Very odd problem. Do you agree?

[ChroniC]

Ok, i have quite the knowledge of computers, and never really need to use general hardware, but i must say ive never encountered this problem before. Im hoping someone else has.

Over christmas my mum turned of a mains plug holding a daisychain of plugs with christmas lights on, then turned it back on in the morning.
Im assuming as no surge protectors where on any of this that it must have done something to the computer which was plugged into the group.

Nothing powered up, so i changed the psu. Nowt.
Swapped out the mobo. Nope
Swapped out the cpu, success.

Computer essentially works fine, but the usb ports never worked again, neither did the AC97 audio. The usb ports drivers install fine, if i uninstall them, they auto reinstall on reboot. They however will not plug and play any device.
I though this was a mobo problem, as i fresh installed windows, fresh install bios, fresh install drivers. Nothing.
So i assumed that the mobo had gone too.
Bought a new one and that has the same problem, this cant be a massive coincidence.

So after that long winded explaination, what volt line controls the onboard sound and usb ports. Is it possible that (like i think) oddly the power supply is slightly knackered too, and is somehow happily supply the cpu, hard drives, and everything but the southbridge?? Is it the southbridge that controls the usb ports? what does?

How can 2 boards both have the same problem? New cpu, new mobo, new complete windows install. Do you agree that its the power supply??

A challenge to you OCUK, will you be right!

 

[t31os]

Could be a PSU issue after all, where do you think the USB devices get the power from?.... (unless of course they have there own power adaptor)

Did you test everything outside the case to be sure?......

Always worth testing things before they go into a case, because that way if problems do arise at least you know the problem isnt there....

Or.....

Could be a dirty power line, ie. the daisy chain or the wall socket.

This all assumes its a power issue, just conjuring ideas based on what you said...

 

[ChroniC]

Could be a PSU issue after all, where do you think the USB devices get the power from?.... (unless of course they have there own power adaptor)

Did you test everything outside the case to be sure?......

Always worth testing things before they go into a case, because that way if problems do arise at least you know the problem isnt there....

Or.....

Could be a dirty power line, ie. the daisy chain or the wall socket.

This all assumes its a power issue, just conjuring ideas based on what you said...

If by outside the case do you mean have i built it no case, on table then no!
I suppose it could rule out a possibility, its doubtly not a shorting issue imo.

Obviously i know where the usb gets its power, I want to know which power line, the 12v 5v or 3v. Do you know?
It does charge my ipod, so they have power of sort although no usb mice light up when plugged in. weirdly
Wont be the wall socket, as computer runs fine.

Im not at the house at the mo, cause its my ma;s i dont live there. Just fielding the q's before i go check its not the psu. If it isnt the who knows.

Anyone else? Where are all the technicians?

 

[t31os]

If you havnt tried it outside the case then its just an assumption its not the cause, but i think its better to be sure.

I spent hours on the most stupid problems to find the solution was something simple that i assumed it wouldnt be.