PC won't start after plugging in USB-stick - Mainboard fried?

[Merak]

Hi,

so this happened to a friend yesterday and we aren't 100% what to do before blindly replacing the Motherboard, so I would appreciate any input.

Basically, he plugged in the USB-stick at the back of the PC and the computer immediately crashed. Since then it won't start up anymore and literally nothing happens when you try to switch it on.

To me it sounds like the motherboard is fried, but how could this happen and what could we do before buying a new one?

Thanks in advance!

 

[AlienALX]

Shut it down. Remove all USB devices. Remove the power from the PSU, press the power button about five times just to make sure you have drained all power in the board/psu etc.

Remove the 24 pin from the motherboard, and 8 pin EPS.

Leave it a while, then try connecting everything back up and seeing if that works. Motherboards have done this to me loads over the years, turns out they got a static shock or something they did not like. Draining all of the power etc was usually enough to get them working again.

If that fails repeat it again, only this time clear the CMOS.

Oh yeah, whilst the 24 pin is disconnected start it with a paper clip and see if that works also.

 

[Merak]

Thanks for the quick response
I've forwarded it to my friend and I'll let you know how it goes

 

[Merak]

Ok, so he tried what you suggested but unfortunately it still won't start

 

[AlienALX]

So he paper clip tested the PSU? does it start?

 

[Merak]

Yeah, the PSU is still working fine. He even cleared the CMOS as described in the manual but it didn't help either

 

[Thelosouvlakia]

Actually what kind of usb was it?? Was it his own? A good working one?? Because this sounds like one of those usb killers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pP8TLwO_Ks

 

[Merak]

I asked him and it apparenly was a Playstation controller for PC. He was trying to get it to work and when it happened he had just unplugged it and plugged it back in

 

[Thelosouvlakia]

I asked him and it apparenly was a Playstation controller for PC. He was trying to get it to work and when it happened he had just unplugged it and plugged it back in

Sounds like a short circuit fried something on the motherboard...

 

[Game Over]

I swear I had something like this happen, it was a long time ago so do not remember the exact circumstances, but I think I had plugged something new, like a usb connection into my PC then very soon after, like that day, my pc shut down, and when I tried to start it back up it would start to turn on and shut down almost instantly. Thought I fried something. It turned out that the usb connection had nothing to do with it and the timing was just coincidence, I believe it was the Motherboard battery that died, I replaced it and the pc came back to life.