Don't you dare unplug USB devices in Kubuntu!

[kbunt]

I guess I committed a grave sin since I unplugged some USB devices which angered my Kubuntu install.

I was taking out the video card to lend to someone to test video. But, when I plug everything back in including some usb devices since I didn't want wires in my way, I cannot boot up.

For some reason, I obtain a message repeating forever with different address numbers? "Unable to enumerate usb device on port 4."

I had to boot up another Linux distro I have installed.

[askrieger]

Re: Don't you dare unplug USB devices in Kubuntu!

I have been (hot) plugging and unplugging USB devices on computers running Kubuntu with wild abandon since Breezy. I have never suffered any ill effects to either my hardware or operating system from this practice. However, I notice (from your sig) that you are using 64 bit Intrepid. That was the first release of Kubuntu to use KDE4, and it never worked properly for me, at all, so I wonder if you'd have the same problem with either Jaunty or Karmic.

[Snowhog]

Re: Don't you dare unplug USB devices in Kubuntu!

Ditto here, on Kubuntu Jaunty 9.04 32-bit, as well as Ubuntu Jaunty 9.04 32-bit, and on my Debian GNU/Linux 'sid' as well.

[kbunt]

Re: Don't you dare unplug USB devices in Kubuntu!

I have been (hot) plugging and unplugging USB devices on computers running Kubuntu with wild abandon since Breezy. I have never suffered any ill effects to either my hardware or operating system from this practice. However, I notice (from your sig) that you are using 64 bit Intrepid. That was the first release of Kubuntu to use KDE4, and it never worked properly for me, at all, so I wonder if you'd have the same problem with either Jaunty or Karmic.

I discovered that I forgot to plug in my ink jet printer and it seemed to boot up normal.

That's pretty bad, though, isn't it? I mean, the screen just kept repeating the same message.

I'll probably update as I'm curious how the update will go. I need to back up some files etc. first, though. Also, I suspect I will need to re-install the Nvidia drivers since it will update the kernel when it updates to Jaunty or Karmic?

[Snowhog]

Re: Don't you dare unplug USB devices in Kubuntu!

Also, I suspect I will need to re-install the Nvidia drivers since it will update the kernel when it updates to Jaunty or Karmic?

Likely.

[askrieger]

Re: Don't you dare unplug USB devices in Kubuntu!

The nVidia 180 driver package is still available in Karmic (obviously in Jaunty as well), so you may not have to re-install.

[GreyGeek]

Re: Don't you dare unplug USB devices in Kubuntu!

All the advice given so far assumes that before you unplugged the USB device you triggered the "Safely Remove" option on Dolphin or on the USB device notifier. You can't simply just yank out a USB device without "umount"ing it, which is what "Safely Remove" does.

[KeithZG]

Re: Don't you dare unplug USB devices in Kubuntu!

I'm having a very opposite (and ludicrously weird) problem; the entire system is locking up (completely!) when I plug *in* my mp3 player. I haven't posted anything about it yet though since I've yet to test it scientifically; I'd plug in random other USB drives and devices but this is on my main PC which is also a file (and other things) server for my house's network and I'm busy watching the new episode of Better Off Ted Plus it makes me squeamish to deliberately lock up my computer (since even Alt+SysRq+REISUB doesn't do anything, so there's no safe way of restarting it).

But yeah, Safely Remove if something's been mounted, and otherwise at least from personal experience I've never had any issues unplugging USB devices. I've even accidentally unplugged a USB sound card while using it; crashed Audacity but no lasting software damage.

[GreyGeek]

Re: Don't you dare unplug USB devices in Kubuntu!

Use ksystemlog to look at the system logs.

Also look at
/var/log/user.log
and
/var/log/user.log.1

which are not shown by ksystemlog.

See if it shows any error msgs after attempting to mount your USB mp3 player.

[sithlord48]

Re: Don't you dare unplug USB devices in Kubuntu!

I'm having a very opposite (and ludicrously weird) problem; the entire system is locking up (completely!) when I plug *in* my mp3 player. I haven't posted anything about it yet though since I've yet to test it scientifically; I'd plug in random other USB drives and devices but this is on my main PC which is also a file (and other things) server for my house's network and I'm busy watching the new episode of Better Off Ted Plus it makes me squeamish to deliberately lock up my computer (since even Alt+SysRq+REISUB doesn't do anything, so there's no safe way of restarting it).

i have seen machines have some very strange problems because of faluty USB devices does your mp3 player act the same when pluged in another computer, or in a different port?

I guess I committed a grave sin since I unplugged some USB devices which angered my Kubuntu install.
I was taking out the video card to lend to someone to test video. But, when I plug everything back in including some usb devices since I didn't want wires in my way, I cannot boot up.
For some reason, I obtain a message repeating forever with different address numbers? "Unable to enumerate usb device on port 4."
I had to boot up another Linux distro I have installed.

i have run the 64 bit version of Kubuntu on my comptuer since i built it (when 8.04 came out) and i have never had that issue. not in intrepid , jaunty and still don't have that issue in Karmic. i have also put kubuntu on many computers btw also no usb issues such as yours. the question of upgrading to karmic i would say go for it kde4.3.2 is much more stable and feature full then the kde4.1.x that comes w/ intrepid. you will more then likely have to install the nvidia driver again.

[KeithZG]

Re: Don't you dare unplug USB devices in Kubuntu!

I've been trying to reply here, but my message with quotes from my log files (which basically don't have anything in the entire timeframe leading up to me plugging in the drive until the point of the boot after the restart). Also, it does work just fine on at least two other Karmic installs; both are 32-bit, however, while my main PC is naturally 64-bit.

[KeithZG]

Re: Don't you dare unplug USB devices in Kubuntu!

That was the weirdest double post ever, huh (this one was the same post but encapsulated as a quote of the previous one). Anyways though, I should go and make a proper "ack! help me!" post over in the Karmic Hardware section, since I've confirmed that the lockup results from plugging ANY thumb drive in . . .

[MoonRise]

Re: Don't you dare unplug USB devices in Kubuntu!

Issues I have had in the past with USB has always been external USB HUBs. They can go bad and caused my Kubuntu install at that time to do weird things. I only stumbled across the issue because I removed it in my troubleshooting and the issues went away. When I plugged it in, the problems came back. I also had a USB mouse recently do that. It really didn't affect Kubuntu any, but it sure did make XP go through fits.

[dibl]

Re: Don't you dare unplug USB devices in Kubuntu!

My Epson Perfection 1640SU scanner is suddenly not recognized on the USB -- I just noticed it yesterday. Actually it was recognized once, and worked, but later I could never get it work. I noticed that lsusb would not run while the scanner was plugged in, and xsane would hang and never finish scanning. I rebooted into sidux, to a 2.6.32 kernel and it works fine there, so it's nothing to do with the hardware. Must be something about the 2.6.31 kernel in Karmic.