System Administration Guide: Basic Administration

Chapter 29 Using USB Devices (Overview/Tasks)

This chapter provides an overview of Universal Serial Bus (USB) devices and step-by-step instructions for using USB devices in the Solaris environment.

For information on the procedures associated with using USB devices, see the following:

This is a list of the overview information in this chapter.

For general information about dynamic reconfiguration and hot-plugging, see Chapter 28, Dynamically Configuring Devices (Tasks).

For information on configuring USB printers, see “What's New in Printing?” in System Administration Guide: Advanced Administration.

What's New in USB Devices?

The following sections describe USB device enhancements in this Solaris release.

USB Dual Framework

The existing USBA framework, found in the Solaris 9 12/03 release, was originally developed for USB 1.1 devices. A new framework, called USBA 1.0, was created to meet more demanding requirements of USB 2.0 devices. The framework operates USB 1.1 devices as well. This Solaris release provides both frameworks, hence the name dual framework. The purpose of the dual framework is to facilitate a smoother transition from the original framework to the newer framework.

For specific details on the how the USB dual framework works, go to http://www.sun.com/desktop/whitepapers.html.

USB Framework Compatibility Issues

A driver written for one USB framework will not work on the other USB framework. Most Sun-supplied USB drivers provide versions for both frameworks.

Compatibility problems might occur if you attempt to plug a USB device into a port, directed by a framework that does not recognize a proper driver for that device because the driver is incompatible. When a framework tries to attach a framework-incompatible driver for a device, you will see console messages similar to the following:


The driver for device binding name is not for USBA1.0  

This message will appear, for example, when a device operated by a non-Sun driver, which is compatible with USBA 1.0 framework, is plugged into a port supported by the original USBA 1.0 framework. The USBA 1.0 framework recognizes the device and tries to map the correct driver, but the driver is rejected because it is incompatible with the framework operating the port.

For information on identifying your USB framework configuration, see How to Display USB Device Information (prtconf).

Solaris Support for USB Devices

The following table describes Solaris support for USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 devices:

 

Solaris 8 HW* releases 

Solaris 9 releases 

 Solaris 9 4/04

USB 1.1 

SPARC and x86 

SPARC and x86 

SPARC and x86 

USB 2.0 

SPARC 

N/A 

SPARC and x86 

*Note that this is not the Solaris 8 releases, but the Solaris 8 HW releases, starting with the Solaris 8 HW 5/03 release. The patch number for the USB dual framework found in the Solaris 8 HW 5/03 release is 109896.

The following table provides a summary of USB support on Sun hardware:

System Type 

Solaris Releases 

USB Device and Speed Support 

Sun Blade 100, 150, 1000, and 2000 

Solaris 9 releases, before the Solaris 9 4/04 release, and Solaris 8 releases before the Solaris HW 5/03 release 

All USB devices at 12 Mb/sec 

Sun Blade 100, 150, 1000, and 2000 

Solaris 9 4/04 and Solaris 8 HW 5/03 

USB 1.1 devices at 12 Mb/sec (connected to any USB ports) 

USB 2.0 devices at 12 Mb/sec (connected to motherboard ports) 

USB 2.0 devices at 480 Mb/sec (connected to ports on add-on PCI USB 2.0 card) 

Sun Blade 1500 and 2500 

Solaris 9 4/04 and Solaris 8 HW 5/03 

USB 1.1 devices at 12 Mb/sec (connected to any USB ports) 

USB 2.0 devices at 12 Mb/sec (connected to motherboard ports) 

USB 2.0 devices at 480 Mb/sec (connected to ports on PCI combo card) 

Other Sun SPARC PCI platforms 

Solaris 9 4/04 and Solaris 8 HW 5/03 

USB 1.1 devices at 12 Mb/sec  

USB 2.0 devices at 480 Mb/sec (connected to ports on add-on PCI USB 2.0 card) 

Sun x86 systems including the Sun Fire V20z, SunFire V40z, Sun Fire V60x, and V65x systems 

Solaris 9 4/04 

USB 1.1 devices at 12 MB/sec 

USB 2.0 devices at 480 Mb/sec (connected to ports on an add-on PCI USB 2.0 card) 

For information about PCI cards verified on the Solaris release, go to: http://www.sun.com/io_technologies/USB.html

Sun Microsystems platforms that provide support for USB devices include the following:

For additional USB support information, see Overview of USB Devices.

USB 2.0 Features

This Solaris release includes the following USB 2.0 features:

For a description of USB devices and terminology, see Overview of USB Devices.

USB 2.0 Devices Features and Compatibility Issues

USB 2.0 devices are defined as high-speed devices that follow the USB 2.0 specification. You can refer to the USB 2.0 specification at http://www.usb.org.

Some of the USB device that are supported on SPARC based and x86 based systems in this Solaris release are as follows:

For a full listing of USB devices that have been verified on the Solaris release, go to:

http://www.sun.com/io_technologies/USB.html

Additional storage devices might work by modifying the scsa2usb.conf file. For more information, see the scsa2usb(7D) man page.

Solaris USB 2.0 device support includes the following features:

For more information on USB 2.0 device support, see the ehci(7D) and usba(7D) man pages.

USB 2.0 Cables

Bus-Powered Devices

Bus-powered hubs use power from the USB bus to which they are connected, to power devices connected to them. Special care must be taken to not overload these hubs, since the power these hubs offer to their downstream devices is limited.

USB Mass Storage Devices

All USB storage devices in this Solaris release are now accessed as removable media devices. This change has the following advantages:

For more information on using USB mass storage devices, see the scsa2usb(7D) man page.

Troubleshooting Tips for USB Mass Storage Devices

Keep the following tips in mind if you have problems adding or removing a USB mass storage device.

USB Driver Enhancements

This section describes USB driver enhancements in this Solaris release.

The EHCI and OHCI Drivers

Features of the EHCI driver include:

If there are USB 2.0 and USB 1.x devices on the system, the EHCI and OHCI drivers hand-off device control depending upon the type of device that is connected to the system.

Overview of USB Devices

Universal Serial Bus (USB) was developed by the PC industry to provide a low-cost solution for attaching peripheral devices, such as keyboards, mouse devices, and printers, to a system.

USB connectors are designed to fit only one type of cable, one way. The primary design motivation for USB was to alleviate the need for multiple connector types for different devices. This design reduces the clutter on the back panel of a system.

Devices connect to USB ports on external USB hubs, or on a root hub that is located on the computer itself. Since hubs have several ports, several branches of a device tree can stem from a hub.

This table lists specific USB devices that are supported in the Solaris environment.

USB Devices 

Systems Supported 

HID control on audio devices 

SPARC based and x86 based systems. 

Hubs 

SPARC based and x86 based systems. 

Keyboards and mouse devices 

SPARC based and x86 based systems. 

Mass storage devices 

SPARC based and x86 based systems. 

Supported configurations include only one keyboard and mouse. These devices must be connected to an on-board USB host controller. 

Printers 

SPARC based and x86 based systems. 

Speakers and microphones 

SPARC based and x86 based systems. 

Commonly Used USB Acronyms

The following table describes the USB acronyms that are used in the Solaris environment. For a complete description of USB components and acronyms, go to http://www.usb.org.

Acronym 

Definition 

ugen 

USB generic driver 

USB 

Universal Serial Bus 

USBA 

Universal Serial Bus Architecture (Solaris) 

USBAI 

USBA Client Driver Interface (Solaris) 

HCD 

USB host controller driver 

EHCI 

Enhanced Open Controller Interface 

OHCI 

Open Host Controller Interface 

UHCI 

Universal Host Controller Interface 

USB Bus Description

The USB specification is openly available and free of royalties. The specification defines the electrical and mechanical interfaces of the bus and the connectors.

USB employs a topology in which hubs provide attachment points for USB devices. The host controller contains the root hub, which is the origin of all USB ports in the system. For more information about hubs, see USB Host Controller and Root Hub.

Figure 29–1 USB Physical Device Hierarchy

Diagram shows a system with three active USB ports that includes a compound device (hub and printer) and composite device (keyboard and mouse).

Figure 29–1 shows a system with three active USB ports. The first USB port connects a Zip drive. The second USB port connects an external hub, which in turn, connects a cdrw device and a composite keyboard/mouse device. As a composite device, this keyboard contains a USB controller, which operates both the keyboard and an attached mouse. The keyboard and the mouse share a common USB bus address because they are directed by the same USB controller.

Figure 29–1 also shows an example of a hub and a printer as a compound device. The hub is an external hub that is enclosed in the same casing as the printer. The printer is permanently connected to the hub. The hub and printer have separate USB bus addresses.

The device tree path name for some of the devices that are displayed in Figure 29–1 are listed in this table.

Zip drive 

/pci@1f,4000/usb@5/storage@1

Keyboard 

/pci@1f,4000/usb@5/hub@2/device@1/keyboard@0

Mouse 

/pci@1f,4000/usb@5/hub@2/device@1/mouse@1

cdrw device 

/pci@1f,4000/usb@5/hub@2/storage@3

Printer 

/pci@1f,4000/usb@5/hub@3/printer@1

USB Devices and Drivers

USB devices with similar attributes and services are grouped into device classes. Each device class has a corresponding driver, one for each framework. Devices within a class are managed by the same device driver pair. However, the USB specification also allows for vendor-specific devices that are not part of a specific class.

The Human Interface Device (HID) class contains devices that are user-controlled such as keyboards, mouse devices, and joysticks. The Communication Device class contains devices that connect to a telephone, such as modems or an ISDN interface. Other device classes include the Audio, Monitor, Printer, and Storage Device classes. Each USB device contains descriptors that reflect the class of the device. A device class specifies how its members should behave in configuration and data transfer. You can obtain additional class information from http://www.usb.org.

Solaris USB Architecture (USBA)

USB devices can be represented as two levels of device tree nodes. A device node represents the entire USB device. One or more child interface nodes represent the individual USB interfaces on the device.

Driver binding is achieved by using the compatible name properties. For more information, refer to 3.2.2.1 of the IEEE 1275 USB binding and Writing Device Drivers. A driver can either bind to the entire device and control all the interfaces, or can bind to just one interface. If no vendor or class driver claims the entire device, a generic USB multi-interface driver is bound to the device-level node. This driver attempts to bind drivers to each interface by using compatible names properties, as defined in section 3.3.2.1 of the IEEE 1275 binding specification.

The Solaris USB Architecture (USBA) adheres to the USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 specifications plus Solaris driver requirements. The USBA model is similar to Sun Common SCSI Architecture (SCSA). The USBA is a thin layer that provides a generic USB transport-layer abstraction to client drivers, providing them with services that implement core generic USB functionality.

Figure 29–2 Solaris USB Architecture (USBA)

Diagram shows the relationship between client drivers, USBA framework, host controller drivers, and the device bus.

About USB in the Solaris Environment

This section describes information you should know about USB in the Solaris environment.

USB Keyboards and Mouse Devices

Only Sun USB keyboards and mouse devices are supported. System configurations with multiple USB keyboards and mouse devices might work, but are not supported in the Solaris environment. See the following items for details.

USB Host Controller and Root Hub

A USB hub is responsible for the following:

The USB host controller has an embedded hub called the root hub. The ports that are visible at the system's back panel are the ports of the root hub. The USB host controller is responsible for the following:

USB Hub Devices

SPARC: USB Power Management

Suspending and resuming of USB devices is fully supported on SPARC systems. However, do not suspend a device that is busy and never remove a device when the system is powered off under a suspend shutdown.

The USB framework makes a best effort to power manage all devices on SPARC-based systems with power management enabled. Power managing a USB device means that the hub driver suspends the port to which the device is connected. Devices that support remote wake up can notify the system to wake up everything in the device's path, so that the device can be used. The host system could also wake up the device if an application sends an I/O to the device.

All HID (keyboard, mouse, speakers, microphones), hub, and storage devices are power-managed by default if they support remote wake up capability. A USB printer is power-managed only between two print jobs. Devices that are directed by the generic USB driver (UGEN) are power managed only when they are closed.

When power management is running to reduce power consumption, USB leaf devices are powered down first. After all devices that are connected to a hub's ports are powered down, the hub is powered down after some delay. To achieve the most efficient power management, do not cascade many hubs.

Guidelines for USB Cables

Keep the following guidelines in mind when connecting USB cables:

For more information, go to http://www.usb.org/channel/training/warning.

Managing USB Devices in the Solaris Environment (Roadmap)

Use this map to identify all the tasks for managing USB devices in the Solaris environment. Each task points to a series of additional tasks such as using USB devices, hot-plugging USB devices, or adding USB audio devices.

Task 

Description 

For Instructions 

Using USB devices 

USB devices must be formatted before file systems can be created and mounted. 

Using USB Mass Storage Devices (Task Map)

Hot-plug USB devices 

Dynamically add or remove USB devices from your system. 

 

 

You can physically add or remove USB devices to and from your system. 

Hot-Plugging USB Devices (Task Map)

 

Physically or logically add or remove USB devices to and from your system with the cfgadm command.

Hot-Plugging USB Devices With the cfgadm Command (Task Map)

Add USB audio devices 

Use this map to identify tasks associated with adding USB audio devices. 

Using USB Audio Devices (Task Map)

Using USB Mass Storage Devices (Task Map)

Task 

Description 

For Instructions 

Prepare to use a USB mass storage device 

Prepare to use a USB mass storage device with vold running.

Preparing to Use a USB Mass Storage Device With vold Running

 

Prepare to use a USB mass storage device without vold running.

How to Prepare to Use USB Mass Storage Devices Without vold Running

Display USB device information 

Use the prtconf command to display information about USB devices.

How to Display USB Device Information (prtconf)

Format a USB mass storage device 

Format a USB mass storage device so that you can put data on it. 

How to Format a USB Mass Storage Device Without vold Running

Mount a USB mass storage device 

Mount a USB mass storage device with vold running.

How to Mount or Unmount a USB Mass Storage Device With vold Running

 

Mount a USB mass storage device without vold running.

How to Mount or Unmount a USB Mass Storage Device Without vold Running

(Optional) Disable USB device drivers 

Disable USB device drivers if you do not want the USB support on your system. 

How to Disable Specific USB Drivers

(Optional) Remove unused USB device links 

Remove unused USB device links with the devfsadm command.

How to Remove Unused USB Device Links

Using USB Mass Storage Devices


Note –

For up-to-date information on using USB mass storage devices in this Solaris release, see USB Mass Storage Devices.


Starting in the Solaris 9 4/04 release, removable mass storage devices such as USB CD-RWs, hards disks, DVDs, digital cameras, Zip, Peerless, SmartMedia, CompactFlash, ORB, and USB diskette devices are supported by ports operated by the USBA 1.0 framework.

An easy way to find out which framework is operating your device is to use the prtconf -D command before and after plugging in your device. By using this method, you'll find your device in the latter output. The USBA 1.0 framework is operating your device if the prtconf entry above it says usba10_scsa2usb. scsa2usb implies the original framework.

For a complete list of USB devices that are supported in the Solaris environment, see http://www.sun.com/io_technologies/USB.html.

These devices can be managed with or without volume management. For information on managing devices with volume management, see vold(1M).

Using USB Diskette Devices

USB diskette devices appear as removable media devices like other USB devices. USB diskette devices are not managed by the fd (floppy) driver. Applications that issue ioctl(2) calls intended for the fd (native floppy) driver will fail. Applications that issue only read(2) and write(2) calls will succeed. Other applications, such as SunPCI and rmformat, will also succeed.


Note –

CDE's File Manager does not fully support USB diskettes at this time. However, you can open, rename, and format diskettes that contain a UFS file system from File Manager's Removable Media Manager. You can only open diskettes that contain a PCFS file system from the Removable Media Manager. If a diskette contains either type of file system, you can successfully drag and drop files between the diskette and File Manager.


Volume management (vold) sees the USB diskette device as a SCSI removable media device. Volume management makes the device available for access under the /rmdisk directory.

For more information on how to use USB diskette devices, see Chapter 17, Managing Removable Media (Overview).

Using Non-Compliant USB Mass Storage Devices

Some devices might be supported by the USB mass storage driver even though they do not identify themselves as compliant with the USB mass storage class or identify themselves incorrectly. The scsa2usb.conf file contains an attribute-override-list that lists the vendor ID, product ID, and revision for matching mass storage devices, as well as fields for overriding the default device attributes. The entries in this list are commented out by default, and can be copied and uncommented to enable support of particular devices.

If you connect a USB mass storage device to a system running this Solaris release and the system is unable to use it, you can check the /kernel/drv/scsa2usb.conf file to see if there is a matching, commented entry for this device. Follow the information given in the scsa2usb.conf file to see if a particular device can be supported by using the override information. For a listing of recommended USB mass storage devices, go to http://www.sun.com/io_technologies/USB.html.

For more information, see scsa2usb(7D).

Preparing to Use a USB Mass Storage Device With vold Running

If you are running the Solaris Common Desktop Environment (CDE), USB removable mass storage devices are managed by the Removable Media Manager component of the CDE File Manager. For more information on the CDE File Manager, see dtfile(1).


Note –

You must include the /usr/dt/man directory in your MANPATH variable to display the man pages that are listed in this section. You must also have the /usr/dt/bin directory in your path and have CDE running to use these commands, or have a DISPLAY variable set to use these commands remotely.


The following table identifies the commands that Removable Media Manager uses to manage storage devices from the CDE environment.

Command  

Man Page 

Task 

sdtmedia_format

sdtmedia_format(1)

Format and label a device 

sdtmedia_prop

sdtmedia_prop(1)

Display properties of a device 

sdtmedia_prot

sdtmedia_prot(1)

Change device protection 

sdtmedia_slice

sdtmedia_slice(1)

Create or modify slices on a device 

After the USB device is formatted, it is usually mounted under the /rmdisk/label directory. For more information on configuring removable storage devices, see rmmount.conf(4) or vold.conf(4).

The device nodes are created under the /vol/dev directory. For more information, see scsa2usb(7D).

The following procedures describe how to manage USB mass storage devices without vold running. The device nodes are created under the /dev/rdsk directory for character devices and under the /dev/dsk directory for block devices. Device links are created when the devices are hot-plugged. For more information, see scsa2usb(7D).

How to Prepare to Use USB Mass Storage Devices Without vold Running

You can use USB mass storage devices without the volume management (vold) running. Stop vold by issuing the following command:


# /etc/init.d/volmgt stop

Or, use the following procedure to keep vold running, but do not register the USB mass storage devices with vold.

  1. Become superuser.

  2. Remove volume manager registration of USB mass storage devices by commenting the following line in the /etc/vold.conf file, like this:


    # use rmdisk drive /dev/rdsk/c*s2 dev_rmdisk.so rmdisk%d
  3. After this line is commented, restart vold.


    # /etc/init.d/volmgt start 
    

    Caution – Caution –

    If you comment out this line and other SCSI or ATAPI Zip, Peerless or other removable devices are in the system, vold registration for these devices would be disabled as well.


    For more information, see vold.conf(4).

How to Display USB Device Information (prtconf)

Use the prtconf command to display information about USB devices.

On a SPARC system, the prtconf output should look similar to the following:


$ prtconf
        usb, instance #0
                 hub, instance #2
                     device, instance #8
                         interface (driver not attached)
                     printer (driver not attached)
                     mouse, instance #14
                     device, instance #9
                         keyboard, instance #15
                         mouse, instance #16
                     storage, instance #7
                         disk (driver not attached)
                     communications, instance #10
                         modem (driver not attached)
                         data (driver not attached)
                 storage, instance #0
                     disk (driver not attached)
                 storage, instance #1
                     disk (driver not attached)

On an x86 system, the PCI card number, made up of the vendor ID and device ID, is displayed instead of usb in the prtconf output. For example, pci1022,7460, instance #0, is displayed instead of usb, instance #0.

You can use the prtconf command's -D option to display additional driver information. This information can be used to tell which ports and devices are being driven by the USBA 1.0 framework, as displayed in the following example:


$ prtconf -D
.
.
.
SUNW,Sun-Blade-1500
.
.
.
1 pci, instance #0 (driver name: pcisch) 
           isa, instance #0 (driver name: ebus)
.
.
.
2 usb, instance #0 (driver name: ohci)
           usb, instance #1 (driver name: ohci)
.
.
.
3 pci, instance #0 (driver name: pci_pci)
4 usb, instance #0 (driver name: usba10_ohci)
            usb, instance #1 (driver name: usba10_ohci)
            usb, instance #0 (driver name: usba10_ehci)
                storage, instance #9 (driver name: usba10_scsa2usb)
                    disk, instance #9 (driver name: usb_sd)
            firewire, instance #0 (driver name: hci1394)
.
.
.

In the output above, note the following configuration characteristics:

How to Format a USB Mass Storage Device Without vold Running

USB mass storage devices, as all others used by the Solaris operating system, must be formatted and contain a file system before they can be used. USB mass storage devices, including diskettes, support both PCFS and UFS file systems. Be sure the disk is formatted before putting either a PCFS or UFS file system on it.

  1. See How to Prepare to Use USB Mass Storage Devices Without vold Running for information on disabling vold.

  2. (Optional) Add the USB diskette device to your system.

    For information on hot-plugging USB devices, see:

  3. (Optional) Identify the diskette device.

    For example:


    # cd /dev/rdsk
    # devfsadm -C
    # ls -l c*0 | grep usb
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root  root   55 Mar  5 10:35 c2t0d0s0 ->
    ../../devices/pci@1f,0/usb@c,3/storage@3/disk@0,0:a,raw

    In this example, the diskette device is c2t0d0s0.

  4. Insert a diskette into the diskette drive.

  5. Format the diskette.


    % rmformat -Flong raw-device
    

    For example:


    % rmformat -Flong /dev/rdsk/c2t0d0s0
    
  6. Determine the file system type and select one of the following:

    1. Create a PCFS file system.


      # mkfs -F pcfs -o nofdisk,size=size raw-device
      

      Specify the -size option in 512–byte blocks.

      The following example shows how to create a PCFS file system on a 1.4 Mbyte diskette.


      # mkfs -F pcfs -o nofdisk,size=2880 /dev/rdsk/c4t0d0s0
      

      The following example shows how to create a UFS file system on a 100 Mbyte Zip drive.


      # mkfs -F pcfs -o nofdisk,size=204800 /dev/rdsk/c5t0d0s0
      

      This command can take several minutes to complete.

    2. Create a UFS file system.


      # newfs raw-device
      

      For example:


      # newfs /dev/rdsk/c4t0d0s0
      

      Note –

      UFS file system overhead consumes a significant portion of space on a diskette, due to a diskette's limited storage capacity.


How to Mount or Unmount a USB Mass Storage Device With vold Running

  1. Display device aliases for all removable mass storage devices, including USB mass storage devices.


    $ eject -n
    .
    .
    .
    cdrom0 -> /vol/dev/rdsk/c0t6d0/audio_cd   (Generic CD device)
    zip0 -> /vol/dev/rdsk/c1t0d0/zip100       (USB Zip device)
    zip1 -> /vol/dev/rdsk/c2t0d0/fat32        (USB Zip device)
    rmdisk0 -> /vol/dev/rdsk/c5t0d0/unnamed_rmdisk (Peerless, HD or floppy)
    rmdisk1 -> /vol/dev/rdsk/c4t0d0/clik40    (Generic USB storage)
  2. Select one of the following to mount or unmount a USB mass storage device.

    1. Mount a USB mass storage device by using the device aliases listed previously.


      $ volrmmount -i device-alias
      

      This example shows how to mount a USB Zip drive (/rmdisk/zip0).


      $ volrmmount -i zip0 
      
    2. Unmount a USB mass storage device.


      $ volrmmount -e device-alias
      

      This example shows how to unmount a USB Zip drive (/rmdisk/zip0).


      $ volrmmount -e zip0
      
  3. Eject a USB device from a generic USB drive.


    $ eject device-alias
    

    For example:


    $ eject rmdisk0
    

    Note –

    The eject command also unmounts the device if the device is not unmounted already. The command also terminates any active applications that access the device.


How to Mount or Unmount a USB Mass Storage Device Without vold Running

  1. See How to Prepare to Use USB Mass Storage Devices Without vold Running for information on disabling vold.

  2. Become superuser.

  3. (Optional) Identify the diskette device.

    For example:


    # cd /dev/rdsk
    # devfsadm -C
    # ls -l c*0 | grep usb
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root  root   55 Mar  5 10:35 c2t0d0s0 ->
    ../../devices/pci@1f,0/usb@c,3/storage@3/disk@0,0:a,raw

    In this example, the diskette device is c2t0d0s0.

  4. Select one of the following to mount or unmount a USB mass storage device.

    1. Mount a USB mass storage device.


      # mount [ -F fstype ] block-device mount-point
      

      This example shows how to mount a device with a UFS file system.


      # mount /dev/dsk/c1t0d0s2 /mnt
      

      This example shows how to mount a device with a PCFS file system.


      # mount -F pcfs /dev/dsk/c1t0d0s0:c /mnt
      

      This example shows how to mount a CD with a read-only HSFS file system.


      # mount -F hsfs -o ro /dev/dsk/c1t0d0s2 /mnt
      
    2. Unmount a USB mass storage device.

      First, be sure no one is using the file system on the device.

      For example:


      # fuser -c -u /mnt
      # umount /mnt
      
    3. Eject the device.


      # eject /dev/[r]dsk/cntndnsn
      

      For example:


      # eject /dev/rdsk/c1t0d0s2 
      

Disabling Specific USB Drivers

You can disable specific types of USB devices by disabling their client driver. For example, USB printers can be disabled by disabling the usbprn driver that directs them. Disabling usbprn does not affect other kinds of devices, such as USB storage devices.

Be careful that device types are disabled on both frameworks. You cannot disable device types on one framework only. The following table identifies some USB device types and their corresponding drivers.

Device Type 

Driver to Disable 

audio 

usb_ac and usb_as

HID (usually keyboard and mouse 

hid

storage 

scsa2usb

printer 

usbprn

serial 

usbser_edge

If you disable a driver for a USB device that is still connected to the system, you will see a console message similar to the following:


usba10: WARNING: usba:    no driver found for device name

How to Disable Specific USB Drivers

  1. Become superuser.

  2. Record the driver aliases that you are about to remove.


    # cp /etc/driver_aliases /etc/driver_aliases.orig
    
  3. Identify the specific USB driver alias name.

    For example:


    # grep usbprn /etc/driver_aliases
    usbprn "usbif,class7.1.1"
    usbprn "usbif,class7.1.2"
  4. Remove the driver alias entry.

    For example:


    # update_drv -d -i '"usbif,class7.1.1"' usbprn
    # update_drv -d -i '"usbif,class7.1.2"' usbprn
    
  5. Reboot the system.


    # init 6
    

How to Remove Unused USB Device Links

Use this procedure if a USB device is removed while the system is powered off. It is possible that removing the USB device while the system is powered off will leave device links for devices that do not exist.

  1. Become superuser.

  2. Close all applications that might be accessing the device.

  3. Remove the unused links for a specific USB class.

    For example:


    # devfsadm -C -c audio
    

    Or, just remove the dangling links:


    # devfsadm -C
    

Hot-Plugging USB Devices (Task Map)

Task 

Description 

For Instructions 

Add a USB mass storage device 

Add a USB mass storage device with vold running.

How to Add a USB Mass Storage Device With vold Running

 

Add a USB mass storage device without vold running.

How to Add a USB Mass Storage Device Without vold Running

Remove a USB mass storage device 

Remove a USB mass storage device with vold running.

How to Remove a USB Mass Storage Device With vold Running

 

Remove a USB mass storage device without vold running.

How to Remove a USB Mass Storage Device Without vold Running

Add a USB camera 

Add a USB camera to access digital images. 

How to Add a USB Camera

Hot-plugging a device means the device is added or removed without shutting down the operating system or powering off the system. All USB devices are hot-pluggable.

When you hot-plug a USB device, the device is immediately seen in the system's device hierarchy, as displayed in the prtconf command output. When you remove a USB device, the device is removed from the system's device hierarchy, unless the device is in use.

If the USB device is in use when it is removed, the hot-plug behavior is a little different. If a device is in use when it is unplugged, the device node remains, but the driver controlling this device stops all activity on the device. Any new I/O activity issued to this device is returned with an error.

In this situation, the system prompts you to plug in the original device. If the device is no longer available, stop the applications. After a few seconds, the port will become available again.


Note –

Data integrity might be impaired if you remove an active or open device. Always close the device before removing, except the console keyboard and mouse, which can be moved while active.


How to Add a USB Mass Storage Device With vold Running

This procedure describes how to add a USB device with vold running.

  1. Connect the USB mass storage device.

  2. Instruct vold to scan for new devices.


    # touch /etc/vold.conf
    
  3. Restart vold.


    # pkill -HUP vold
    
  4. Verify that the device has been added.


    $ ls device-alias
    

    For more information on volume management device names, see Chapter 17, Managing Removable Media (Overview).

How to Add a USB Mass Storage Device Without vold Running

This procedure describes how to add a USB device without vold running.

  1. If needed, see How to Prepare to Use USB Mass Storage Devices Without vold Running for information on disabling vold.

  2. Connect the USB mass storage device.

  3. Verify that the USB device has been added.

    Locate the USB disk device links, which may be among device links of non-USB storage devices, as follows:


    $ cd /dev/rdsk
    $ ls -l c*0 | grep usb
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     root          67 Apr 30 15:12 c1t0d0s0 ->
    	../../devices/pci@1f,0/pci@5/pci@0/usb@8,2/storage@1/disk@0,0:a,raw

How to Remove a USB Mass Storage Device With vold Running

The following procedure uses a Zip drive as an example of removing a USB device with vold running.

  1. Stop any active applications that are using the device.

  2. Unmount the device.

    For example:


    $ volrmmount -e zip0
    
  3. Eject the device.

    For example:


    $ eject zip0
    
  4. Become superuser and stop vold.


    # /etc/init.d/volmgt stop
    
  5. Remove the USB mass storage device.

  6. Start vold.


    # /etc/init.d/volmgt start
    

How to Remove a USB Mass Storage Device Without vold Running

This procedure describes how to remove a USB device without vold running.

  1. If needed, see How to Prepare to Use USB Mass Storage Devices Without vold Running for information on disabling vold.

  2. Become superuser.

  3. Stop any active applications that are using the device.

  4. Remove the USB device.

    1. Unmount the device.

      For example:


      # umount /mnt 
      
    2. Remove the device.

How to Add a USB Camera

Use this procedure to add a USB camera.

  1. Become superuser.

  2. Plug in and turn on the USB camera.

    The system creates a logical device for the camera. After the camera is plugged in, output is written to the /var/adm/messages file to acknowledge the device's connection. The camera is seen as a storage device to the system.

  3. Examine the output that is written to the /var/adm/messages file.

    Examining this output enables you to determine which logical device was created so that you can then use that device to access your images. The output will look similar to the following:


    # more /var/adm/messages
    Jul 15 09:53:35 buffy usba: [ID 349649 kern.info]    OLYMPUS, C-3040ZOOM,
     000153719068
    Jul 15 09:53:35 buffy genunix: [ID 936769 kern.info] scsa2usb1 is 
    /pci@0,0/pci925,1234@7,2/storage@2
    Jul 15 09:53:36 buffy scsi: [ID 193665 kern.info] sd3 at scsa2usb1: 
    target 0 lun 0

    Match the device with a mountable /dev/dsk link entry, by doing the following:


    # ls -l /dev/dsk/c*0 | grep /pci@0,0/pci925,1234@7,2/storage@2
     lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     root          58 Jul 15  2002 c3t0d0p0 ->
     ../../devices/pci@0,0/pci925,1234@7,2/storage@2/disk@0,0:a
  4. Mount the USB camera file system.

    The camera's file system is most likely a PCFS file system. In order to mount the file system on the device created, the slice that represents the disk must be specified. The slice is normally s0 for a SPARC system, and p0 for an x86 system.

    For example, to mount the file system on an x86 system, execute the following command:


    # mount -F pcfs /dev/dsk/c3t0d0p0:c /mnt
    

    To mount the file system on a SPARC system, execute the following command:


    # mount -F pcfs /dev/dsk/c3t0d0s0:c /mnt
    

    For information on mounting file systems, see Chapter 40, Mounting and Unmounting File Systems (Tasks).

    For information on mounting different PCFS file systems, see mount_pcfs(1M).

  5. Verify that the image files are available.

    For example:


    # ls /mnt/DCIM/100OLYMP/
    P7220001.JPG*  P7220003.JPG*  P7220005.JPG*
    P7220002.JPG*  P7220004.JPG*  P7220006.JPG*
  6. View and manipulate the image files created by the USB camera.


    # /usr/dt/bin/sdtimage P7220001.JPG &
    
  7. Unmount the file system before disconnecting the camera.

    For example:


    # umount /mnt
    
  8. Turn off and disconnect the camera.

Using USB Audio Devices (Task Map)

Task 

Description 

For Instructions 

Add USB audio devices 

Add a USB microphone and speakers. 

How to Add USB Audio Devices

Identify your system's primary audio device 

Identify which audio device is your primary audio device. 

How to Identify Your System's Primary Audio Device

Change the primary USB audio device 

You might want to make one particular audio device the primary audio device if you remove or change your USB audio devices. 

How to Change the Primary USB Audio Device

Remove unused USB device links 

If you remove a USB audio device while the system is powered off, the /dev/audio device might be pointing to a /dev/sound/* device that doesn't exist.

How to Remove Unused USB Device Links

Solve USB audio problems 

Use this section if no sound comes from the USB speakers. 

Solving USB Audio Problems

Using USB Audio Devices

This Solaris release provides USB audio support that is implemented by a pair of cooperating drivers, usb_ac and usb_as. The audio control driver, usb_ac, is a USBA (Solaris USB Architecture) compliant client driver that provides the controlling interface to user applications. The audio streaming driver, usb_as, is provided to process audio data messages during play and record. It sets sample frequency and precision, and encodes requests from the usb_ac driver. Both drivers comply to the USB audio class 1.0 specification.

Some audio devices can set volume under software control. A STREAMS module, usb_ah, is pushed on top of the HID driver for managing this function.

Solaris supports USB audio devices that are play-only, record-only, or record and play. Hot-plugging of USB audio devices is supported.

The primary audio device is /dev/audio. You can verify that /dev/audio is pointing to USB audio by using the following command:


% mixerctl
Device /dev/audioctl:
  Name    = USB Audio
  Version = 1.0
  Config  = external

Audio mixer for /dev/audioctl is enabled

After you connect your USB audio devices, you access them with the audioplay and audiorecord command through the /dev/sound/N device links.

Note that the /dev/audio and /dev/sound/N devices can refer to speakers, microphones, or combo devices. If you refer to the incorrect device type, the command will fail. For example, the audioplay command will fail if you try to use it with a microphone.

You can select a specific default audio device for most Sun audio applications, such as audioplay and audiorecord, by setting the AUDIODEV shell variable or by specifying the -d option for these commands. However, setting AUDIODEV does not work for third-party applications that have /dev/audio hardcoded as the audio file.

When you plug in a USB audio device, it automatically becomes the primary audio device, /dev/audio, unless /dev/audio is in use. For instructions on changing /dev/audio from onboard audio to USB audio and vice versa, refer to How to Change the Primary USB Audio Device, and usb_ac(7D).

Hot-Plugging Multiple USB Audio Devices

If a USB audio device is plugged into a system, it becomes the primary audio device, /dev/audio. It remains the primary audio device even after the system is rebooted. If additional USB audio devices are plugged in, the last one becomes the primary audio device.

For additional information on troubleshooting USB audio device problems, see usb_ac(7D).

How to Add USB Audio Devices

Use the following procedure to add USB audio devices.

  1. Plug in the USB speakers and microphone.

    The primary audio device, /dev/audio, usually points to the onboard audio. After you connect USB audio devices, /dev/audio points to the USB audio devices that are identified in the /dev/sound directory.

  2. Verify that the audio device files have been created.


    % ls /dev/sound
    0     0ctl  1     1ctl  2     2ctl
  3. Test the left and right USB speakers.


    % cd /usr/share/audio/samples/au
    % audioplay -d /dev/sound/1 -b 100 spacemusic.au
    % audioplay -d /dev/sound/1 -b -100 spacemusic.au
    
  4. Test the USB microphone.


    % cd $HOME/au
    % audiorecord -d /dev/sound/2 -p mic -t 30 test.au
    

How to Identify Your System's Primary Audio Device

This procedure assumes that you have already connected USB audio devices.

  1. Identify the state of your current audio device links.

    For example:


    % ls -lt /dev/audio*
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     root         7 Jul 23 15:41 /dev/audio -> sound/0
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     root        10 Jul 23 15:41 /dev/audioctl -> 
    sound/0ctl
    % ls -lt /dev/sound/* 
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     other       66 Jul 23 14:21 /dev/sound/0 -> 
    ../../devices/pci@1f,4000/ebus@1/SUNW,CS4231@14,200000:sound,audio
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     other       69 Jul 23 14:21 /dev/sound/0ctl -> 
    ../../devices/pci@1f,4000/ebus@1/SUNW,CS4231@14,200000:sound,audioctl
    %

    The primary audio device, /dev/audio, is currently pointing to the onboard audio, which is /dev/sound/0.

  2. (Optional) Add a new USB audio device.

  3. Examine your system's new audio links.

    For example:


    % ls -lt /dev/audio*
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     root         7 Jul 23 15:46 /dev/audio -> sound/1
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     root        10 Jul 23 15:46 /dev/audioctl -> 
    sound/1ctl
    % ls -lt /dev/sound/*
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     root        74 Jul 23 15:46 /dev/sound/1 -> 
    ../../devices/pci@1f,4000/usb@5/hub@1/device@3/sound-control@0:sound,...
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     root        77 Jul 23 15:46 /dev/sound/1ctl -> 
    ../../devices/pci@1f,4000/usb@5/hub@1/device@3/sound-control@0:sound,...
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     other       66 Jul 23 14:21 /dev/sound/0 -> 
    ../../devices/pci@1f,4000/ebus@1/SUNW,CS4231@14,200000:sound,audio
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     other       69 Jul 23 14:21 /dev/sound/0ctl -> 
    ../../devices/pci@1f,4000/ebus@1/SUNW,CS4231@14,200000:sound,audioctl
    % 

    Notice that the primary audio device, /dev/audio, is pointing to the newly plugged in USB audio device, /dev/sound/1.

    If you remove the USB audio device now, the primary audio device, /dev/audio, does not revert back to the onboard audio. See the following procedure for instructions on changing the primary audio device back to the system's onboard audio.

    You can also examine your system's USB audio devices with the prtconf command and look for the USB device information.


    % prtconf
    .
    .
    .
    usb, instance #0
       hub, instance #0
            mouse, instance #0
            keyboard, instance #1
            device, instance #0
                sound-control, instance #0
                sound, instance #0
                input, instance #0
    .
    .
    .

How to Change the Primary USB Audio Device

Follow these steps if you remove or change your USB audio devices and you want to make one particular audio device the primary audio device. The procedure changes the primary audio device to the onboard audio device as an example.

  1. Become superuser.

  2. Close all audio applications.

  3. Verify that the audio and USB drivers are loaded.


    # modinfo | grep -i audio
    124 780e6a69   bb6e   -   1  audiosup (Audio Device Support 1.12)
    # modinfo  | grep -i usb
     48  13dba67  18636 199   1  ohci (USB OpenHCI Driver 1.31)
     49 78020000  1dece   -   1  usba (USBA: USB Architecture 1.37)
     50  12e5f1f    35f 195   1  hubd (USB Hub Driver 1.4)
     51  13ef53d   5e26 194   1  hid (USB HID Client Driver 1.16)
     54  13f67f2   1b42  10   1  usbms (USB mouse streams 1.6)
     56  127bbf0   2c74  11   1  usbkbm (USB keyboard streams 1.17)
    # 
  4. Load and attach the onboard audio driver.


    # devfsadm -i audiocs
    

    The onboard audio driver is audiocs on a Sunblade 1000, and audiots on a Sunblade 100.

  5. Verify that the primary audio device link is pointing to the onboard audio.


    # ls -lt /dev/audio*
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     other        7 Jul 23 15:49 /dev/audio -> sound/0
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     other       10 Jul 23 15:49 /dev/audioctl -> 
    sound/0ctl
    # ls -lt /dev/sound/*
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     other       66 Jul 23 14:21 /dev/sound/0 -> 
    ../../devices/pci@1f,4000/ebus@1/SUNW,CS4231@14,200000:sound,audio
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     other       69 Jul 23 14:21 /dev/sound/0ctl -> 
    ../../devices/pci@1f,4000/ebus@1/SUNW,CS4231@14,200000:sound,audioctl
    #
  6. Confirm the onboard audio is the primary audio device.


    % audioplay /usr/demo/SOUND/sounds/bark.au
    

    The audioplay command defaults to the onboard audio device.

  7. (Optional) Unload all the audio drivers that can be unloaded before plugging in another USB audio device.

    1. Close all the audio applications.

    2. Display the audio driver information to verify that no audio drivers are currently loaded.


      # modinfo | grep -i audio
       60 78048000   bb6e   -   1  audiosup (Audio Device Support 1.12)
       61 78152000  39a97   -   1  mixer (Audio Mixer 1.49)
       62 78118000   bf9f   -   1  amsrc1 (Audio Sample Rate Conv. #1 1.3)
      128 7805e000  14968  54   1  audiocs (CS4231 mixer audio driver 1.21)
      # 
    3. Unload the audio drivers.


      # modunload -i 0
      # modinfo | grep -i audio
       60 78048000   bb6e   -   1  audiosup (Audio Device Support 1.12)
       61 78152000  39a97   -   1  mixer (Audio Mixer 1.49)
      #

      At this point, audiocs, the onboard audio driver, has been unloaded and guaranteed not to be open. However, the primary audio device, /dev/audio, does not change if it is held open by an application.

  8. (Optional) Plug in a USB audio device.

  9. (Optional) Examine the new audio links.


    % ls -lt /dev/audio*
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     root         7 Jul 23 16:12 /dev/audio -> sound/1
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     root        10 Jul 23 16:12 /dev/audioctl -> 
    sound/1ctl
    % ls -lt /dev/sound/*
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     root        77 Jul 23 16:12 /dev/sound/1ctl -> 
    ../../devices/pci@1f,4000/usb@5/hub@1/device@3/sound-control@0:sound,...
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     root        74 Jul 23 16:12 /dev/sound/1 -> 
    ../../devices/pci@1f,4000/usb@5/hub@1/device@3/sound-control@0:sound,...
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     root        66 Jul 23 15:59 /dev/sound/0 -> 
    ../../devices/pci@1f,4000/ebus@1/SUNW,CS4231@14,200000:sound,audio
    lrwxrwxrwx   1 root     root        69 Jul 23 15:59 /dev/sound/0ctl -> 
    ../../devices/pci@1f,4000/ebus@1/SUNW,CS4231@14,200000:sound,aud...
    % 

Troubleshooting USB Audio Device Problems

This section describes how to troubleshoot USB audio device problems.

Solving USB Audio Problems

Sometimes USB speakers do not produce any sound even though the driver is attached and the volume is set to high. Hot-plugging the device might not change this behavior.

The workaround is to power cycle the USB speakers.

Key Points of Audio Device Ownership

Keep the following key points of audio device ownership in mind when working with audio devices.

Hot-Plugging USB Devices With the cfgadm Command (Task Map)

Task 

Description 

For Instructions 

Display USB bus information 

Display information about USB devices and buses. 

How to Display USB Bus Information (cfgadm)

Unconfigure a USB device 

Logically unconfigure a USB device that is still physically connected to the system. 

How to Unconfigure a USB Device

Configure a USB device 

Configure a USB device that was previously unconfigured. 

How to Configure a USB Device

Logically disconnect a USB device 

You can logically disconnect a USB device if you are not physically near the system. 

How to Logically Disconnect a USB Device

Logically connect a USB device 

Logically connect a USB device that was previously logically disconnected or unconfigured. 

How to Logically Connect a USB Device

Disconnect a USB device subtree 

Disconnect a USB device subtree, which is the hierarchy (or tree) of devices below a hub. 

How to Logically Disconnect a USB Device Subtree

Reset a USB device 

Reset a USB device to logically remove and recreate the device. 

How to Reset a USB Device

Change the default configuration of a multi-configuration USB device 

Change the default configuration of a multi-configuration USB device. 

How to Change the Default Configuration of a Multi-Configuration USB Device

Hot-Plugging USB Devices With the cfgadm Command

You can add and remove a USB device from a running system without using the cfgadm command. However, a USB device can also be logically hot-plugged without physically removing the device. This scenario is convenient when you are working remotely and you need to disable or reset a non-functioning USB device. The cfgadm command also provides a way to display the USB device tree including manufacturer and product information.

The cfgadm command displays information about attachment points, which are locations in the system where dynamic reconfiguration operations can occur. An attachment point consists of:

Attachment points are represented by logical and physical attachment point IDs (Ap_Ids). The physical Ap_Id is the physical pathname of the attachment point. The logical Ap_Id is a user-friendly alternative for the physical Ap_Id. For more information on Ap_Ids, see cfgadm_usb(1M).

The cfgadm command provides the following USB device status information.

Receptacle State 

Description 

empty/unconfigured 

The device is not physically connected. 

disconnected/unconfigured 

The device is logically disconnected and unavailable, even though the device could still be physically connected. 

connected/unconfigured 

The device is logically connected, but unavailable. The device is visible in prtconf output.

connected/configured 

The device is connected and available. 

The following sections describe how to hot-plug a USB device through the software with the cfgadm command. All of the sample USB device information in these sections has been truncated to focus on relevant information.

How to Display USB Bus Information (cfgadm)

Use the cfgadm command to display USB bus information. For example:


% cfgadm
Ap_Id                       Type         Receptacle   Occupant     Condition
usb0/4.5                    usb-hub      connected    configured   ok
usb0/4.5.1                  usb-device   connected    configured   ok
usb0/4.5.2                  usb-printer  connected    configured   ok
usb0/4.5.3                  usb-mouse    connected    configured   ok
usb0/4.5.4                  usb-device   connected    configured   ok
usb0/4.5.5                  usb-storage  connected    configured   ok
usb0/4.5.6                  usb-communi  connected    configured   ok
usb0/4.5.7                  unknown      empty        unconfigured ok
usb0/4.6                    usb-storage  connected    configured   ok
usb0/4.7                    usb-storage  connected    configured   ok

In the preceding example, usb0/4.5.1 identifies a device connected to port 1 of the second-level external hub, which is connected to port 5 of first-level external hub, which is connected to the first USB controller's root hub, port 4.

Use the following cfgadm command to display specific USB device information. For example:


% cfgadm -l -s "cols=ap_id:info"
Ap_Id       Information
 usb0/4.5.1  Mfg: Inside Out Networks Product: Edgeport/421 NConfigs: 1 
Config: 0  : ...
 usb0/4.5.2  Mfg: <undef> Product: <undef>   NConfigs: 1 Config: 0 ...
 usb0/4.5.3  Mfg: Mitsumi Product: Apple USB Mouse NConfigs: 1 Config: 0 ...
 usb0/4.5.4  Mfg: NMB  Product: NMB USB KB/PS2 M NConfigs: 1 Config: 0
 usb0/4.5.5  Mfg: Hagiwara Sys-Com  Product: SmartMedia R/W  NConfigs: 1 
Config: 0 : ...
 usb0/4.5.6  Mfg: 3Com Inc.  Product: U.S.Robotics 56000 Voice USB Modem 
NConfigs: 2 ...
 usb0/4.5.7
 usb0/4.6    Mfg: Iomega  Product: USB Zip 250  NConfigs: 1  Config: 0
 : Default
 usb0/4.7    Mfg: Iomega  Product: USB Zip 100  NConfigs: 1  Config: 0
 : Default

For examples of using the prtconf command to display USB configuration information, see How to Display USB Device Information (prtconf).

How to Unconfigure a USB Device

You can unconfigure a USB device that is still physically connected to the system, but a driver will never attach to it. Note that a USB device remains in the prtconf output even after that device is unconfigured.

  1. Become superuser.

  2. Unconfigure the USB device.


    # cfgadm -c unconfigure usb0/4.7
    Unconfigure the device: /devices/pci@8,700000/usb@5,3/hub@4:4.7
    This operation will suspend activity on the USB device
    Continue (yes/no)? y
    
  3. Verify that the device is unconfigured.


    # cfgadm  
    Ap_Id                    Type         Receptacle   Occupant     Condition
    usb0/4.5                 usb-hub      connected    configured   ok
    usb0/4.5.1               usb-device   connected    configured   ok
    usb0/4.5.2               usb-printer  connected    configured   ok
    usb0/4.5.3               usb-mouse    connected    configured   ok
    usb0/4.5.4               usb-device   connected    configured   ok
    usb0/4.5.5               usb-storage  connected    configured   ok
    usb0/4.5.6               usb-communi  connected    configured   ok
    usb0/4.5.7               unknown      empty        unconfigured ok
    usb0/4.6                 usb-storage  connected    configured   ok
    usb0/4.7                 usb-storage  connected    unconfigured ok

How to Configure a USB Device

  1. Become superuser.

  2. Configure a USB device.


    # cfgadm -c configure usb0/4.7 
    
  3. Verify that the USB device is configured.


    # cfgadm usb0/4.7
    Ap_Id                  Type         Receptacle  Occupant    Condition
    usb0/4.7               usb-storage  connected   configured  ok

How to Logically Disconnect a USB Device

If you want to remove a USB device from the system and the prtconf output, but you are not physically near the system, just logically disconnect the USB device. The device is still physically connected, but it is logically disconnected, unusable, and not visible to the system.

  1. Become superuser.

  2. Disconnect a USB device.


    # cfgadm -c disconnect -y usb0/4.7
    
  3. Verify that the device is disconnected.


    # cfgadm usb0/4.7
    Ap_Id                  Type      Receptacle    Occupant      Condition
    usb0/4.7               unknown   disconnected  unconfigured  ok

How to Logically Connect a USB Device

Use this procedure to logically connect a USB device that was previously logically disconnected or unconfigured.

  1. Become superuser.

  2. Connect a USB device.


    # cfgadm -c configure usb0/4.7
    
  3. Verify that the device is connected.


    # cfgadm usb0/4.7
    Ap_Id                  Type         Receptacle  Occupant    Condition
    usb0/4.7               usb-storage  connected   configured  ok

    The device is now available and visible to the system.

How to Logically Disconnect a USB Device Subtree

Use this procedure to disconnect a USB device subtree, which is the hierarchy (or tree) of devices below a hub.

  1. Become superuser.

  2. Remove a USB device subtree.


    # cfgadm -c disconnect -y usb0/4
    
  3. Verify that the USB device subtree is disconnected.


    # cfgadm usb0/4
    Ap_Id                  Type       Receptacle   Occupant     Condition
    usb0/4                 unknown    disconnected unconfigured ok

How to Reset a USB Device

If a USB device behaves erratically, use the cfgadm command to reset the device, which logically removes and recreates the device.

  1. Become superuser.

  2. Make sure the device is not in use.

  3. Reset the device.


    # cfgadm -x usb_reset -y usb0/4.7
    
  4. Verify that the device is connected.


    # cfgadm usb0/4.7
    Ap_Id                  Type         Receptacle   Occupant     Condition
    usb0/4.7               usb-storage  connected    configured   ok

How to Change the Default Configuration of a Multi-Configuration USB Device

Keep the following in mind when working with multi-configuration USB devices:

  1. Make sure the device is not in use.

  2. Change the default USB configuration.

    For example:


    # cfgadm -x usb_config -o config=2 usb0/4
       Setting the device: /devices/pci@1f,0/usb@c,3:4
       to USB configuration 2
       This operation will suspend activity on the USB device
       Continue (yes/no)? yes
    
  3. Verify the device change.

    For example:


    # cfgadm -lv usb0/4
    Ap_Id  Receptacle   Occupant     Condition  Information When  Type    
         Busy     Phys_Id
    usb0/4 connected    unconfigured ok         Mfg: Sun  2000   
    Product: USB-B0B0 aka Robotech
    With 6 EPPS High Clk Mode   NConfigs: 7  Config: 2  : EVAL Board Setup  
    unavailable
    usb-device   n        /devices/pci@1f,0/usb@c,3:4

    Config now shows 2.