# USB3 stick overheating

## Saundersx

Previously I was using an 8G usb2 nano in the same usb slot and it worked fine, no overheating or even getting warm. Now I have a usb3 nano stick (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820173033) that I use to boot my laptop with a fully encrypted hard drive. After it's done booting it unmounts and then just sits there. Very quickly it will start to heat up and after a few minutes it will be very hot (not too hot to touch but getting close).

So I decided to try power management, wrote this script to power it down no matter where it's plugged in.

```
#!/bin/bash

for i in $(seq 1 $(ls -1 /sys/bus/usb/devices/usb?/idProduct | wc -l)); do

  if [ "$(grep . /sys/bus/usb/devices/${i}-*/uevent 2>/dev/null | grep "PRODUCT=781/5583/100" | wc -l)" != "0" ]; then

    # usb3 gets hot

    echo 0 > /sys/bus/usb/devices/usb${i}/power/autosuspend

    echo auto > /sys/bus/usb/devices/usb${i}/power/control

  fi

done
```

This seemed to help a little but it still gets quite hot. So after some reading on the sandisk forums of other people complaining (mainly people doing writes which it does indeed get very very hot) I wrote this off as being the nature of the beast. I booted into Win7 yesterday and after about 2 hours I checked the stick and it was nice and cool. 

So this seems to be specific to Linux. The laptop is a GS40 and afaict the usb slot is ok and the stick is not borked. Am I missing something here? Is there a kernel flag or /sys thing I'm missing?

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## frostschutz

If this can be reproduced on other machines, sounds like you should donate that USB stick to an interested kernel hacker...

My usb3 nano stick (patriot tab) stays cool with Linux.

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## Roman_Gruber

Suggested: Well return it where you bought it because its defective when its still possible.

Getting hot can be anything. The manufacturer will probalby tell you that's in spec and normal. I also have an usb3 enclosure from inatec which is feelable hotter as the air around the case. 

The question is if its really a defect or just normal behaviour. Even ordinary laptops gets temperatures around 65 degress centirate and its normal, although i do not want to touch that with my hands. see notebookcheck for reference

I want to kindly ask you to measure the temperature if possible. Those infrared termometers from ebay are very cheap. I bought one myself with 3 months shipping for around 10 euros half a year ago.

--

Generic advise: I suppose you already use gentoo-sources 4.7.x already and not the stable 4.4.x. Many hardware issues are sometimes gone with the latest kernel.org stable release

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## Saundersx

 *frostschutz wrote:*   

> If this can be reproduced on other machines, sounds like you should donate that USB stick to an interested kernel hacker...
> 
> My usb3 nano stick (patriot tab) stays cool with Linux.

 

Interesting, I would be willing to do that.

 *Roman_Gruber wrote:*   

> I want to kindly ask you to measure the temperature if possible. Those infrared termometers from ebay are very cheap. I bought one myself with 3 months shipping for around 10 euros half a year ago.

 

I don't have one but a buddy does, I'll see what I can do.

 *Roman_Gruber wrote:*   

> Generic advise: I suppose you already use gentoo-sources 4.7.x already and not the stable 4.4.x. Many hardware issues are sometimes gone with the latest kernel.org stable release

 

Already on 4.7.4 (newest)

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## NeddySeagoon

Saundersx,

I have several USB3 sticks that get warm when busy but they all cool again once they become inactive.

I suspect that your stick is damaged.  As it still operates, it may well be static damage.

USB3 sticks on a USB3 port are expected to get hotter than USB2 sticks.

The faster operating speed demands more power, which can only come out as heat.

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## Cyker

I have a similar issue with a really tiny metal Integral USB stick - Whether in use or not, it heats up enough to burn my fingers if I rest them on it for too long!

But this is on a Lenovo Thinkpad running Windows 7 so it's not just a Linux issue...

I currently have it plugged into a StarTech USB3 express card which I leave in its slot but not plugged in, and plug the whole lot in when I actually need to use it (I figure if it fries the express card I can at least replace it, whereas if it fries the motherboard... this is less easy to replace XD)

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