Here's an interesting thing I'm running across that's totally making me quite angry and frustrated. Here's the lowdown.
New built PC. 4 on-board USB ports in the back, 4 front wired USB ports.
None of the ones in the back work at all with any device. Nothing is recognized.
Devices in the front work the first time they're plugged in, but every time after that the devices don't work. I mean completely.
Plugged in an MP3 player, worked fine. Now while the device turns on (as it should), it doesn't charge nor does windows recognize it as a USB drive.
Plugged in a PSP, worked fine. Now all computers won't recognize it (nor does the PSP turn USB mode on automatically). Not the cable or the other ports on the computer, since another PSP runs with the SAME cable on the SAME port without issue.
...so I've got a bunch of ports that don't work at all and others that blow out components. So my question is...does anybody have a shotgun? Two sets of bullets please, one for the last board I was working with that the onboard USB ports didn't work either.
Actually, seriously. Has anybody ever heard of a USB port blowing out components? Cause this is a new one.
Joined: 3/31/2010
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Sir VG, I have something like this at my repair shop. Any USB device won't work. It seems like a device (a USB mouse) gets power for about 1/2 second then there is no power going to the device. Not sure why though.
When TAS does Quake 1, SDA will declare war.
The Prince doth arrive he doth please.
Odd voltages (overvoltages or wrong polarity) blowing out components?
Of course, that is not supposed to happen, but if one is dealing with broken ports...
Yes, I've seen it, it normally happens when some computer enthusiast messes with the motherboard and ends up switching the GND and Vcc wires.
Anyway, since you described that some devices actually worked, I guess bad grounding of the case or some other component might be causing short circuits where your devices are connected. This can usually be identified easily in laptops, if you hear some strange noise when you use skype, for example, that magically goes away when you place your hand on it, it's because bad grounding is generating a noise at the frequency of the power distribution network, that's amplified by the internal circuits. When you put your hands, you ground the case yourself and it goes away.
Yes, I've seen it, it normally happens when some computer enthusiast messes with the motherboard and ends up switching the GND and Vcc wires.
Anyway, since you described that some devices actually worked, I guess bad grounding of the case or some other component might be causing short circuits where your devices are connected. This can usually be identified easily in laptops, if you hear some strange noise when you use skype, for example, that magically goes away when you place your hand on it, it's because bad grounding is generating a noise at the frequency of the power distribution network, that's amplified by the internal circuits. When you put your hands, you ground the case yourself and it goes away.
I looked over the case design compared to my board manual. I'd either have to flip the ENTIRE plug (the 4 wires are plugged together) in order to flip those two around.
Why the onboard ones don't work though is just as frustrating, but this whole thing reeks.
Edit: Well, I got the back ones to work now at least. Unplugged the demon front USB plugs and suddenly the back ones work. Still not sure why the front ones caused the damage they did, but at least I have 4 plugs in the thing now that aren't gonna kill any device they touch. Since I'm positive I didn't flip them around, either it's the 3rd ground cable (which could explain why the back ones wouldn't work, possibly) or the case company screwed up the wiring. Oh well, I've lost enough sleep over it as it is.
