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USB Device Power Surge Errors

Recently Ive been getting errors of a "Power Surge On Hub Port" saying a "USB device has malfunctioned and exceeded the power limits of its hub port. You should Disconnect the Device" with a popup showing 8 ports and one with an "Unknown USB Device" nothing is plugged into the usb ports when these errors happen. and the USB ports usually work, until this error randomly appears (it also appears when theres nothing plugged in)

Its a Thinkpad t43 running windows xp sp2

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Mark Poirier

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Mark Poirier

could post the IBM machine # that is on the sticker under the laptop.

Mark Poirier

This is the T43 Bluetooth Communications daughter card that could possibly be in that laptop
IBM Integrated Bluetooth IV with 56K Modem (BMDC-3)

This is a combination USB Bluetooth and AC97 Modem Adapter that is installed in a CDC slot.
Bluetooth Features

* Chipset: Broadcom
* USB VID/PID: 0A5C:201E
Modem Features

* Chipset: Conexant
* AC'97 Modem

eric530

ASKER

yes there is a bluetooth wireless chip but I dont know if it is integrated through usb
the machine type code is 2687dsu,

Mark Poirier

Checking your machine # with lenovo support, the bluetooth daughter card I posted earlier is the only one available for your laptop and its definately USB based. These keystrokes Fn + F5 will turn of the bluetooth, try this and see if the USB problem stops.
If its not working properly(causing usb power surges) then it may need to be replaced. You may want to try the drivers for this component as its obviously not installed properly.Here is the link for the drivers--> http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-61425
If this laptop is still under warranty you should contact lenovo for support. If its not under warranty you may want to look at this link how to remove the device from the laptop http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-52643

rindi

something you should also check is the mechanical condition of the USB sockets themselves. There normaly is a plastic part showing and on this plastic part the contacts of the USB port rest. Often this piece of plastic breaks off (can be easily yanked off when something jolts on the connected USB cable, as an example). If this piece of plastic is missing the contacts of the USB port aren't supported properly anymore and they can then touch each other or the metal case of the USB port, and this can cause short circuits and messages like the one you are getting.

PCBONEZ

USB ports on laptops have a max total current capacity of 0.5 amps. If the total of all the devices connected exceeds this you risk frying the port out permanently. If you use many USB devices then get a POWERED hub, as in one with it's own AC adapter.

eric530

ASKER

I've disabled the bluetooth card, but the problems still happening, usb ports look fine, I've never hooked up anything other than a printer and digital camera to the usb ports, do I dont think theyre "fried" I'm wondering if its just a windows xp sp2 or usb driver bug?

rindi

You can allways test the functioning of the USB ports with knoppix.

http://knoppix.net

PCBONEZ

Despite USB having been around for a few years now it's still a buggy technology at times.

This error message sounds like something coming from your system more than a windows issue.
(Windows might report the message but the system creates it by measuring voltage somehow.)

I would look up your thinkpad model on IBM's site and see if there are known issues for this model.

Also, often they fix things like this with BIOS updates but don't bother to tell anyone there's a fix in the update.
(I'm saying a BIOS update may fix this problem it even if they don't mention it anywhere.)

PCBONEZ
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