Mount an USB: dmesg shows nothing

Question

I'm trying to mount a USB-drive. However, it seems that my Linux (Debian) doesn't recognise it at all (and any other usb-drive), though it powers it. The usb-hubs are OK, because I was able to boot from that USB and install a new Linux, however neither my old distribution (I had Ubuntu), nor the new one can recognise the usb.

lsusb shows all hubs are empty:

:~$ lsusb
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

dmesg doesn't react on pluging the usb:

:~$ dmesg | grep -i usb
[    1.416188] usbcore: registered new interface driver usbfs
[    1.416243] usbcore: registered new interface driver hub
[    1.417839] usbcore: registered new device driver usb
[    1.418686] ehci_hcd: USB 2.0 'Enhanced' Host Controller (EHCI)  Driver
[    1.418831] ehci_hcd 0000:00:1d.7: new USB bus registered, assigned bus number 1
[    1.446915] ehci_hcd 0000:00:1d.7: USB 2.0 started, EHCI 1.00
[    1.447006] usb usb1: New USB device found, idVendor=1d6b, idProduct=0002
[    1.447013] usb usb1: New USB device strings: Mfr=3, Product=2, SerialNumber=1
[    1.447019] usb usb1: Product: EHCI Host Controller
[    1.447024] usb usb1: Manufacturer: Linux 3.2.0-4-686-pae ehci_hcd
[    1.447028] usb usb1: SerialNumber: 0000:00:1d.7
[    1.447302] hub 1-0:1.0: USB hub found
[    1.448779] uhci_hcd: USB Universal Host Controller Interface driver
[    1.448910] uhci_hcd 0000:00:1d.0: new USB bus registered, assigned bus number 2
[    1.449044] usb usb2: New USB device found, idVendor=1d6b, idProduct=0001
[    1.449050] usb usb2: New USB device strings: Mfr=3, Product=2, SerialNumber=1
[    1.449055] usb usb2: Product: UHCI Host Controller
[    1.449060] usb usb2: Manufacturer: Linux 3.2.0-4-686-pae uhci_hcd
[    1.449065] usb usb2: SerialNumber: 0000:00:1d.0
[    1.449857] hub 2-0:1.0: USB hub found
... and three more UHCI

What can be the problem?

I found one more strange feature. As I described, the USB is recognised by BIOS/UEFI. If my preferred booting device is hard disk and a bootable USB was plugged in during booting, then it is seen in OS!

Answer 1

USB provides a generic way to report hardware, so if lsusb doesn't report hardware, the hardware is as good as disconnected, it isn't just a matter of a missing driver. (It would be unlikely that you'd be missing the USB storage driver anyway: USB storage is standard.)

Your logs and lsusb output only show USB1 and USB2 controllers. You won't be able to use USB3 peripherals.

If the device is plugged on a hub, it's possible that the hub is malfunctioning or is not providing enough power. (It's possible for a peripheral to have enough power to light a LED but not enough to communicate properly.) Try plugging the device into another port that doesn't go through an external hub, to see if the hub or the device is at fault.

Answer 2

Few things should be checked:

• BIOS has USB enabled - should have by default
• Linux kernel has USB compiled - should have by default if you are using distro image
• USB device is valid - should be

If still something is missing I would try with following steps:

• start tailing syslog
• connect device
• stop tailing syslog
• check dmesg

Result of connecting some audio device over USB:

(local) ➜  ~  sudo tail -n 0 -f /var/log/syslog             
Feb 14 12:07:58 computer kernel: [ 2362.231113] usb 2-1.2: new full-speed USB device number 8 using ehci-pci
Feb 14 12:07:58 computer kernel: [ 2362.328003] usb 2-1.2: New USB device found, idVendor=08bb, idProduct=2902
Feb 14 12:07:58 computer kernel: [ 2362.328014] usb 2-1.2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
Feb 14 12:07:58 computer kernel: [ 2362.328020] usb 2-1.2: Product: USB Audio CODEC 
Feb 14 12:07:58 computer kernel: [ 2362.328025] usb 2-1.2: Manufacturer: Burr-Brown from TI              
Feb 14 12:07:58 computer kernel: [ 2362.340682] input: Burr-Brown from TI               USB Audio CODEC  as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-1/2-1.2/2-1.2:1.3/0003:08BB:2902.0006/input/input26
Feb 14 12:07:58 computer systemd-udevd[7521]: failed to execute '/lib/udev/mtp-probe' 'mtp-probe /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-1/2-1.2 2 8': No such file or directory
Feb 14 12:07:58 computer kernel: [ 2362.395463] hid-generic 0003:08BB:2902.0006: input,hidraw3: USB HID v1.00 Device [Burr-Brown from TI               USB Audio CODEC ] on usb-0000:00:1d.0-1.2/input3
Feb 14 12:07:58 computer /usr/lib/gdm3/gdm-x-session[2248]: (II) config/udev: Adding input device Burr-Brown from TI               USB Audio CODEC  (/dev/input/event23)
Feb 14 12:07:58 computer /usr/lib/gdm3/gdm-x-session[2248]: (**) Burr-Brown from TI               USB Audio CODEC : Applying InputClass "evdev keyboard catchall"
Feb 14 12:07:58 computer /usr/lib/gdm3/gdm-x-session[2248]: (II) systemd-logind: got fd for /dev/input/event23 13:87 fd 42 paused 0
Feb 14 12:07:58 computer /usr/lib/gdm3/gdm-x-session[2248]: (II) Using input driver 'evdev' for 'Burr-Brown from TI               USB Audio CODEC '
Feb 14 12:07:58 computer /usr/lib/gdm3/gdm-x-session[2248]: (**) Burr-Brown from TI               USB Audio CODEC : always reports core events
Feb 14 12:07:58 computer /usr/lib/gdm3/gdm-x-session[2248]: (**) evdev: Burr-Brown from TI               USB Audio CODEC : Device: "/dev/input/event23"
Feb 14 12:07:58 computer /usr/lib/gdm3/gdm-x-session[2248]: (--) evdev: Burr-Brown from TI               USB Audio CODEC : Vendor 0x8bb Product 0x2902
Feb 14 12:07:58 computer /usr/lib/gdm3/gdm-x-session[2248]: (--) evdev: Burr-Brown from TI               USB Audio CODEC : Found keys
Feb 14 12:07:58 computer /usr/lib/gdm3/gdm-x-session[2248]: (II) evdev: Burr-Brown from TI               USB Audio CODEC : Configuring as keyboard
Feb 14 12:07:58 computer /usr/lib/gdm3/gdm-x-session[2248]: (**) Option "config_info" "udev:/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-1/2-1.2/2-1.2:1.3/0003:08BB:2902.0006/input/input26/event23"
[..]
(local) ➜  ~ dmesg
[..]
[ 2362.231113] usb 2-1.2: new full-speed USB device number 8 using ehci-pci
[ 2362.328003] usb 2-1.2: New USB device found, idVendor=08bb, idProduct=2902
[ 2362.328014] usb 2-1.2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
[ 2362.328020] usb 2-1.2: Product: USB Audio CODEC 
[ 2362.328025] usb 2-1.2: Manufacturer: Burr-Brown from TI              
[ 2362.340682] input: Burr-Brown from TI               USB Audio CODEC  as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-1/2-1.2/2-1.2:1.3/0003:08BB:2902.0006/input/input26
[ 2362.395463] hid-generic 0003:08BB:2902.0006: input,hidraw3: USB HID v1.00 Device [Burr-Brown from TI               USB Audio CODEC ] on usb-0000:00:1d.0-1.2/input3
[..]