Just discovered a USB mouse can brick a computer!

kieran_read

kieran_read

kieran_read

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Title isn't even a joke.

If someone can explain how this happened it would be great.

Basically I woke up this morning turned my computer on and it wouldn't post nothing, "Error 31" which according to my ASUS manual means "Memory Installed"

As such I went through the usual steps, cleared CMOS, reseated the memory, checked for dead sticks, used both channels, single channels alternating channels trying to isolate the dead module.

Even reset Bios, updated bios to the latest one to no avail. Spend about 2 hours trying to figure this out.

I figured ok, next step is to take out and put back the motherboard battery, so in the process of doing this, as i went to lay my computer on it's side, suddently had the thought the only difference is that I bought a new mouse yesterday and it was plugged into the USB on top of the case. I should point out this USB port was used for my previous mouse that wasn't broken I bought an Erganomic mouse for use outside of games.

I pull out the new mouse thats plugged and with one last hail mary hit the power button as I watch the BIOS OLED flashing through the numbers with staring at it in disbelief shouting "IT CAN'T BE" as the numbers keep going no sign of stopping, I get a post think saying "IT CAN'T BE" I have already had a couple of posts into the BIOS but then black screen on reset, but not this time, kept going until windows loaded.

A USB mouse borked my computer for 2 hours this morning I have messed about trying to figure out what was happening.

If anyone can explain how this happened that would be great, I don't understand it, I really dont, I know what it was but it doesn't make sense to me, I have never heard or seen something like this before.
 
Looks fine to me, and the System USB must be fine if the other mouse boots fine.

I didn't even know it was possible for that to happen.
 
Ive had a few weird experiences with USB ports. I would for a company that makes fancy data loggers, and i test any faulty units that come back before returning them to the factory. On a few occasions ive had the pc complain about excessive current draw on the USB, but the weirdest one was just the other day. I plugged a device in. Nothing happened for 30 seconds maybe, then the monitor goes blank.... this is a desktop, so its even more weird. I repeated the process another few times. No error messages or beeps from device manager doing its thing, just nothing, then monitor off. Very strange it was.
 
I can confirm it's not just an isolated case as I've had similar when when a USB device plugged in has prevented my computer from booting.

So that now if I have an issue with a computer starting up the first thing I check is if I plugged a USB device in.

I have no real idea as to why this happens the only thing that I could surmise is that USB is so integral to the boot up process and the power that some devices might draw on certain ports causing an issue.

Try the mouse plugged into a port on the motherboard itself.
 
99% the mouse is causing a short circuit between the 5V and ground, the PSU or Mobo detects the short and turns off to protect itself and avoid a possible fire inside the mouse or the USB port. Take a multimeter to the mouse and find out what's going on. Or just return the mouse and get a different model.
 
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