USB file transfers extremely slow and eventually cause kernel freezes

[Gustavo Carneiro]

Binary package hint: linux-source-2.6.24

Every time I transfer a large file from my USB driver, the transfer starts extremely slow, then the kernel eventually freezes. This happened to me with all 2.6.24-[24] kernels so far, but the old gutsy 2.6.22-14 kernel that I luckily still have lying around works flawlessly.

[Gustavo Carneiro (gjc)]

kernel log of the last boot before the crash

[Gustavo Carneiro (gjc)]

OK, so kernel 2.6.22-14 was not exactly flawless either:

[ 1611.873718] usb 5-7: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 3
[ 1612.133324] usb 5-7: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 3
[ 1612.266244] sd 2:0:0:0: [sdb] Result: hostbyte=DID_ERROR driverbyte=DRIVER_OK,SUGGEST_OK
[ 1612.266253] end_request: I/O error, dev sdb, sector 222381591
[ 1613.942588] usb 5-7: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 3
[ 1614.206179] usb 5-7: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 3

Some errors like this appear, and nautilus gives me some errors, but copying resumes and progresses after I press retry. At least it does not freeze on me :P

[Leann Ogasawara (leannogasawara)]

Hi Gustavo,

Also per the kernel team's bug policy, can you please attach the additional information. Please be sure to attach each file as a separate attachment.

* cat /proc/version_signature > version.log
* sudo lspci -vvnn > lspci-vvnn.log

For more information regarding the kernel team bug policy, please refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeamBugPolicies . Thanks again and we appreciate your help and feedback.

[Gustavo Carneiro (gjc)]

This bug appears to be fixed in the new 2.6.24-5 kernel.

[Daniel Swarbrick (pressureman)]

I'm seeing similar results with Hardy and kernel 2.6.24-12. Copy an ISO file for example to my USB memory stick takes around 15-18 minutes, and Nautilus's file operations dialog reports transfer speeds of around 700 KB/sec. Copying the same file under Windows finishes in around 4-5 minutes.

I don't think this is Nautilus or GVFS related, since copying from is also extremely slow.

[Daniel Swarbrick (pressureman)]

I just tried booting in rescue mode, opened a shell as root and copied the same ISO file to the USB stick with Midnight Commander, and it copied MUCH faster - averaging 5.6 MB/sec.

I then tried booting normally, but at GDM screen switched to a text vty, and repeated the copy with MC again. Still good, about 5.5 MB/sec.

I then tried logging into Gnome, opening a terminal and copying the same file with MC again... it gets to about 25-30% complete, then just gets slower, and slower, and slower, eventually bottoming out at around 650 KB/sec.

This looks like it's something related to whatever is running during a Gnome session. Maybe GVFS-related, but I doubt it, since I specifically mounted the USB stick manually as root from a bash prompt, and used MC to copy (which wouldn't be using GVFS).

[Lito (lito-eordes)]

I have the same problem with a clean Ubuntu Hardy 8.04 installation.

I can copy some big files but others I can't. The original file isn't corrupted. The transfer speed is very very slow. I attach my log files. In windows works fine.

The pendrive is a 8Gb USB 2.0 Flash Disk in a Linux 2.6.24-12-generic #1 SMP Wed Mar 12 23:01:54 UTC 2008 i686 GNU/Linux

The continuous error log:

[12894.060439] usb 2-2: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 22
[12894.193325] usb 2-2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[12894.207708] scsi9 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
[12894.212951] usb-storage: device found at 22
[12894.212960] usb-storage: waiting for device to settle before scanning
[12899.210550] usb-storage: device scan complete
[12899.211781] scsi 9:0:0:0: Direct-Access USB 2.0 Flash Disk 5.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2
[12899.223506] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdf] 16384000 512-byte hardware sectors (8389 MB)
[12899.225375] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdf] Write Protect is off
[12899.225382] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdf] Mode Sense: 0b 00 00 08
[12899.225387] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdf] Assuming drive cache: write through
[12899.229746] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdf] 16384000 512-byte hardware sectors (8389 MB)
[12899.231373] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdf] Write Protect is off
[12899.231379] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdf] Mode Sense: 0b 00 00 08
[12899.231383] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdf] Assuming drive cache: write through
[12899.231392] sdf: sdf1
[12899.233688] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdf] Attached SCSI removable disk
[12899.233755] sd 9:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg5 type 0
[12998.488627] usb 2-2: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 22
[13016.752977] usb 2-2: device descriptor read/64, error -110
[ 7239.431809] usb 2-2: device descriptor read/64, error -110
[ 7239.647676] usb 2-2: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 22
[13053.141648] usb 2-2: device descriptor read/64, error -110
[ 6528.282910] usb 2-2: device descriptor read/64, error -110
[ 6528.496265] usb 2-2: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 22
[13082.931139] usb 2-2: device not accepting address 22, error -110
[13083.043129] usb 2-2: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 22
[13093.447038] usb 2-2: device not accepting address 22, error -110
[13093.447475] usb 2-2: USB disconnect, address 22
[13093.447897] sd 9:0:0:0: Device offlined - not ready after error recovery
[13093.448442] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdf] Result: hostbyte=DID_NO_CONNECT driverbyte=DRIVER_OK,SUGGEST_OK
[13093.448450] end_request: I/O error, dev sdf, sector 8217847
[13093.450457] printk: 1517 messages suppressed.
[13093.450463] Buffer I/O error on device sdf1, logical block 8305224
[13093.450469] lost page write due to I/O error on sdf1
[13093.450475] Buffer I/O error on device sdf1, logical block 8305225
[13093.450479] lost page write due to I/O error on sdf1
[13093.450484] Buffer I/O error on device sdf1, logical block 8305226
[13093.450488] lost page write due to I/O error on sdf1
[13093.450492] Buffer I/O error on device sdf1, logical block 8305227
[13093.450496] lost page write due to I/O error on sdf1
[13093.450501] Buffer I/O error on device sdf1, logical block 8305228
[13093.450505] lost page write due to I/O error on sdf1
[1...

[Lito (lito-eordes)]

The same problem in all USB ports (8).

[Cricket (shahmir-noorani)]

Ditto on the slow copying from HDD to USB. In nautilus, after the file has reached 100% (i.e. 0 seconds left) it still sits there for about 20-30 seconds before it'll actually finish writing the data on the USB drive.

[Bogdan Gribincea (bogdan-gribincea)]

Same problem under Jaunty, kernel 2.6.28-8.26 using MC, Dolphin or whatever. Starts fast then starts crawling.

[Andy Davie (etatdavie)]

Same problem in Karmic. The file transfer starts off well, but slows to a crawl...

dmesg | grep usb
[ 124.371817] usb 1-9: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
[ 130.340032] usb 1-9: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
[ 218.350034] usb 1-9: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
[ 368.340032] usb 1-9: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
[ 368.650033] usb 1-9: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
[ 388.340026] usb 1-9: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
[ 430.341309] usb 1-9: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
[ 462.340038] usb 1-9: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
[ 572.350050] usb 1-9: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
[ 676.340024] usb 1-9: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
[ 738.340024] usb 1-9: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
[ 808.340025] usb 1-9: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
[ 863.340021] usb 1-9: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
[ 881.350058] usb 1-9: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
[ 884.350056] usb 1-9: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
[ 1014.340028] usb 1-9: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
[ 1040.410035] usb 1-9: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
[ 1044.350036] usb 1-9: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
[ 1057.340028] usb 1-9: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4
[ 1092.340027] usb 1-9: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 4

[eltopo (eltopo)]

Hi all,
I'm also affected by this bug (or a very similar one).
on the french ubuntu forum there are several people with this issue (http://forum.ubuntu-fr.org/viewtopic.php?id=287690&p=31), they suggested me to come on launchpad and make a post, so here I am.
I'm not very familiar with comand lines, but I have time these days. what can I try to isolate the problem?
thanks in advance for the help.
greetings
eltopo

[eltopo (eltopo)]

I'm deeply sorry I don't find how to edit my last post.
see attachement for lsusb ; lspci -vvnn ; dmesg ; lshw