Can a USB Device Short a Computer/Fry the MoBo?

[govtcheez75]

I have a Sony Vaio laptop. It was working fine until last night. I plugged in my USB DVD Burner to burn a DVD and noticed that it wasn't being recognized. I then unplugged it to try to plug it back in or in another USB port. The moment that I unplugged the device, the computer shut off instantaneously. It won't come back on now.


I called Sony Tech support and will be sending the laptop for repairs. Is it possible that the USB device shorted something in the computer? That seems to be the only logical explanation.

 

[imported_michaelpatrick33]

Sounds like a voltage issue with the USB motherboard header that shorted thus causing the motherboard to die. Just a guess, though.

 

[govtcheez75]

Originally posted by: michaelpatrick33
Sounds like a voltage issue with the USB motherboard header that shorted thus causing the motherboard to die. Just a guess, though.

sounds as good as anything I could have come up with.

 

[interchange]

A USB device shouldn't be putting any power on the bus back to the computer. If it did fry your mobo, then it's definitely faulty hardware.

 

[corkyg]

External burners have their own power supply - so they do not suck power from the laptop. That connection is one way power wise. I would opine that the problem is in the laptop.

Try it on a desktop to verify and validate the burner.

 

[Zepper]

The 5V power that is available at the USB jacks shouldn't be enough to do much damage (about 1.5A total) unless that 5V line wasn't properly limited. The USB +5V line shuould have one of the new plastic , self-resetting fuses in it like the PS/2 jacks have now.

.bh.

 

[Jiggz]

It's possible. Since there are two sources of power being interfaced, then it could be that the mobo shorted or the power circuit on the mobo tripped and will not self reset.