Debian device descriptor read 64 error 71

linux debian gnome
sanksr picture sanksr · Mar 3, 2012 · Viewed 17.4k times · Source

When I install debian on a computer without gnome, it gives me the above error when I connect usb device to my computer. But when I install gnome, the usb port works fine. How to get rid of this?

Answer

thkala picture thkala · Mar 3, 2012

That is the code for Protocol error (EPROTO). While there have been kernel issues that occasionally caused this, from my experience, this is usually a hardware issue with the USB subsystem.

The error message (which, incidentally, you didn't post) usually refers to the USB port that caused the issue. A few pieces of advice:

  • Verify that the device is working properly on another computer.

  • Check whether the device is working correctly on another USB port.

  • Check your cables: 90% of such issues are caused by bad cables. Switching for another cable could very well solve the issue.

  • Check your connectors: This is a common issue on old computers where oxidization has settled on the USB port pins. You could try removing it by inserting and removing the USB plug repeatedly. Warning: Don't overdo it - USB connectors can and will break if you do.

I also doubt that GNOME has anything to do with the actual issue. It's far more probable that installing a windowing system merely hides the error message. It's probably still there in your dmesg output or the system logs.

It would help if you mentioned which USB device (make and model) causes this problem. Some devices are notorious for being rather unreliable...

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