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OS: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Desktop

Hardware info:

  • HP EliteDesk 800 G1
  • 3 x 10 Port USB 2.0 Hub
  • many USB External Hard Drives

How the issue occurred:

  • Was moving a large file from external USB drive A to drive B, after some time Drive B showing input/output error and the move terminated
  • Drive B is auto-mounted at /media/x/drive_B
  • Click on mounted Drive B in Nautilus returns error, won't list any file in Drive B
  • Thus I click on 'Eject' button in Nautilus, shows successfully ejected
  • When trying to remount via terminal using sudo mount /dev/sdX /media/x/drive_B, it shows

Symptoms as of now:

  • Drive B is completely/physically disconnected from the previously connected USB hub
  • when run lsblk, Drive B shows in the list as /dev/sdX
  • when run df, Drive B does not show in the list
  • when run sudo fdisk -l, Drive B does not show in the list
  • Drive B still shows in Disks GUI, only option that is not greyed out is "power off", it shows error Error opening /dev/sdX for fsync: No such device or address (udisks-error-quark, 0) when clicked
  • When reconnect Drive B into the same USB port, Nautilus won't prompt the mount option per normal, and the disk will not mount manually using sudo mount. Above error message prompts stays the same when running commands .

Steps that I have tried to solve this issue but didn't work:

  • partprobe /dev/sdX shows Error: Error opening /dev/sdX: No such device or address
  • eject /dev/sdX shows eject: unable to open '/dev/sdX'
  • I highly suspect that a simple reboot can fix the issue, however I cannot access on-site at the moment to make sure everything is running normally after reboot, can't risk it

What I want to achieve:

  • Remove this unfunctional pseudo disk from the system, allow it to be replugged in and remount per normal

Thanks all in advance.

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1 Answer 1

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Normally when something like this happens, you end up with a dead kernel device, but when you plug the USB back in, it will show up as a different device.

Check message logs, watch for a new disk device (probably the next sequential after your last disk device).

Eventually the stuck device might go away, but it will take an umount or eject or something. Ultimately, a reboot will clear it.

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  • Thanks, I guess all I can do for now is reboot. I have tried to guide staff onsite to re-plug in the drive, it will not show up as a different device nor do any change to the system's status-quo.
    – aZgauAL9
    Jun 12, 2021 at 10:02
  • It is possible the usb drive has died.
    – user10489
    Jun 12, 2021 at 11:59
  • I have guided the personel onsite to test that drive on their own laptop, it's working per normal. I'm sure it's something with Ubuntu kernel.
    – aZgauAL9
    Jun 12, 2021 at 13:54
  • maybe the usb driver crashed. It may be possible to unload the usb driver and reload it, but not if there are other usb disks in use. Rebooting might be simpler.
    – user10489
    Jun 12, 2021 at 14:30

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