FC2 installs, no problem. On first reboot, hangs at "Mounting USB Filesystems [OK]"

[gwilson]

Hello, I'm trying to solve this problem, but I wanted to post it just in case someone else is seeing similar behavior.

Problem Description:

After a successful fresh install of FC2, the system would hang on the graphical boot screen.

Pressing Ctrl-Alt-F1 to switch to the console showed the boot process hung after displaying:

1. Kernel boot message
2. "Welcome to FC2, press I for interactive setup"
3. Starting USB controllers [OK]
4. Mounting USB filesystems [OK]


Connected Hardware:

My MB is a Soyo KT333 Ultra Platinum with two rear USB 1.1 ports. I also have a multi-function floppy-bay card reader with 2 USB 2.0 Ports.

One rear USB port controls a mouse (no problems). The second USB port connects to an external USB 2.0 hub. The hub has four ports and currently I have a USB scanner (UMAX Astra 2000U) and USB printer (HP LaserJet 2200D) connected to the hub.


Work Around:

First, I disconnected the floppy-bay card reader with 2 USB 2.0 port. I removed its connection to the motherboard.

Reboot, still hangs.

Next, I unplugged the hub. Reboot, SUCCESS. FC2 boots to login screen. Here's the funny thing: If I reconnect the hub AFTER the system boots, everything is fine: the scanner and printer work automagically (ok, I did have to configure the printer).

So, as long as I remember to disconnect the hub before booting, it works.

Conclusion:

No permanent solution, but if you FC2 hangs after install, you may want to try disconnecting any USB hubs until this problem is fixed.

Finally, I have not done 100% conclusive testing. This could be another intermittent problem unrelated to the hub or the USB subsystem. But disconnecting the hub and rebooting has always worked for me.

Please note that I ran FC1 with this exact same hardware and I never had any problems.

Notes:

The USB 2.0 HUB is made by Stratitec:
http://cgi2.stratitec.com/FMPro?-db=default.fp5&-format=ST/itemdetail.html&item===USB28S&site_id=1&-max=1&-find

[Gary]

Just wanted to drop a quick note of thanks to you gwilson. I'd been messing around for days trying to get my microsolutions backpack external usb drive to work. I didn't have a problem with the system hanging at boot, the drive was just not being recognized, I had always booted the system with it plugged in though. After reading your post I tried unplugging the drive before I booted then plugging it back in after, and it worked like a charm. So thanks again.

[gwilson]

After reading your post I tried unplugging the drive before I booted then plugging it back in after, and it worked like a charm. So thanks again.

No problem! I figured I'd at least record the problem. Glad it was a help. If anyone else has this problem, please respond to this thread!

[gwilson]

Just wanted to close this thread.

I upgraded to the fedora core 2 kernel 2.6.6-1.427 and all my problems went away.

This kernel is available via yum.

Alright!

[macbcn]

hello, I have this problem with kernel 2.6.7-1.494.2.2
I am going to start removing USB devices till I find which one gives the problem, but, isn't there any solution to this? I mean, if the USB device that gives the problem is the printer, what then, I can't print??

Thanks a lot / mac.