Ubuntu can't see my WD passport external drive

[ulibumpa]

Hi all

I'm new to linux/ubuntu and struggling a bit to get everything working properly.

I've got ubuntu 9.04 installed on a Dell Inspiron 5100 laptop but it wont recognise my WD120 passport connected with USB. Nothing is seen on the desktop or in places. I've tried to connect while up and running as well as before booting - nothing. It works fine on other computers (windows and mac). There is no on/off button but the light turns on and it starts whirling up when connected.



Please help

Thanks

[kgas]

Can you post the out put of lsub and demsg before and after connection the USB drive? Also check with fdisk -l for your device get recognised.

[ulibumpa]

Thanks kgas

Sorry but I have no idea what lsub or demsg means please explain what I have to do.
I did read something about fdisk -l somewhere here and wacked it in the terminal (never used terminal commands before..this is all very new to me) and got this:

Disk /dev/sda: 40.0 GB, 40007761920 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4864 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x9dc96e9e

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 4659 37423386 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 4660 4864 1646662+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 4660 4864 1646631 82 Linux swap / Solaris

I can't tell if it's there or not...is it the "extended"?

[BraedenNaylor]

In terminal put:

lsusb [return]

demsg [return]

fdisk -l [return]

as seperate commands. copy and paste output here.

[ulibumpa]

fdisk -l output as previous message

sudo lsusb
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 003: ID 079b:007e Sagem
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

sudo demsg
sudo: demsg: command not found

Not really sure what this "sudo" is but it had to be there to get any outputs

("Sagem" is my internet modem)

edit: this is after the drive is connected. I'll post again with before connected...just a sec...

[ulibumpa]

Ok, sorry for the mess. Here are all the outputs:

Before connecting:

sudo lsusb
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 003: ID 079b:007e Sagem
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

sudo demsg
sudo: demsg: command not found

sudo fdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 40.0 GB, 40007761920 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4864 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x9dc96e9e

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 4659 37423386 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 4660 4864 1646662+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 4660 4864 1646631 82 Linux swap / Solaris

And after connecting:

sudo lsusb
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 003: ID 079b:007e Sagem
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub

sudo demsg
sudo: demsg: command not found

sudo fdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 40.0 GB, 40007761920 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4864 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x9dc96e9e

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 4659 37423386 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 4660 4864 1646662+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 4660 4864 1646631 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Obviously not there, huh

What can I do?

[kgas]

After inserting your

usb drive in terminal type

dmesg | tail -4
you will get the follwing out put if the drive is detected

usb-storage: device found at 6
usb-storage: waiting for device to settle before scanning
usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage
USB Mass Storage support registered.

for sudo fdisk -l command if your device is detected correctly

you will get
Disk identifier: 0x93fca0a0

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 1 7868 2014192 e W95 FAT16 (LBA)

for the usb drive (here the drive uses FAT16 file system)

From your output it seems that the drive is not detected. If the drive is of NTFS file system then you may have to install the ntfs tools thro' your synaptic manager.

[ulibumpa]

The drive has FAT32 format...

Now with the right spelling of commands I get this:

dmesg | tail -4
[ 294.684462] usb 2-1: configuration #2 chosen from 2 choices
[ 294.790647] eth1: register 'cdc_ether' at usb-0000:00:1d.0-1, CDC Ethernet Device, 00:25:69:59:7c:34
[ 294.791102] usbcore: registered new interface driver cdc_ether
[ 309.152076] eth1: no IPv6 routers present

But without the "tail -4" I got a MASSIVE output including this bit

dmesg
.........
[ 152.044075] usb 1-1: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 6
[ 152.112283] hub 1-0:1.0: unable to enumerate USB device on port 1
[ 153.515047] hub 1-0:1.0: over-current change on port 1
........

WTF?

[kgas]

There is a power surge in your usb hub and blocked for further processing.Try to use the hub with an external power adapter or remove any other devices connected and try only with your usb drive.

[ulibumpa]

Thanks
I haven't got a hub w external power The main point with this one was mobility...
I guess I'll have to find another drive.