Re: Enable CONFIG_USB_SUSPEND by default or some mobile HD can't be unplugged safely

Alexander E. Patrakov
2009-01-01T17:33:54Z

Yan Li wrote:
> Hello List,
>
> By default CONFIG_USB_SUSPEND is not enabled and today I got bite by
> this when I got a new WDC My Book hard drive. I have no way to unplug
> it safely, according to it's manual, with a kernel that doesn't have
> CONFIG_USB_SUSPEND=y.
>
> On it's manual read "you should unplug and remove the device only when
> the light is off." On Linux unmounting it won't turn it's light off
> and I can feel it's motor is still running. The only way to unplug it
> properly on a Linux system, as to my knowledge, is to echo `suspend'
> to `/sys/bus/usb/devices/$DEV/power/level'. And one has to have
> CONFIG_USB_SUSPEND=y to do this.
>
> On Windows and Mac OS, `safely remove this device' function effectly
> turns it into `suspend' mode, and it's light off.

You have obviously tested only Windows XP, because Vista doesn't cut the
power for at least some USB devices. And congratulations for obtaining a
Vista-incompatible hard drive (of course, joking).

BTW, does the "eject /dev/$DEV" command help?

--
Alexander E. Patrakov