Bug in libmtp/libgphoto2 can prevent access to MSC devices

Problem

If you are using GNU/Linux, you may not be able to mount your Sansa or Toshiba Gigabeat player.

On certain systems, libgphoto2 may be causing a problem.

This bug is related to your OS not being able to determine when your player is in MSC mode and when it isn't. Therefore, it tries to connect to it through MTP without verifying that the device is using MTP. More info at https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/libgphoto2/+bug/355998

Solution

The only thing you have to do is to edit :

- "/usr/share/hal/fdi/preprobe/10osvendor/20-libgphoto2.fdi" if you are using Ubuntu (I think it works too for Debian)
- "/usr/share/hal/fdi/information/20thirdparty/10-camera-libgphoto2.fdi" if you are using Fedora (I think it works too for Red Hat Entreprise Linux)

as root.

Then, delete all the groups where "camera.libgphoto2.name" contains the word "Sansa" (or Gigabeat). I'm calling a group all of the lines :

<match key="usb.vendor_id" int="****"> <match key="usb.product_id" int="*****"> <merge key="info.category" type="string">portable_audio_player</merge> <append key="info.capabilities" type="strlist">portable_audio_player</append> <merge key="portable_audio_player.access_method" type="string">user</merge> <merge key="portable_audio_player.type" type="string">mtp</merge> <append key="portable_audio_player.output_formats" type="strlist">audio/mpeg</append> <merge key="camera.libgphoto2.name" type="string">The player name</merge> <merge key="camera.libgphoto2.support" type="bool">true</merge> </match>

Save and plug your Sansa/Gigabeat player.

Now it should work. If it doesn't, just unplug and replug your player a few times.

Status

A fix for this bug seems to have been committed in April, 2009. -- JustinHannigan - 2010-11-13