USB stopped working.

Sorry for the long post, however...

After doing a weekly backup of data to my external USB Hard disk. I
'stopped' the device, then unplugged it from my computer (it was using
one of the front USB ports)A few seconds after doing that, the computer
suddenly locked up and I had to resort to a hard reboot.

After pressing the reset button, the computer just hung permanently on
the ASUS POST splash screen and wouldn't go further, so I just pressed
on the power button for 4 seconds to turn it off and waited a while then
turned it back on again, but it still did the same thing, hung at the
POST splash screen.

Having another go at rebooting, I hit DEL Key to enter the BIOS setup,
loaded the defaults and exited, now it wouldn't hang at the POST screen
anymore and would boot into windows OK. However I found that none of my
USB devices were working anymore nor even being recognized.

After rebooting back into Windows and still discovering that none of the
USB devices were being recognized nor working, I went into the device
manager to see if any of the system USB drivers were stuffed. As far as
I could see there were no Yellow exclamation marks and checking the
properties of all of the USB entries stated that USB was enabled and
were 'working properly'.

I uninstalled each of them, rebooted and windows re-installed them (then
asked and used the Motherboard CD to install the rest). Rebooted and
still the devices weren't being recognized. The devices were still
working Okay on the Other computers, so that rules out the problems with
the peripherals themselves.

Booted into Mandrake, and the same thing. Can't print (thinks it's
offline). So I'm guessing the USB sub system of my motherboard is
possibly fried. Also tried flashing it with the latest BIOS and
resetting it to the default settings, still no go.

Is there anything else I should do or check for, to verify that it is in
fact a hardware fault with the Motherboard and not a software/driver
fault, before taking my system back to the manufacturer? (currently
still under warranty)

P4P800 Motherbaord
P4 3.0GHz HT

Thanks for any assistance.

 

Na, sounds stuffed. Get a new one.

--

.... Brendan

But I don't have an "any key" on my computer!

Note: All my comments are copyright 19/02/2005 7:00:56 p.m. and are opinion only where not otherwise stated and always "to the best of my recollection". www.computerman.orcon.net.nz.

 

On Sat, 19 Feb 2005 03:22:58 +0100, Pacific Dragon wrote:

[snip long story of USB playing dead]

How about trying a MB transplant?

Or just take it back and say show me a working USB port and I shall leave.

 

Try a live Penguin CD and see what happens.

 

I had the same problem once. The fix was turning off the pc and then
disconnecting it from the power supply. I know it sounds too simple to be
true, but it worked. When you turn the pc back on again, you should be able
to use USB.
Joy

 

Yup, that often fixes oddball problems like this.

It's also important to, with the power unplugged, push the "on" button
on the front of the computer to discharge the capacitors. You'll
probably find that the power light will flicker on for a split second,
and your fans might also flicker.

It's quite funny how often computers present themselves at our
workshops with oddball problems explained at length by the customer or
client, only to find that all is OK when turned on (obviously
discharging corrected it).

Let us know how you get on.

 

In the offchance that USB isn't working because there is a blown fuse on
the M/B - which you could check for by putting a mulimeter over the +5v
(normally red wire) and ground (normally black wire) - then your
assumption that there is nothing wrong with your USB devices because
they work on another machine may not be correct.
I say offchance, because I wouldn't think that no +5v on your USB ports
would cause hanging on reboot - so something else has probably died.
But if this was what the problem is, then be careful with the USB H/D -
or it might happen again.

Your problem with Asus P4P800 is not unique:
http://www.techsupportforum.com/archive/index.php/t-26448.html

Some M/B have a resettable fuse on the USB +5v, to avoid this problem.
From the posts in the link above, it seems that the P4P800 does not.
If that's what it is, then the fuse may be hard to locate and replace -
soldered in to the M/B - and may not even look like a fuse.

Good luck - warranty is probably your best option, but for peace of mind
it would be nice to know if it was something that wasn't going to happen
again.

 

Many Thanks for the replies.

Tried looking for the fuse, but as xlo says it probably embedded in the
MB and doesn't even look like a fuse, also the manual doesn't even seem
to make a mention of any fuse. Had a go at joy's suggestion, but USB
would not budge.

In the end, Decided to take it back, the technician there after
performing a few tests agrees that the Motherboard is fried and is
ordering in a replacement motherboard.

So much for USB being 'hot swappable' on that motherboard, the USB may
had already been stuffed from the start as the Printer intermittently
wouldn't print through the USB port but had no problems on the old
computer. The USB Hard disk enclosure is probably not the culprit, but
for peace of mind, I may put the HDD on a mobile rack instead as the
transfer rate is supposedly higher.