Urgent help needed: cannot switch off PC

[Terry Pinnell]

I installed a 4-socket self-powered USB hub today on my XP Home PC. My
various USB devices seemed to work OK (with exception of the new one,
a QX3 microscope, that had prompted the purchase, but that's a
separate issue).

But, on switching off my PC, which seemed to power down as usual, the
amber and green power lights on the case didn't go out. And the PC
wouldn't then respond to being switched on again. Nor did Reset have
any effect. Nor holding the power button depressed. Serious worry!

The power lights would go if I removed either the DC power to the hub,
or the USB lead connecting it to PC. But even then the PC wouldn't
start up again. Removing and replacing mains plug, or on/off button at
rear of this Mesh Athlon 1800 had no effect either

Somehow, after fiddling around, it DID then respond, and I am now very
nervous about switching it off, thank goodness. Using Start>Turn Off
Computer>Restart works OK - it's just the full Turn Off that doesn't.

There's nothing to help in the single page 'User Manual' (headed USB
1.1 Hub GUH-01 GUH-02, with no contact or web info.

Can anyone offer any help or insights please?

 

[Richard Urban]

Terry,

The problem may just be coincidental to your installing a USB hub. It sounds
like your ATX power supply is having issues. A signal is sent to the supply
either through software or through the on/off and reset buttons.

I had a problem where there was a short in a motherboard. It would overload
the power supply and shut down. The thermal protection would take about 3-5
minutes to cool sufficiently to allow a retry. Then, when I tried again,
same thing.

But, if you remove the USB adapter and everything seems OK, I would pursue
this route.

--
Regards:

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard

 

[Terry Pinnell]

Terry,

The problem may just be coincidental to your installing a USB hub. It sounds
like your ATX power supply is having issues. A signal is sent to the supply
either through software or through the on/off and reset buttons.

I had a problem where there was a short in a motherboard. It would overload
the power supply and shut down. The thermal protection would take about 3-5
minutes to cool sufficiently to allow a retry. Then, when I tried again,
same thing.

But, if you remove the USB adapter and everything seems OK, I would pursue
this route.

Thanks, Richard. It consistently happens only when the USB hub is
powered. After removing the DC supply plug from the USB hub, I can
switch off the PC fully as normal.

In fact, that's what I'm going to do for the time being, because I
can't get the device (for which I bought the powered hub) to work
anyway. It's a 'Digital Blue QX3 Computer Microscope'. After
installing software and drivers from its CD, refuses to communicate
with my XP PC ;-[

 

[Lester Stiefel]

Er QX3- I know that gremlin very well. Try reposiyioning
the USB plug to the mobo level and than detect the device
using the hardware manager. The software does not function
with XP, so you will need an upgrade disc. Also check to see
if "Legacy USB" is enabled in the BIOS (Integrated
Peripherals). QX3 uses a legacy usb driver.

Terry,

The problem may just be coincidental to your installing a USB hub. It sounds
like your ATX power supply is having issues. A signal is sent to the supply
either through software or through the on/off and reset buttons.

I had a problem where there was a short in a motherboard. It would overload
the power supply and shut down. The thermal protection would take about 3-5
minutes to cool sufficiently to allow a retry. Then, when I tried again,
same thing.

But, if you remove the USB adapter and everything seems OK, I would pursue
this route.

Thanks, Richard. It consistently happens only when the USB hub is
powered. After removing the DC supply plug from the USB hub, I can
switch off the PC fully as normal.

In fact, that's what I'm going to do for the time being, because I
can't get the device (for which I bought the powered hub) to work
anyway. It's a 'Digital Blue QX3 Computer Microscope'. After
installing software and drivers from its CD, refuses to communicate
with my XP PC ;-[

Lester Stiefel

Isaiah 55:10 & 11

God's word will always yield a harvest!!

 

[Terry Pinnell]

Er QX3- I know that gremlin very well. Try reposiyioning
the USB plug to the mobo level and than detect the device
using the hardware manager. The software does not function
with XP, so you will need an upgrade disc. Also check to see
if "Legacy USB" is enabled in the BIOS (Integrated
Peripherals). QX3 uses a legacy usb driver.

Thanks a lot, Richard. That's a revelation! I had given suppliers,
Digital Blue, a detailed description of what was happening on my XP
PC, and they didn't so much as mention any of those key points. In
particular, no suggestion that sw doesn't RUN on XP...

I had mixed success on my alternative W98 PC. I did get it running on
Saturday, after several hours involving half a dozen installation
attempts. But then when I tried Sunday it failed. Again it was that
'Having trouble communicating' message, as on XP, interspersed with
messages telling me microscope wasn't connected, when it plainly was.
I then tried with a self-powered USB hub I'd ordered specially, but
that gave no more joy.

Then, suddenly, late yetsreday afternoon, it started working. No idea
how or why. I had done nothing special. It was just one more desultory
attempt (connected to one of the direct USB sockets, not to the
powered hub, although I suspect that's irrelevant.) I expected it to
then fail next time I booted/reran. But so far, over several repeat
runs yesterday, it still ran OK. Of course, when I try TODAY, that
might be back to square one again. Go figure...