Kernel not running stable with SB600 USB Controller

[Hadmut Danisch]

Hi,

I just installed Ubuntu 386 from the 8.04.01 alternate CDROM on a small Acer Desktop PC with AMD dual core processors and ATI SB600 USB Controller (OCHI4 and EHCI). Performed Ubuntu updates.

The Kernel does not work reliably with the USB driver, I have several problems:

- Can't mount USB Sticks. I.e. I can mount and see files, but when I try to access files, USB freezes and stick becomes invisible.

- USB Mouse sometimes dies and remains dead (and sometimes even without power) until next reboot

- Seldomly keyboard dies as well.

- I have an LCD screen with builtin USB hub. When X11 puts screen into power save mode, the USB hub can't be used anymore until next reboot.

kernel option acpi=nopci did not help.

I did not yet find anything helpful in the kernel logs or dmesg output, just some USB timeouts.

regards

[Hadmut Danisch (hadmut)]

Additional error hints:

hub 6-6:1.0: cannot reset port 2 (err = -110)
hub 6-6:1.0: Cannot enable port 2. Maybe the USB cable is bad?

[Hadmut Danisch (hadmut)]

I just installed the 2.6.26 kernel from intrepid. Seems to work, at least I had no problems within the first minutes of work...

[Hadmut Danisch (hadmut)]

Nope, it is somewhat better with the 2.6.26 kernel, I don't see problems with USB storage (sticks, hardware) anymore, but still have problems with USB hubs, that can cause the kernel to get into some state where USB is locked.

[Andreas Moog (ampelbein)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Unfortunately we can't fix it without more information.

Please include the following additional information, if you have not already done so (pay attention to lspci's additional options), as required by the Ubuntu Kernel Team:
1. Please include the output of the command "uname -a" in your next response. It should be one, long line of text which includes the exact kernel version you're running, as well as the CPU architecture.
2. Please run the command "dmesg > dmesg.log" after a fresh boot and attach the resulting file "dmesg.log" to this bug report.
3. Please run the command "sudo lspci -vvnn > lspci-vvnn.log" and attach the resulting file "lspci-vvnn.log" to this bug report.

For your reference, the full description of procedures for kernel-related bug reports is available at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeamBugPolicies Thanks in advance!

[Leann Ogasawara (leannogasawara)]

The Ubuntu Kernel Team is planning to move to the 2.6.27 kernel for the upcoming Intrepid Ibex 8.10 release. As a result, the kernel team would appreciate it if you could please test this newer 2.6.27 Ubuntu kernel. There are one of two ways you should be able to test:

1) If you are comfortable installing packages on your own, the linux-image-2.6.27-* package is currently available for you to install and test.

--or--

2) The upcoming Alpha5 for Intrepid Ibex 8.10 will contain this newer 2.6.27 Ubuntu kernel. Alpha5 is set to be released Thursday Sept 4. Please watch http://www.ubuntu.com/testing for Alpha5 to be announced. You should then be able to test via a LiveCD.

Please let us know immediately if this newer 2.6.27 kernel resolves the bug reported here or if the issue remains. More importantly, please open a new bug report for each new bug/regression introduced by the 2.6.27 kernel and tag the bug report with 'linux-2.6.27'. Also, please specifically note if the issue does or does not appear in the 2.6.26 kernel. Thanks again, we really appreicate your help and feedback.

[Hadmut Danisch (hadmut)]

Leann Ogasawara schrieb:
> The Ubuntu Kernel Team is planning to move to the 2.6.27 kernel for the
> upcoming Intrepid Ibex 8.10 release. As a result, the kernel team would
> appreciate it if you could please test this newer 2.6.27 Ubuntu kernel.
> There are one of two ways you should be able to test:
>
>

OK, I've installed the 2.6.27-2-generic, it boots without problems
and looks good so far, but that doesn't mean too much since my
problems occured only occasionally, so let me test it one or two days.

I'll report as soon as errors occur.

regards
Hadmut

[Hadmut Danisch (hadmut)]

Nope, still not working more than a few minutes with mouse and keyboard connected through a hub.

uname -a:

Linux proton 2.6.27-2-generic #1 SMP Thu Aug 28 17:20:02 UTC 2008 i686 GNU/Linux

dmesg.log: attached
lspci: see next attachment

[Hadmut Danisch (hadmut)]

Hi,

I've also submitted a bug report to kernel.org. Allegedly this bug is solved in 2.6.27 rc5

Will there be an Ubuntu package for that kernel version or should I compile it myself?

regards
Hadmut

[Hadmut Danisch (hadmut)]

I just compiled a 2.6.27-rc5 kernel taken from kernel.org and it seems to work fine with the SB600, at least for the first 10 minutes...

[Leann Ogasawara (leannogasawara)]

Thanks Hadmut,

2.6.27-rc5 should be available in an upcoming kernel update. Thanks.

[kklaine (kklaine)]

I have this same issue. It happens when I try to use a USB device such as a flash drive or web cam. Using only a USB mouse everything's OK. I use an Acer Aspire desktop PC with an ATI SB600 USB Controller.

Anyways, is upgrading to Intrepid the only way to fix this?

[Andreas Moog (ampelbein)]

You could add the intrepid-repositories to apt and just install the kernel. then switch back to hardy repositories. That way you have the new kernel in hardy.

[Hadmut Danisch (hadmut)]

kklaine schrieb:
> I have this same issue. It happens when I try to use a USB device such
> as a flash drive or web cam. Using only a USB mouse everything's OK. I
> use an Acer Aspire desktop PC with an ATI SB600 USB Controller.
>
>
>

Pretty good hint. My USB hub is built into the LCD screen and
has a USB web cam as well.

regards
Hadmut

[Leann Ogasawara (leannogasawara)]

The 2.6.27-3 Ubuntu kernel should have been rebased against the upstream 2.6.27-rc6 kernel. Based on that information I'm setting this to Fix Released. Thanks.

[pdurland (pdurland)]

Using 2.6.27-7-generic (386) on Ibex. The keyboard issue is still happening.

I have a usb hub built into my keyboard (apple slim aluminum) and from what I can find, there's an issue with usb 2.0 hubs on a controller and how the kernel driver handles it.

Similar bugs list issues with hubs or attached usb 2.0 drives.

[pdurland (pdurland)]

Supposed fix may have had a regression with a newer kernel version. Problem seems to be linked to external usb 2.0 hubs, see comment.

[pdurland (pdurland)]

Update:

I found an issue with two of my ram sticks. Currently able to use the keyboard. There was one boot that it wasn't working though, so I'm going to leave the status the same in case someone wants to dig up on it.

[markor (markoresko)]

I am also experiencing this problem with USB Hub not recognized after plugging it off.
Also peripherals plugged to USB hub are not recognized the second time, after putting it in ISB , plugging it out and plugging it back again.
it is mostly annoying ,specially for USB flash memory that could be mounted and used only Once
before restart.
I am using Xubuntu 64-bit 8.04.1 LTS and I am not planing to move to non-LTS distribution for some time.
What should I do to make normal use of USB on LTS release?
Does this means that Ubuntu server behaves the same way as desktop. e.g. If I want to backup
server to external USB HDD, I could do it only once without restart?

[markor (markoresko)]

Andreas Moog wrote on 2008-09-11: (permalink)Andreas Moog wrote on 2008-09-11:
> You could add the intrepid-repositories to apt and just install the kernel.
> then switch back to hardy repositories. That way you have the new kernel in hardy.

So, How should i get security and other updates then?
If kernel is form Interpid and future security updates are made for Interpid
and i switched back to Hardy repository, then my kernel will get stuck with that moment`s interpid version
and it will not get updated with Hardy kernel,until I upgrade to newer Ubuntu version.
Not so Security-friendly solution for Hardy/LTS.

We need working solution for Hardy kernel, eather as a patch or as a update release to solve this issue.
Could i just compile some patched module for current Hardy kernel to make SB600 behave
like it should with USB?

[yuce (tklx)]

My USB hard drive works but not the USB hub nor all-in-one card reader (connected to the mainboard). The situation is somewhat better in 8.10: inserting an SD card could stop all USB connection on 8.04, but it doesn't happen on 8.10.

$ uname -a
Linux prefect 2.6.27-9-generic #1 SMP Thu Nov 20 22:15:32 UTC 2008 x86_64 GNU/Linux

[kklaine (kklaine)]

This bug still exists for me in Intrepid Ibex, for example trying to write data into a USB removable drive freezes the mouse. It seems removing the ehci_hcd module prevents freezing, but this still annoys me.

uname -r:
2.6.27-11-generic

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Per a decision made by the Ubuntu Kernel Team, bugs will longer be assigned to the ubuntu-kernel-team in Launchpad as part of the bug triage process. The ubuntu-kernel-team is being unassigned from this bug report. Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelTeamBugPolicies for more information. Thanks.

[Andreas Moog (ampelbein)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. The issue that you reported is one that should be reproducible with the live environment of the Desktop CD of the development release - Jaunty Jackalope. It would help us greatly if you could test with it so we can work on getting it fixed in the next release of Ubuntu. You can find out more about the development release at http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/. Thanks again and we appreciate your help.

[Andy Whitcroft (apw)]

This bug report is being closed because we received no response to the previous inquiry for information. Please reopen if this is still an issue in the current Ubuntu release, Jaunty Jackalope 9.04 - http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download. If the issue remains in Jaunty, please test the latest upstream kernel build - https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . To reopen the bug, click on the current status under the Status column and change the status back to "New". Thanks.

[Nikola M (nikolam)]

This bug is I think about suuported kernels (Hardy LTS one of them) that have issues with
attaching USB hub to computer with AMD SB600 South bridge.
So fix is needed for Hardy and I don`t see what it has to do with newer kernel releases.