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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : Computer Died
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palcal Guru  Joined: 12/10/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1965 |
I have a HP desktop on Win 10. I was transferring some files from a USB drive. When the files had finished downloading I ejected the drive and as I removed it the machine died. I removed the BIOS battery and replace it, as per something I read on the internet and it came to life again. Can anyone explain what happened so I can avoid the problem in the future. Edited 2025-05-06 10:56 by palcal "It is better to be ignorant and ask a stupid question than to be plain Stupid and not ask at all" |
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phil99 Guru Joined: 11/02/2018 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2417 |
Yes, a couple of times have also had Win 10 crash when unplugging a USB drive. It's a Celeron mini PC. Press the power button an it restarts as if nothing had happened. At first I thought it might be a dodgy USB socket on a cheap hub shorting 5V to ⏚ when unplugging, but recently it also happened on the PC's own USB socket. |
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| palcal Guru Joined: 12/10/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1965 |
This was dead, pushing the power button did nothing. I think I may have shorted the usb port when removing the drive. "It is better to be ignorant and ask a stupid question than to be plain Stupid and not ask at all" |
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| al18 Senior Member  Joined: 06/07/2019 Location: United StatesPosts: 225 |
Check the computer supply. Unplug the power cable, check if there’s a fuse that can be reset and plug it back in. |
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Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 7505 |
I'd be surprised if you could short the supply out on USB as the pins are the two outer ones. They are pretty robust. The USB system is designed from the ground up for hot-plugging. The hardware is pretty good, unlike the way Windows handles it sometimes. Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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| palcal Guru Joined: 12/10/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1965 |
Just did it again and both times after an update. I did an update and restart and when I plugged the USB in The computer died. I will have to remove the BIOS battery and hope it comes to life again. "It is better to be ignorant and ask a stupid question than to be plain Stupid and not ask at all" |
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| Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 7505 |
Removing the BIOS battery will also reset the clock. Try a new battery. Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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| palcal Guru Joined: 12/10/2011 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1965 |
Checked the battery, 3 volts but I will use a new one anyway. Seems odd that I used the USB drive three times, no problems, then while I was downloading more files onto it with another computer I noticed the update message, so while I waited for the files to upload to the USB drive I updated and restarted. When the files had finished uploading to the USB drive I removed it and plugged it into the computer that had updated and immediately it died. I am moving music files, just over 10,000 of them. "It is better to be ignorant and ask a stupid question than to be plain Stupid and not ask at all" |
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| robert.rozee Guru Joined: 31/12/2012 Location: New ZealandPosts: 2400 |
the outer metal shell of USB connectors (both plug and socket) are generally connected to the V- pin. so if the V+ pin becomes dislodged/bent it is relatively easy for it to short out the supply - and not all motherboards bother with current limiting on the V+ fed to USB sockets. it is also relatively easy to plug in a USB plug the wrong way round; i have tested this in the past. this will break the plastic 'tongue' in the socket and short V+ to the metal shell. the tongue is then free to fall out, leaving a socket with just the four contacts flapping around in the breeze. cheers, rob :-) |
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