Cannot mount usb3 ssd on boot

Help and Support Vero V
1

Hi

I had this working for a long time but all of the sudden, it doesn’t seem to be working anymore. Can’t really pinpoint if this was due to an osmc update or a hardware deficiency.

I am mounting a SSD connected to a powered USB hub to the vero v USB 3 port via fstab

UUID="ee30b56a-70c8-4a33-86b4-1f42134b0566" /mnt/data ext4 defaults,relatime 0 0

However, it’s not working anymore. I get a

Timed out waiting for the device /dev/disk/by-uuid/ee30b56a-70c8-4a33-86b4-1f42134b0566

If I connect it via the usb2 port it works.
If I start the vero v without the USB connected, wait for the blue screen and connect the USB at that point, it works.

After I get the timeout message and I get stuck in the osmc blue screen. If I run lsblk I don’t see the device, but If i re-plug the USB, the device appears there.

Logs from dmesg (at the end I re-plug the USB):
https://paste.osmc.tv/uqazetegip.vbs

Thanks!

2

Tried starting the device with another ssd using a different usb hub connected to the usb3 port (and after the expected timeout because the correct ssd isn’t plugged) the new ssd isn’t shown in lsblk as well. replugging it, makes it appear.

3

Hard to tell from that log snippet as I can’t see what UDisks is doing.
Can we get a more detailed log?

4

Of course. Here are the logs from the grab-logs command.

I did the same thing: I booted the device with the SSD plugged into the USB3 port, left it time out, re-plugged the USB into the same port, and captured the logs.

https://paste.osmc.tv/qobodagoxe

5

And the drive seems to eventually mount fine:

2025-04-16 07:35:52.586 T:3052     info <general>: UDisks: Added /media/adf62e34-c6b6-4710-938b-88cec443638e
2025-04-16 07:35:52.610 T:3052     info <general>: UDisks: Added /mnt/data

But there was a timeout when booting.

When you connect it to the USB2 port, are you also moving the powered hub over?

I wonder if the hub is causing an additional interaction.

Sam

6

I mentioned powered usb hub, but it’s actually a powered sata to usb adapter. But to answer your question, yes when trying out the usb2 port, it’s always using the adapter as well.

Just did more experiments:

  • tried connecting just the usb keyboard to usb3 port and it never works in any situation (connected from boot or re-plugging it) (and the keyboard lights never light up)
  • tried connecting a generic non-powered USB flashdrive to usb3 and it never works (from boot or re-plugging it) (checked via lsusb)

Both of these devices show up when connected to the usb2 port.

Almost feels like the usb3 port isn’t providing any power.

If that gives you any further hint, let me know of a flow which you’d like me to capture logs.

7

Also tried to connect the keyboard/flashdrive to a powered usb hub and connect the hub to the usb3 port.

Weirdly, the usb hub shows up in lsusb, but the keyboard/flashdrive do not.

8

So the USB3 port does work, but only if you plug in the drive post boot?
Can you confirm this testing from cold boots (not restarts), to rule out some stuck state of the USB controller?

Many thanks,

Sam

9

Cold boot or restart doesn’t seem to make a difference in behavior.

To summarize my experiments so far:

Device usb3 on boot usb3 post boot usb 2 on boot usb2 post boot
ssd via powered sata to usb adapter :x: :white_check_mark: :white_check_mark: :white_check_mark:
keyboard :x: :x: :white_check_mark: :white_check_mark:
flashdrive :x: :x: :white_check_mark: :white_check_mark:
osmc store powered usb hub without any device connected :white_check_mark: :white_check_mark: :white_check_mark: :white_check_mark:
above devices connected to that hub :x: :x: :white_check_mark: :white_check_mark:
10

Do you think it’s something that could be fixed via software or it’s probably hardware related and a replacement would be needed?

11

If all ports work, I can’t see it being a hardware issue.

I’m thinking something may be wrong in the bootloader when initialising USB.

I have some ideas and will post shortly. It’s going to be a pain to track down.

The only other thing I could blame would be power as there’s more of a load on PSU when bringing everything up at once…

I remember you had some USB issues before some years ago. Same drive?

Can you try the PSU from the 4K/4K+ device? They’re interchangeable

12

A faulty PSU could possibly explain it. I don’t have the old Vero 4 PSU anymore. Closest thing I have to spec is the usb hub power supply but the barrel connector is not the same.
Although, the thing this theory wouldn’t explain, is how a keyboard connected to usb3 never works, nor at boot or after boot.

Regarding my previous usb hdd drive, I’ve learnt from my past problems and got a powered ssd so I don’t have to deal with vero powering devices issues.

13

Indeed, I need to check a couple of things.

1 Like
14

Hi Sam, have you had any progress on this?

15

I have a couple of solid ideas now. Are you comfortable with SSH?

16

Yes. Fire away!

17

I think if we disable USB booting as a test, it could help.
This would mean that if your device was in a bad state / needed re-formatting, you’d have to do so via a micro SD card.

Obviously this is just a test, but if you’re open to it I will advise.

Sam

18

Yeah, that’s fine. We can try it out.

19

Thanks for your patience.

Okay, try:

sudo -s
fw_setenv osmc_from_usb

Then reboot

Sam

20

Same behavior as before unfortunately. Tested the table combination I put above and got the same results for ssd, keyboard, etc over the different ports.