PSU problems?

[Viper2026]

I've got a 470w psu with in my current system, and recently, random USB devices just fail, like my keyboard, or mouse, even printer, until I plug them into a new usb slot, which sometimes doesnt work. I noticed that when I unplugged some stuff such as lights and extra case fans, the system became more stable but still is not 100% working. Do I need a bigger PSU?

...Now that I'm thinking about it...when I was replacing my heaksink, Asus had this stupid piece of **** glued to the back, like a mounting plate, but not, and I had to pry it off with a screwdriver. In the process I kinda kicked the bottom of the mobo up, specifically one of the wires going to the processor, but the connection is still intact.
Any chance this is the cause?

[nihil]

Try using PS/2 and serial devices......................do they work?

I am thinking that you may have a USB problem (wonky controller?)

Cheers

[foxyloxley]

What age is th esystem ?
What age is the PSU ?

Older PSU's are biased towards the 12v rail.
[Modern systems use more on the 3v and 5v rail.]
Which is the reason for my query.

It is possible that the PSU could say 470w, but it requires that the majority of kit hanging off it should be 12v.
USB uses the 5v rail.
AGP uses the 3.3v rail.
Amongst others.

[Viper2026]

Others have suggested it may be my USB controller, which is a possibility.

My system was built in late June, which is when I bought the PSU. It's an enermax something or other and was not cheap.

[foxyloxley]

Get a DVM [digital volt meter] and check that you are getting what it says [3v / 5v / 12v]
then try re-loading your USB drivers.
Do you have your USB ports on a PCI card ?
Remove, clean, re-seat.

...Now that I'm thinking about it...when I was replacing my heaksink, Asus had this stupid piece of **** glued to the back, like a mounting plate, but not, and I had to pry it off with a screwdriver. In the process I kinda kicked the bottom of the mobo up, specifically one of the wires going to the processor, but the connection is still intact.
Any chance this is the cause?

Where EXACTLY was the POS ?

Are you competent / confidant enough to strip the MoBo bare ?
And if so, why haven't you done this as soon as you 'kicked the bottom of the MoBo up'

Post back with whatever you find.


Good and bad..........

[Viper2026]

Originally posted here by foxyloxley
Get a DVM [digital volt meter] and check that you are getting what it says [3v / 5v / 12v]
then try re-loading your USB drivers.
Do you have your USB ports on a PCI card ?
Remove, clean, re-seat.


Where EXACTLY was the POS ?

Are you competent / confidant enough to strip the MoBo bare ?
And if so, why haven't you done this as soon as you 'kicked the bottom of the MoBo up'

Post back with whatever you find.


Good and bad..........

Ok, what exactly I did was take all my crap off the mobo, and flip it upside down to screw on the new heatsink. It was just a normal mounting plate (not like the one on the front which holds the heatsink, this is that it screws into on the bottom), but it was glued to the motherboard, so as stated above, I had to pry it off. The only visibile damage done was from the screwdriver.

As for the voltages...Asus probe reports the +12, +5, and +3.35 as ~12.3, ~5.15, ~3.34 respectively.

All my usb ports are on my mobo, so i'm gonna try reloading the drivers now.

[foxyloxley]

As for the voltages...Asus probe reports the +12, +5, and +3.35 as ~12.3, ~5.15, ~3.34 respectively.

Sometimes it is a good idea to get outside advice:
Which is why I suggested you use a DVM, and not rely on the MoBo's own system.

I had to pry it off. The only visibile damage done was from the screwdriver.

So what damage did the screwdriver get ?
Thrown / dropped / kicked

luck with the driver re-install.
If this fails to work it, then you could have to look at the possibility that the screwdriver did more damage than you thought.
I assume that the system was A-OK until then ?

Would be a pity to have to replace the MoBO so soon after purchase.

[Viper2026]

Well if I think of it...next time I'm at home depot I'll get a voltimeter...I have a suspicion that my readings from Asus probe are incorrect, it seems to think that my Athlon64fx53 is running at 34°C.

And when I was prying off the mounting plate, I put too much pressure on one corner of the screwdriver (this was a flat one), and it dented one of the printed on wires.

[Und3ertak3r]

I don't give the MOBO utilities 100% reliability.. I have better trust in $5 DVM's from Wallies World..asus probe is ok tool..as a guide..but .. I have encountered inaccuracies..
Your temperature error could be the sensor..(not contacting the CPU) or the damage..

and it dented one of the printed on wires.

Fact of life with MOBO's.. they are multi layered ..ie there are wire traces in between the top and bottom of the PCB.. that is you have trace layers 3, 4 or more between the 2 visable layers on the top and bottom.. the surface damage may be fine ..but you may have shorted a pair or more of the sub layer traces..
you may have a dead Mobo..

[Viper2026]

Originally posted here by Und3ertak3r

Fact of life with MOBO's.. they are multi layered ..ie there are wire traces in between the top and bottom of the PCB.. that is you have trace layers 3, 4 or more between the 2 visable layers on the top and bottom.. the surface damage may be fine ..but you may have shorted a pair or more of the sub layer traces..
you may have a dead Mobo..

Well would it only be the USB ports giving me problems if the mobo was dead?