Okay, I tried it now. Just running it gives: $ sudo ./usb_modeswitch -IW -c /etc/usb_modeswitch.d/04e8\:689a Reading config file: /etc/usb_modeswitch.d/04e8:689a * usb_modeswitch: handle USB devices with multiple modes * Version 1.1.8 (C) Josua Dietze 2011 * Based on libusb0 (0.1.12 and above) ! PLEASE REPORT NEW CONFIGURATIONS ! DefaultVendor= 0x04e8 DefaultProduct= 0x689a TargetVendor= 0x04e8 TargetProduct= 0x6889 TargetClass= not set TargetProductList="" DetachStorageOnly=0 HuaweiMode=0 SierraMode=0 SonyMode=0 GCTMode=0 KobilMode=0 SequansMode=0 MobileActionMode=0 MessageEndpoint= not set MessageContent="55534243785634120100000080000601000000000000000000000000000000" NeedResponse=0 ResponseEndpoint= not set Interface=0x00 InquireDevice disabled Success check enabled, max. wait time 20 seconds System integration mode disabled usb_set_debug: Setting debugging level to 15 (on) usb_os_find_busses: Found 005 usb_os_find_busses: Found 004 usb_os_find_busses: Found 003 usb_os_find_busses: Found 002 usb_os_find_busses: Found 001 usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 005 usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 004 usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 003 usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 002 usb_os_find_devices: Found 011 on 001 usb_os_find_devices: Found 006 on 001 usb_os_find_devices: Found 005 on 001 usb_os_find_devices: Found 004 on 001 skipped 1 class/vendor specific interface descriptors usb_os_find_devices: Found 003 on 001 usb_os_find_devices: Found 002 on 001 usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 001 error obtaining child information: Inappropriate ioctl for device error obtaining child information: Inappropriate ioctl for device error obtaining child information: Inappropriate ioctl for device error obtaining child information: Inappropriate ioctl for device Looking for target devices ... searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001 searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001 searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001 searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001 searching devices, found USB ID 04e8:689a found matching vendor ID searching devices, found USB ID 0a5c:200a searching devices, found USB ID 041e:4036 searching devices, found USB ID 046d:c00c searching devices, found USB ID 05e3:0606 searching devices, found USB ID 0409:0058 searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0002 No devices in target mode or class found Looking for default devices ... searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001 searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001 searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001 searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001 searching devices, found USB ID 04e8:689a found matching vendor ID found matching product ID adding device searching devices, found USB ID 0a5c:200a searching devices, found USB ID 041e:4036 searching devices, found USB ID 046d:c00c searching devices, found USB ID 05e3:0606 searching devices, found USB ID 0409:0058 searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0002 Found devices in default mode, class or configuration (1) Accessing device 011 on bus 001 ... Getting the current device configuration ... USB error: error sending control message: Connection timed out Error getting the current configuration (error -110). Assuming configuration 1. Using endpoints 0x06 (out) and 0x85 (in) USB error: error sending control message: Connection timed out Error: could not get description string "manufacturer" USB description data (for identification) ------------------------- Manufacturer: Product: not provided Serial No.: not provided ------------------------- Looking for active driver ... USB error: could not get bound driver: No data available No driver found. Either detached before or never attached Setting up communication with interface 0 ... USB error: could not clear/halt ep 6: Connection timed out Using endpoint 0x06 for message sending ... Trying to send message 1 to endpoint 0x06 ... OK, message successfully sent Resetting response endpoint 0x85 USB error: could not clear/halt ep 133: Connection timed out Could not reset endpoint (probably harmless): -110 Resetting message endpoint 0x06 USB error: could not clear/halt ep 6: Connection timed out Could not reset endpoint (probably harmless): -110 Checking for mode switch (max. 20 times, once per second) ... Waiting for original device to vanish ... Waiting for original device to vanish ... Waiting for original device to vanish ... Waiting for original device to vanish ... Waiting for original device to vanish ... Waiting for original device to vanish ... Waiting for original device to vanish ... Waiting for original device to vanish ... Waiting for original device to vanish ... Waiting for original device to vanish ... Waiting for original device to vanish ... Waiting for original device to vanish ... Waiting for original device to vanish ... Waiting for original device to vanish ... Waiting for original device to vanish ... Waiting for original device to vanish ... Waiting for original device to vanish ... Waiting for original device to vanish ... Waiting for original device to vanish ... Waiting for original device to vanish ... Original device still present after the timeout Then added line Configuration=-1 to /etc/usb_modeswitch.d/04e8\:689a and it actually succeeds again: :) $ sudo ./usb_modeswitch -IW -c /etc/usb_modeswitch.d/04e8\:689a Reading config file: /etc/usb_modeswitch.d/04e8:689a * usb_modeswitch: handle USB devices with multiple modes * Version 1.1.8 (C) Josua Dietze 2011 * Based on libusb0 (0.1.12 and above) ! PLEASE REPORT NEW CONFIGURATIONS ! DefaultVendor= 0x04e8 DefaultProduct= 0x689a TargetVendor= 0x04e8 TargetProduct= 0x6889 TargetClass= not set TargetProductList="" DetachStorageOnly=0 HuaweiMode=0 SierraMode=0 SonyMode=0 GCTMode=0 KobilMode=0 SequansMode=0 MobileActionMode=0 MessageEndpoint= not set MessageContent="55534243785634120100000080000601000000000000000000000000000000" NeedResponse=0 ResponseEndpoint= not set Interface=0x00 InquireDevice disabled Success check enabled, max. wait time 20 seconds System integration mode disabled usb_set_debug: Setting debugging level to 15 (on) usb_os_find_busses: Found 005 usb_os_find_busses: Found 004 usb_os_find_busses: Found 003 usb_os_find_busses: Found 002 usb_os_find_busses: Found 001 usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 005 usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 004 usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 003 usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 002 usb_os_find_devices: Found 012 on 001 usb_os_find_devices: Found 006 on 001 usb_os_find_devices: Found 005 on 001 usb_os_find_devices: Found 004 on 001 skipped 1 class/vendor specific interface descriptors usb_os_find_devices: Found 003 on 001 usb_os_find_devices: Found 002 on 001 usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 001 error obtaining child information: Inappropriate ioctl for device error obtaining child information: Inappropriate ioctl for device error obtaining child information: Inappropriate ioctl for device error obtaining child information: Inappropriate ioctl for device Looking for target devices ... searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001 searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001 searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001 searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001 searching devices, found USB ID 04e8:689a found matching vendor ID searching devices, found USB ID 0a5c:200a searching devices, found USB ID 041e:4036 searching devices, found USB ID 046d:c00c searching devices, found USB ID 05e3:0606 searching devices, found USB ID 0409:0058 searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0002 No devices in target mode or class found Looking for default devices ... searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001 searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001 searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001 searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001 searching devices, found USB ID 04e8:689a found matching vendor ID found matching product ID adding device searching devices, found USB ID 0a5c:200a searching devices, found USB ID 041e:4036 searching devices, found USB ID 046d:c00c searching devices, found USB ID 05e3:0606 searching devices, found USB ID 0409:0058 searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0002 Found devices in default mode, class or configuration (1) Accessing device 012 on bus 001 ... Skipping the check for the current configuration Using endpoints 0x06 (out) and 0x85 (in) USB description data (for identification) ------------------------- Manufacturer: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS Co.Ltd. Product: not provided Serial No.: not provided ------------------------- Looking for active driver ... USB error: could not get bound driver: No data available No driver found. Either detached before or never attached Setting up communication with interface 0 ... Using endpoint 0x06 for message sending ... Trying to send message 1 to endpoint 0x06 ... OK, message successfully sent Resetting response endpoint 0x85 USB error: could not clear/halt ep 133: Protocol error Could not reset endpoint (probably harmless): -71 Resetting message endpoint 0x06 USB error: could not clear/halt ep 6: Protocol error Could not reset endpoint (probably harmless): -71 Checking for mode switch (max. 20 times, once per second) ... Waiting for original device to vanish ... USB error: could not claim interface 0: No such device USB error: could not release intf 0: No such device Original device can't be accessed anymore. Good. Searching for target devices ... usb_os_find_busses: Found 005 usb_os_find_busses: Found 004 usb_os_find_busses: Found 003 usb_os_find_busses: Found 002 usb_os_find_busses: Found 001 usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 005 usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 004 usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 003 usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 002 usb_os_find_devices: Found 013 on 001 usb_os_find_devices: Found 006 on 001 usb_os_find_devices: Found 005 on 001 usb_os_find_devices: Found 004 on 001 skipped 1 class/vendor specific interface descriptors usb_os_find_devices: Found 003 on 001 usb_os_find_devices: Found 002 on 001 usb_os_find_devices: Found 001 on 001 error obtaining child information: Inappropriate ioctl for device error obtaining child information: Inappropriate ioctl for device error obtaining child information: Inappropriate ioctl for device error obtaining child information: Inappropriate ioctl for device searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001 searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001 searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001 searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0001 searching devices, found USB ID 04e8:6889 found matching vendor ID found matching product ID adding device searching devices, found USB ID 0a5c:200a searching devices, found USB ID 041e:4036 searching devices, found USB ID 046d:c00c searching devices, found USB ID 05e3:0606 searching devices, found USB ID 0409:0058 searching devices, found USB ID 1d6b:0002 Found target device, now opening Error: could not get description string "manufacturer" Found target device 013 on bus 001 Target device description data ------------------------- Manufacturer: Product: not provided Serial No.: not provided ------------------------- Found correct target device Please update the config file with that option then.