[Cialug] OT: USB Issues

Thu Nov 18 19:23:14 UTC 2021

interesting offer!  makes me wonder if one of the Area515 folks might be
able to take a look in the same manner

On Wed, Nov 17, 2021, 17:06 Jared Brees <fromj2sitsme at msn.com> wrote:

> A multimeter and a scope would be my recommendations. If you bring it to a
> CIALUG meeting I can bring my scope! it's nothing fancy but should capture
> what we're looking for if there's an issue
>
> [Sent via Pixel 3a]
> ________________________________
> From: Cialug <cialug-bounces at cialug.org> on behalf of Scott Yates <
> Scott at yatesframe.com>
> Sent: Monday, November 15, 2021 12:48:50 PM
> To: Central Iowa Linux Users Group <cialug at cialug.org>
> Subject: Re: [Cialug] OT: USB Issues
>
> Just a quick note:  Usually power supply issues are not caught by most
> software diagnostics.  They can cause VERY odd issues, and can seem very
> subtle.
> I try to keep a high quality 850w PS around just to test things like this.
>
>
> On Mon, Nov 15, 2021 at 12:47 PM Tim Wilson <tim_linux at wilson-home.com>
> wrote:
>
> > It’s a little over 2 years old. So not old enough to cut my losses.
> >
> > I dug out my 550 watt PSU. I’m not sure if it is powerful enough, but
> > hopefully it will at least be enough to determine if it is the PSU.
> >
> > I didn’t smell any magic smoke. This is the second time it’s happened.
> The
> > first time fried the surge protector. I guess it did it’s job. This surge
> > protector is older, so it may have been hit and degraded the protection.
> >
> > I don’t have a scope. I could probably hook up a multimeter. I’d have to
> > research what pins and voltages.
> >
> > I’ll run some diagnostics. I thought I had already, but I would’ve
> thought
> > that the USB/power issue would’ve been flagged.
> >
> > Or I might bite the bullet and take it somewhere for them to look at.
> Any
> > suggestions?
> >
> > On Sun, Nov 14, 2021 at 11:49 PM Andrew Denner <linux-list at upeke.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > The first question I always look at is how old is the computer and how
> > easy
> > > is it to work on? If it is a pain and older, at some point cutting your
> > > losses may be the best option. I agree with Shane, I would first look
> at
> > > the output of the power supply. Depending on what tools you have, is
> the
> > > voltage close to what you expect, are there any visible scorch marks or
> > > parts that don't look right, does anything smell like the magic smoke
> is
> > > leaking, how clean of a signal is coming out on the oscilloscope?
> > >
> > > Also as another aside, if lightning did nibble on the power supply, and
> > you
> > > can replace it, what else did it stress beyond specs that are waiting
> to
> > > fail? What does running a full diagnostic on the disk's SMART, memory
> > > tests, etc say?
> > >
> > > On Fri, Nov 12, 2021 at 1:02 PM Shane Nehring <shane at ntoast.com>
> wrote:
> > >
> > > > My first instinct would actually be to suspect some damage to the PSU
> > > > (maybe just the 5v supply) or perhaps the MB (assuming the usb is
> > onboard
> > > > the motherboard). It could be the PSU is only slightly damaged and is
> > > just
> > > > making a bunch of noise on the 5v lines and that's only adversely
> > > impacting
> > > > sensitive usb devices. Failing PSUs can cause all sorts of difficult
> to
> > > > track down weirdness.
> > > >
> > > > On Fri, Nov 12, 2021 at 12:40 PM Tim Wilson <
> tim_linux at wilson-home.com
> > >
> > > > wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Hi all, this is OT from Linux, but hopefully someone can help.
> This
> > is
> > > > > probably TL;DR, but I think details are important.
> > > > >
> > > > > A couple of months ago, an overnight lightning storm struck close
> to
> > > our
> > > > > house.  When I started working the next morning, I could hear a
> noise
> > > > that
> > > > > sounded like a fan was going out on my gaming PC.  I shut down the
> > PC,
> > > > and
> > > > > the noise went away.  After further investigation, I discovered
> that
> > > the
> > > > > noise was coming from my USB powered speakers.  They get power
> from a
> > > USB
> > > > > port on my PC, but are connected to a monitor so it will get audio
> > from
> > > > > whichever input is selected (home or work).  I plugged the speakers
> > > into
> > > > a
> > > > > charge pack, and the noise went away.  This made me think I had
> > larger
> > > > > issues.
> > > > >
> > > > > I had a WD external drive and a USB capture device hooked up.  The
> > > drive
> > > > > has issues, I tried plugging it into my laptop and it wasn't
> > > > recognized.  I
> > > > > still need to try the capture device.  It does not work on the
> gaming
> > > PC.
> > > > > Both the mouse and keyboard work.  But plugging an optical drive
> in,
> > > does
> > > > > not seem to work.  The optical drive does work on my laptop, so I'm
> > > sure
> > > > > it's fine.
> > > > >
> > > > > This sounds like some part of USB is fried.  No USB-C, but it has
> USB
> > > 3.1
> > > > > ports.  The external drive and capture device were plugged into the
> > top
> > > > USB
> > > > > ports.  I've disconnected those, hoping the others would start
> > working.
> > > > > Are there any tools you would recommend, or any suggestions?
> > > > >
> > > > > TIA!
> > > > > --
> > > > > Tim
> > > > > Required reading: http://bccplease.com/
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> > --
> > Tim
> > Required reading: http://bccplease.com/
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
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