I have an issue with mounting a cheap smart watch in #linux: Device is seen by the kernel, but never registered as a storage device /dev/sd*:

[root42@chaos.social]

@zeri could be! Which modules are required? Which package do they come in?

[root42@chaos.social]

@mbpaz maybe…? Would that influence lsusb not showing the attached devices?

[zeri@chaos.social]

@root42 don't know. But that's something it is probably safe to ask a chatbot ... worst case you load a module you don't need. Might also be that there are no modules because a kernel update failed.

[drscriptt@oldbytes.space]

@root42 @zeri compare the output of `lsmod` from both kernels.

Capture `dmesg` too.

One or both (sets) should get you on the correct path.

[root42@chaos.social]

@drscriptt @zeri yes, that’s my plan. Hope to find it’s just a module that’s missing.

[cheesefox@infosec.exchange]

@root42 @mbpaz potentially if usb_modeswitch is involved

[root42@chaos.social]

@cheesefox I have to look that up. My active desktop Linux times have been 15 years ago. Quite a bit has changed since then.

[root42@chaos.social]

@drscriptt So the output of lsmod is very similar on both. I installed an extra Intel sound driver, but that shouldn't interfere with USB, I think.

[root42@chaos.social]

So my current working hypothesis is: Live Linux Mint uses kernel 6.14, my installation uses kernel 6.17. This is probably what causes the regression?
So I might want to downgrade the kernel...
#linux #linuxmint

[root42@chaos.social]

Nope, that was not it. I downgraded to Linux 6.14.0-37, but USB still doesn't work. So it must be something with my installation! But what?

[cibersheep@mastodont.cat]

@root42 I still have some problemas mounting usb from friends in Ubuntu Focal. Can you believe that?
May it be a permissions issue?

[root42@chaos.social]

I am onto something: Attaching an OLD Apple keyboard with a USB-C to A adapter WORKS. But all my USB3.x devices do NOT work!
So how do I tell the USB controller to also work with USB3 devices...? Which works on the live thumbdrive!

[1024bytes@masto.ai]

@root42 it sounds like it does not load some usb drivers. But for default usb never seen that happen.

[root42@chaos.social]

Yes, so it seems the controller is stuck in EHCI mode, instead of switching to xHCI for USB3 devices. Bummer... how to switch it back...?

[dr_laemmerbein@mastodon.social]

@root42 Did you install a kernel update by any chance? Then you might need a reboot to make it work again, I ran into that a few times...

[zyx@social.treehouse.systems]

@root42 I also had this problem once where the kernel showed the usb drive was plugged in but no /dev/sd* showed up, the problem was the usb kernel modules weren't loaded so 'modeprobe usb' or a similar modeprobe command to that fixed it

[sebastiaanfranken@mastodon.nl]

@root42 Is your USB controller properly listed in `lspci`? And if it is, what kernel options does it use (see with `lspci -s <address of controller> -k`. For example, here's mine:

04:00.3 USB controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir/Cezanne USB 3.1
Subsystem: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Renoir/Cezanne USB 3.1
Kernel driver in use: xhci_hcd
Kernel modules: xhci_pci

[root42@chaos.social]

@dr_laemmerbein lots of reboots...

[root42@chaos.social]

@sebastiaanfranken Seems so:

07:00.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation JHL6540 Thunderbolt 3 USB Controller (C step) [Alpine Ridge 4C
2016] (rev 02)
Subsystem: Intel Corporation JHL6540 Thunderbolt 3 USB Controller (C step) [Alpine Ridge 4C 2016]
Kernel driver in use: xhci_hcd

[sebastiaanfranken@mastodon.nl]

@root42 Ok, so that's good. Also the fact the proper hcd (xhci_hcd) module is loaded is good. Anything related to it in your system journal? And if you want you can get more output / info with

> sudo lspci -s 07:00.0 -k -v