

I have the same, or at least similar issue as @Adam.

I also have a Sandisk Ultra USB Flash Drive (but 64 GB). It is recognized and mounted by the operating system when I plug it in directly to my laptop's USB 3.0 ports. I also use a USB 3.0 4-port hub to allow connection of mouse, keyboard, (and ideally, flash drives). The laptop, mouse, keyboard and hub work well together. I presume mouse and keyboard use USB 2.0.

However, when I connect the Flash Drive thru the USB hub, it isn't recognized. See outputs of "lsusb" below.

(In fact, if I wait for 10-30min, sometimes it is recognized, suggesting that some system event triggers recognition. I'm alerted by the appearance of a mounted drive on the system. However, this recognition/mounting is usually temporary.)

MY SYSTEM:
    OS: Ubuntu 18.04 LTS
    Linux Release: 4.15.0-33-generic
    Linux Version: #36-Ubuntu SMP Wed Aug 15 16:00:05 UTC 2018

    Laptop: Lenovo T580 Thinkpad (2 x USB 3.0 ports)
    USB Hub: Targus ACH124 4-Port Hub (USB 3.0)
    Drive: Sandisk Ultra USB Flash Drive (USB 3.0)

Note that the same hub and flash drive worked well together on an older laptop (with USB 2.0 ports) using an older OS (Ubuntu 16.04). They also used to work well with the current laptop and OS, but not after suspend. I'm guessing that a kernel or OS update/patch changed this behaviour.

There seem to be several reports of drives having difficulty being recognised under USB 3.0 protocols, suggesting the problem lies in the USB 3.0 implementation within the linux kernel. Some of these reports involve USB hubs, for example:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1693842
https://www.reddit.com/r/archlinux/comments/678lri/usb_3_ports_no_longer_working/

Below are outputs from command "lsusb" under both scenarios. The flash drive appears as "SanDisk Corp. Ultra". The hub appears as "Genesys Logic, Inc. 4-port hub"

OUTPUT OF "lsusb" - Flash Drive Connected thru Hub
--------------------------------------------------
    Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
    Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
    Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0bda:0316 Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
    Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
    Bus 001 Device 007: ID 06cb:009a Synaptics, Inc.
    Bus 001 Device 006: ID 04f2:b604 Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd
    Bus 001 Device 003: ID 04f2:b613 Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd
    Bus 001 Device 018: ID 1bcf:0002 Sunplus Innovation Technology Inc.
    Bus 001 Device 017: ID 05e3:0610 Genesys Logic, Inc. 4-port hub
    Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

OUTPUT OF "lsusb" - Flash Drive Connected Directly to Laptop
------------------------------------------------------------
    Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
    Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
    Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0bda:0316 Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
    Bus 002 Device 011: ID 0781:5581 SanDisk Corp. Ultra
    Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
    Bus 001 Device 007: ID 06cb:009a Synaptics, Inc.
    Bus 001 Device 006: ID 04f2:b6...

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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