USB power supply issue causes BSOD but only during Vista boot!

J

Jon Davis

I have a weird problem. I don't want to replace my motherboard (MSI P965
Platinum), but I don't know what else this could be, except perhaps Windows
Vista.

When I boot up, around the time that it switches to high-resolution view
(before login) I get a BSOD with the error being "INTERNAL_POWER_FAILURE".
The BSOD goes away if I boot with ALL USB devices disconnected.

But here's where I suspect it's Vista: once I get to the login screen, I can
connect my USB hub and carry on like there's no problem.

My USB hub is a the absolute best $60 high-powered USB hub I could find (Dr.
Bott T7Hub), and it replaces a generic high-power USB hub I had also tried.
I've found that the problem still exists even if I just hook the keyboard
and mouse alone directly to the computer and no USB hub, and the wireless
USB keyboard/mouse combo is also newly replaced from some old legacy USB
keyboard and PS/2 mouse from long after the problem arose.

I've replaced the chassis power supply as well, going up from a 500W Antec
unit to a 600W unit.

It seems Vista is doing some lame equalibrium test during boot-up and only
during boot-up, and puking when it sees there's something odd. But, hello,
Microsoft, that's the BIOS's job, not yours!! I wonder if there's some way
to disable this check?

Meanwhile, I've been using my compuer for about ten months now, just pulling
the plug on the USB hub uplink until I get to the login screen.

Jon
 
R

Richard Urban

This is not an issue that others are reporting to my knowledge. I would
think that there is some sort of hardware incompatibility between the hub
and the computer, or the drivers (if supplied) and Vista.

--

Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
(For email, remove the obvious from my address)
 
G

Guest

Hmmm i had a similar problem, i found out that a USB device, was sharing the
same IRQ as another device on my computer, causing it to lock up and get the
BSOD, i had to manually change the IRQ settings, it may not be the problem
but u cud give it a go, go to start-control panel-system-device manager-under
the USB devices right click on each one and click on Resource, you will then
see a number next to IRQ, make sure than no devices under that USB list has
the same number, if so, you can change the conflicting device numberanywhere
between 12-15 (these are open IRQS) worth a shot.
 
M

matt hopkins

sounds to me like the problem could be with your internal usb controller try
updating it on the device manager also i would try sticking a multimeter to
your power supply inputs and outputs sure youll be able to find the correct
voltage for your controllers on your internet.
 
J

Jon Davis

sounds to me like the problem could be with your internal usb controller

Right, hence motherboard replacement, which I don't want to do because once
I plug in and log in, I can use the computer normally. Seems like Vista
should be the one to behave.

Jon
 
J

Jon Davis

Sure enough, it was VMWare Workstation 6. I uninstalled VMWare and installed
the update referenced by Kue2, rebooted (with USB stuff all plugged in), and
no blue screen. I rebooted again, still no bluescreen. I reinstalled VMWare,
got the INTERNAL_POWER_FAILURE error. So I'm uninstalling VMWare again, for
good.

I do need VMWare but fortunately this isn't my only computer, and the other
computers running Vista and VMWare don't have this problem.

Jon
 
J

Jon Davis

Updated Subject to help others find this.

Jon Davis said:
Sure enough, it was VMWare Workstation 6. I uninstalled VMWare and
installed the update referenced by Kue2, rebooted (with USB stuff all
plugged in), and no blue screen. I rebooted again, still no bluescreen. I
reinstalled VMWare, got the INTERNAL_POWER_FAILURE error. So I'm
uninstalling VMWare again, for good.

I do need VMWare but fortunately this isn't my only computer, and the
other computers running Vista and VMWare don't have this problem.

Jon
 
N

NoStop

Jon said:
Sure enough, it was VMWare Workstation 6. I uninstalled VMWare and
installed the update referenced by Kue2, rebooted (with USB stuff all
plugged in), and no blue screen. I rebooted again, still no bluescreen. I
reinstalled VMWare, got the INTERNAL_POWER_FAILURE error. So I'm
uninstalling VMWare again, for good.

I do need VMWare but fortunately this isn't my only computer, and the
other computers running Vista and VMWare don't have this problem.

Jon

Just goes to show what a p.o.s. Vista is. :)

Cheers.

--
Remove Vista Activation Completely ...
http://tinyurl.com/2w8qqo

Do you use Linux? Everytime you "google", you're using Linux.

Coming Soon! Ubuntu 7.10 ... New Features:
http://lunapark6.com/ubuntu-gutsy-gibbon-710-new-features.html
 
M

Michael Palumbo

NoStop said:
Just goes to show what a p.o.s. Vista is. :)

Cheers.

--
Remove Vista Activation Completely ...
http://tinyurl.com/2w8qqo

Do you use Linux? Everytime you "google", you're using Linux.

Coming Soon! Ubuntu 7.10 ... New Features:
http://lunapark6.com/ubuntu-gutsy-gibbon-710-new-features.html

Hmm . . .

Just wondering how something that he traced back to VMWare proves that Vista
is a P.O.S. . . .

It was said by the OP that his other Vista computers are getting along with
VMWare and Vista, so I'm thinking some driver/hardware conflict with that
particular board showing up because of VMWare, but what do I know?

Since I only have a degree in electronics and computer engineering, and I've
only been working with/on computers for the past 25 years, my computer
knowledge isn't nearly as acute as most others on the forum, as I've seen
with all the wonderful posts about how awful Vista is . . .

I'm sure you'll educate me on this . . .

Mic
 

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