Question Cannot POST due to "USB port overcurrent detected. System will shut down in 15 seconds."

[Kmpres_Japan]

Hi Guys,

I need your help. My brand new Windows 11 system had been running perfectly the past three months until this USB overcurrent error suddenly popped up. It came out of nowhere when the system was loafing along with no input from me. I generally leave it on all day and only wake it up from Sleep Mode whenever I need it. Yesterday I woke it up and this error came up immediately. I then attempted a reset per the error window instruction and the system shut down. Now it will not finish POST. BIOS also cannot be entered using the usual keyboard commands. The system is quite dead and I am unable to get any response from it.

The funny thing is, I don't use a lot of USB devices. All I have in the system are a Logitech BT keyboard, an Anker BT mouse, an HP laser printer and an Epson scanner. The printer and scanner were powered down at the time of the incident, only the keyboard and mouse were online. I do not charge my handheld devices using the system, I have external chargers for that.

To isolate the problem I removed each USB cable one at a time and rebooted - no change occurred. I then removed all four USB cables and still no change. As I cannot boot into BIOS, nor Windows, I cannot disable any port to further isolate the problem. I also cannot boot into SAFE Mode as there's no acknowledgement to my keyboard inputs, therefore no way to force repair the computer.

Also, no burn smells were detected making me doubt anything has fried, though I suppose that's not very conclusive.

I do not overclock my systems, nor do I play games on them so the system hasn't been the least bit stressed. All four fans are so quiet I can't hear them, though I do check them from time to time to be sure they are running.

Hardware List:

Mobo: ASUS TUF Gaming Z790-Plus WiFi
CPU: Intel i5-13600K
IGA: (No Graphics card)
P/S: Corsair HX-1000i
RAM: 64GB Vengeance DDR5 6000MHz (2x32GB DIMMS)
SSD: Samsung 980 Pro 2TB (NVMe M.2)

Please tell me what's wrong with my machine and how to fix it. Thanks!

Bruce

 

[kerberos_20]

one of your usb ports is causing short, inspect visualy all ports

 

[Kmpres_Japan]

How is that different from what I've already done?

 

[kerberos_20]

How is that different from what I've already done?

if you unplugged every USB device and it still shows overcurrent protection, that means one of your USB ports has physicaly connected pins or is internaly damaged (shorted), causing your overcurrent issue

you can disconnect front case usb ports from mainboard, that would leave you with just mainboard usb ports located at back side

 

[Kmpres_Japan]

I have now disconnected ALL ports at the back connector panel (including both monitors and Wi-Fi leaving only the power plug) as well as ALL USB ports for front and back panels at the motherboard headers and still the system still shuts down after 15 seconds.

This is obviously not a USB problem, despite the error report.

I did notice one peculiar thing, though. The motherboard has a row of four Q-LEDS labeled CPU, DRAM, VGA, and BOOT. Before the system shuts down the LEDS light sequentially starting with CPU then DRAM, both of which turn on and then off. The VGA and BOOT LEDs, however, stay lit until the 15 seconds are up and the system powers down.

So, what is that telling us? The BOOT light is self-evident and doesn't tell us anything useful. I don't have a GPU and am instead using the CPU's built-in Integrated Graphics Adapter and the DisplayPort and HDMI ports on the back panel. No VGA there, obviously, and both monitors display the same text during the brief bootup sequence before the shutdown occurs indicating that the IGA is working.

I must say again, this is a very new and very lightly used system. Most of the motherboard's advanced features I have no need for and haven't even connected. The cables are all new, the connectors are clean and the system ran beautifully for three months before the error occurred.

I'm relying on you to have experience with these obscure problems, or to know who to call to get solutions for them. So, gentlemen, what is our next move?

Thanks.

 

[kerberos_20]

if its says overcurrent protection kickin in without anything connected, then your mainboard is damaged, if you see nothing wrong with your USB ports (bent pins, stuck something metalic in there), then the only resolution to this is to send mainboard for RMA

 

[Kmpres_Japan]

I suspected as much.

Since my last post I tried to clear the RTC but the text would not respond to my keyboard inputs to enter BIOS. BIOS is definitely dead. I can only hope that my M.2 SSD is still OK. I have no other system to test it in, though.

This is not the outcome I was hoping for, but these things happen.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Eximo]

You unplugged the cables you plug into the computer. Did you try unplugging the cables coming from the motherboard to the chassis? Not that uncommon for USB 3.0 front panel headers to short out, just a terrible connector design. Type-C headers are also not perfect and are easily damaged.

If that isn't it, then yes, a damaged port or an internal motherboard short directly on the motherboard.

 

[Kmpres_Japan]

Yes. In the first line in my third post above I stated that I had pulled all USB connectors out of the motherboard headers. I'm only using two of the four headers, those marked U32G2_C9 and U32G1_78. The two USB 2.0 headers, marked USB_1011 and USB_1213, have never been used and have nothing plugged into them.

With just the power plug inserted the system still crashes in 15 seconds.

All connectors are clean. Again, the system ran fine for three months before it crapped out. I wasn't moving cables around when it happened either. The error simply appeared after I woke it up from Sleep Mode.

I have applied for an RMA. I'm just waiting for ASUS to approve it before I send it in for repair.

 

[rotary616]

I've had this problem a couple times in the past.
Both times it turned out to be a faulty bios chip.
Replaced bios chip with a new or similar one,
and error went away and all usb ports worked just fine.