USB Port short

[Spynx]

The contacts on the usb3 port of the front panel somehow shorted and the pc turned completely off. I disconnected the front panel and restarted the pc.

While I was working on a document, the screen suddenly went blank on the two monitors. At first I thought I mabe hit the switch display to my LCD TV, but that was not the case. The PC stayed on so I hit the reset button.

After that Win8 threw a fit and did not want to restore or repair itself. I re-installed Win8 and when I was updating the drivers, it went blank again.

After a bit of struggle, I managed to get Win8 running again. I looked in Device manager and found that windows stopped one of my usb devices that did not work correctly (It said "the usb device reported an error"). I unplugged it and now it has not turned off the screens for a while.

Now, will there be any damage to the motherboard and other devices?

My system:

Asus P8Z68 Motherboard
16 GB memory
Sata add-on card
Intel Core i5 2500k
Geforce 460 gtx
Adata 120 GB ssd
3 X 500GB H/Drives
2 X 1 TB H/Drives
1 X 1.5 H/Drive
Gigabyte Odin GT P/Supply 550 Watt
2 X 24" Screens
Win8 Pro

Thanks in advance.

 

[Pada]

You might have damaged the device plugged into that USB port.

I once wrote of a mouse and flash drive when I connected my front USB to the front firewire header on the motherboard and then plugged in those 2 devices. Other than that nothing was damaged in my case.

I'd guess that you just wrote off one of your USB controllers on the motherboard.

 

[AnimateX]

Yep, if the motherboard is still functioning you probably just lost a port or controller. Lucky though. If there is no protection circuitry and a USB port shorts, all that power goes through the motherboard and it's lights out.. pun intended

While USB is cool and all, I always get that sinking feeling when I plug something in.

 

[Spynx]

OK I've had enough, it started again, this *****ing thing won't start. Just ordered a new motherboard, graphics card and ssd.

 

[Tim the Techxpert]

Hi there,
I have also had issues with USB sockets in the past. What I now do for those that are awkward to get to and where I may damage the pins in putting in a USB device is attache a USB extender and leave it in. That way I can hold the extender and ensure the pins are aligned before doing the damage.
Not that that is going to help you if the motherboard is gone but maybe it will prevent it happening on the new one.

Regards Tim

Follow me on @TechXperTim