Ipod problem: Could it be power?

[Ylan Segal]

For some time now, I have been trying to get my ipod working under
Ubuntu dapper, without much success. I have discussed in this list
before, but in a nutshell, when I try to copy files from it (using
whatever method) I get Buffer I/O errors in the syslog and the ipod
hangs until manually disconnected.

Trying to fix this, I have received much advice (from really good and
helpful people on this list: thanks again!) which boils down to:

1) Plug the ipod directly to your computer, not a hub (hardware)
2) Use a custom kernel with various configurations (software)

Until now, I ignored the hardware part because this same ipod worked
perfectly in this same laptop under Windows and I am not using a hub but
plugging the ipod straight to my laptop. Software, though, has not
gotten me very far. Even with a vanilla 2.6.17 kernel I still get the
same results.

I had speculated that maybe my laptop has an internal hub and I have
confirmed it: lscpi actually finds 2 USB hubs (apparently one for each
usb port in my laptop) plus the firewire port, which Sony calls i.LINK
and I didn't even know it was firewire until lspci told me!

I also read an interesting article about USB power in the 2.6.16 kernel
and how it is now software limited [1] which made me remember someone
had actually suggested that my problem was a power issue. And then it
hits me: Before I installed Ubuntu, I had a little accident with a cup
of coffee, which caused some chaos on my desk and *fried my USB hub*.
That's right, with Windows I was using a *powered USB hub* to connect my
ipod.

So, my current hypothesis is that my laptop is not supplying enough
power to the ipod and this causes the ipod to hang. I have just ordered
a new USB powered hub and plan to test it as soon as I get it. For good
measure, I also bought a firewire 6pin-4pin connector and I will try to
connect my ipod that way, instead of usb. Currently, I can't think of
anything else to try.

Anyway... there is not really a question here, but if anyone has any
comments on the situation, they will be appreciated.

[1] http://lwn.net/Articles/186331/

-- 
Ylan

"The universe is not required to be in
perfect harmony with human ambition"
~ Carl Sagan