Motherboard USB issue

[NecroFlex]

So i got a used motherboard to replace the one in my dads computer which died, so i plugged everything in as usual and i tried to get into the BIOS at the start and it didn't let me, so it proceeded to boot up and when i was in Windows i couldn't do anything, mouse didn't work, keyboard didn't aswell, even a flash drive didn't pop-up. So i plugged only 1 thing and it worked, plugged in another one and nothing, didn't work, it only works with one USB thing at a time and all of the ports work, updated the chipset and nothing fixed, running out of ideas

 

Motherboard is a Gigabyte GA-G41M-Combo

http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=3505#ov

 

It does have an issue where if it's in vertical position it will just shut down after like 10-15min but when it's horizontal it will work like a charm (not the USB thing, the mobo itself) tho idk if that would be related.

 

Any help is appreciated

[Naeaes]

Could be faulty grounding. You got all your stand offs in place and no extra ones?

[Godlygamer23]

What kind of Windows installation is this? Something you did for this motherboard or an already existing installation from another PC?

[soup]

 

It does have an issue where if it's in vertical position it will just shut down after like 10-15min but when it's horizontal it will work like a charm (not the USB thing, the mobo itself) tho idk if that would be related.

 

 

 

This change in orientation changing the behaviour makes it sound like something is contacting the back of the MoBo.   OK when horizontal but moving it back to vertical allows that something to move and it contacts the back of the board agian.

  Check for loose screws, bits of tinfoil, anything loose in the case this may be the root of your problems.

You should also check all the standoffs are in the correct position, changing the orientation of the board will be changing how it flexes, allowing things to contact/not contact anymore.

[NecroFlex]

Could be faulty grounding. You got all your stand offs in place and no extra ones?

Was thinking the same, will try it when i come back home.

 

What kind of Windows installation is this? Something you did for this motherboard or an already existing installation from another PC?

Windows 7 64bit, new installation, updated LAN and chipset.

 

This change in orientation changing the behaviour makes it sound like something is contacting the back of the MoBo.   OK when horizontal but moving it back to vertical allows that something to move and it contacts the back of the board agian.

  Check for loose screws, bits of tinfoil, anything loose in the case this may be the root of your problems.

You should also check all the standoffs are in the correct position, changing the orientation of the board will be changing how it flexes, allowing things to contact/not contact anymore.

I will put it in another case, maybe that will help (this case has those standoffs that are like bumps instead of holes where you put screws in, maybe that's the issue.

[NecroFlex]

nope didn't help, USB is still kill, but i did find out something, the northbridge is super overheating to the point of almost burning my hand (the heatsink)

 

But yeah, not sure why, i did strap it down more so it has a better connection to the heatsink but nothing even putting a 120mm fan next to it doesn't change much so i'm stuck again.

[NecroFlex]

ok, so i put a USB adapter in, connected via the cable to the USB pins on the mobo and it's working now trough there, tho why the other USBs are dead idk, any ideas?

[soup]

ok, so i put a USB adapter in, connected via the cable to the USB pins on the mobo and it's working now trough there, tho why the other USBs are dead idk, any ideas?

 

In an earlier post you said "one USB would work at a time", adding a USB card does not actually increase the number of USB channels what you have in effect is many USB devices time slice sharing one USB channel so even with the four(?) ports of a hub or card occupied you are only really using one USB channel.

[DunePilot]

The turning the pc sideways and it shuts off sure doesn't sound good... kind of sounds like something shorting out.

 

Maybe you fried something... but you say one USB works at a time so that doesn't make a lot of sense. If you have the flat style standoffs where you cant put the normal standoffs then you could try to put a piece of electrical tape over each one before you mount the board, make sure you reload optimized defaults in BIOS in case something in there is turned off that shouldn't be.

 

Here is someone with your same board with the same issue. Maybe its prone to failure on that MB.

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2155294/bios-suddenly-fails-detect-usb-devices-gigabyte-g41m-combo.html

[NecroFlex]

In an earlier post you said "one USB would work at a time", adding a USB card does not actually increase the number of USB channels what you have in effect is many USB devices time slice sharing one USB channel so even with the four(?) ports of a hub or card occupied you are only really using one USB channel.

Well it works somehow, i did talk to a friend, he said it could be wear and tear, that the connection between the USB hubs and the mobo could be failing and that could also be leading to the shorts and making the PC shut off.

 

The turning the pc sideways and it shuts off sure doesn't sound good... kind of sounds like something shorting out.

 

Maybe you fried something... but you say one USB works at a time so that doesn't make a lot of sense. If you have the flat style standoffs where you cant put the normal standoffs then you could try to put a piece of electrical tape over each one before you mount the board, make sure you reload optimized defaults in BIOS in case something in there is turned off that shouldn't be.

 

Here is someone with your same board with the same issue. Maybe its prone to failure on that MB.

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2155294/bios-suddenly-fails-detect-usb-devices-gigabyte-g41m-combo.html

I tried the flat standoffs, the screw standoffs and having the mobo outside of the case vertical on wood (so it's not conducting anything) yet the same happened, but on all 3 cases when it was horizontal, the mobo worked and one of the USB ports on the mobo worked (not the added ones trough the pins). So it's most likely a connection problem with the onboard USBs and the mobo, the solder might not connect the 2 anymore and is making the board short out when vertical, but not when horizontal cause there's more connection and less chance of a short out. My best guess.

[DunePilot]

Well it works somehow, i did talk to a friend, he said it could be wear and tear, that the connection between the USB hubs and the mobo could be failing and that could also be leading to the shorts and making the PC shut off.

 

I tried the flat standoffs, the screw standoffs and having the mobo outside of the case vertical on wood (so it's not conducting anything) yet the same happened, but on all 3 cases when it was horizontal, the mobo worked and one of the USB ports on the mobo worked (not the added ones trough the pins). So it's most likely a connection problem with the onboard USBs and the mobo, the solder might not connect the 2 anymore and is making the board short out when vertical, but not when horizontal cause there's more connection and less chance of a short out. My best guess.

 

Sounds like a reasonable assumption. Hope you figure it out, at least USB cards are cheap, like 20 bucks for a 4 slot USB pci card.

[ApolloX75]

nope didn't help, USB is still kill, but i did find out something, the northbridge is super overheating to the point of almost burning my hand (the heatsink)

But yeah, not sure why, i did strap it down more so it has a better connection to the heatsink but nothing even putting a 120mm fan next to it doesn't change much so i'm stuck again.

That right there is a seriously bad sign. My older 790i and 750i boards would do that right before self-destructing. Often caused by bad voltage regulation on the board.

If you bought the board from a retailer or even ebay, get your money back if you can. If not well I hope it wasn't too expensive.

[NecroFlex]

That right there is a seriously bad sign. My older 790i and 750i boards would do that right before self-destructing. Often caused by bad voltage regulation on the board.

If you bought the board from a retailer or even ebay, get your money back if you can. If not well I hope it wasn't too expensive.

Eh, was only 10€ and came with a C2D E6550 which is worth about as much, so no real loss there, it's still usable if horizontal and i just put a fan over the northbridge heatsink and it's all good, will probably use it for a bit and then sell it off as semi-working with the USB adapter, maybe someone with more PC experience than me can fix it, i tried a few things just for the sh*ts and giggles. (like i said before, the guy told me it was shutting down when vertical, didn't know about the USB thing).

 

Doesn't matter, thanks for the help guys ^^

[DunePilot]

If you just want a cheap nice pc you could look at something like this which is unlocked and overclockable to 4.5ish, $90 after mail in rebate and a free shirt.

 

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128693

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117374

[NecroFlex]

No need, this mobo was for my dad, i already have an i5-3470, upgrading it to a 3770k in a few weeks.

Also, i'm from Slovenia and newegg doesn't ship here sadly