Question Constant USB power surge warning - - - I tried everything but still no fix ?

[BappaM]

Hi everyone,
Motherboard: Gigabyte H410M S2 V2

A few days ago, I connected a USB extender cable (which had been unused for a few months and was tightly rolled up) to plug in my external HDD. The HDD didn’t show up in File Explorer, so I immediately disconnected the extender and used the HDD directly instead. I haven’t used that extender again since.

But ever since that incident, I’ve been continuously getting a "Power Surge on the USB Port" warning — sometimes right at boot, and sometimes randomly after a few minutes. The weird part? It happens even when no USB device is connected at all.

🔧 Here's what I’ve already tried:​

• Updated BIOS to latest version (F6a – Gigabyte H410M S2 V2)
• Clean installed both Windows 10 and 11 (on same SSD)
• Reinstalled all chipset and USB drivers (from Gigabyte’s site, Device Manager, and Intel DSA)
• Reset BIOS, cleared CMOS, disabled ERP, toggled XHCI Hand-off, and tried other BIOS tweaks
• Disconnected all front panel USB headers from motherboard
• Booted with absolutely no USB devices connected (even mouse & keyboard)
• Installed a new PSU (Cooler Master MWE 650 V3)

Despite all that, the warning keeps coming back randomly — sometimes instantly, sometimes after an hour of use.

🤔 My Main Questions:​

1. Is my PC at risk? Can this damage my processor, PSU, RAM, or GPU?
2. Is it safe to continue using my PC with this issue? (I'm a video editor and need it daily)
3. Can I ignore this warning, or will it get worse over time?
4. Could a damaged USB port or controller be permanently triggering this, even with nothing connected?
5. Would a self-powered USB hub solve or bypass this problem?
6. Should I consider replacing the motherboard?
7. Any chance Gigabyte will still honor an RMA (warranty expired 04/2024)?

🔍 System Info:​

• Motherboard: Gigabyte H410M S2 V2
• CPU: Intel i5 10th Gen
• OS: Windows 10 & 11 (clean installs)
• BIOS: F6a (latest)
• Warranty: Expired in April 2024

I’ve already contacted Gigabyte — they suggested trying a fresh OS on a different SSD, but I’ve already done clean installs on my existing SSD. Not sure if trying a completely different SSD will help at this point.

Any help, suggestions, or shared experiences are greatly appreciated. 🙏
Thanks in advance!

— BappaM

 

[Lutfij]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

Motherboard: Gigabyte H410M S2 V2
CPU: Intel i5 10th Gen
OS: Windows 10 & 11 (clean installs)
BIOS: F6a (latest)
Warranty: Expired in April 2024
Please list the specs to your build like so:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
include the age of the PSU apart from it's make and model. BIOS version for your motherboard at this moment of time.
+
Installed a new PSU (Cooler Master MWE 650 V3)
What was the make, model and age of the prior PSU?

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/H410M-S2-V2-rev-10

Good grief! That board has 9 PCB revisions...which revision do you have?

1| Have you tried relocating to another wall outlet in your room or your abode?

2| If you feel a mild tingling sensation when you touch the metal part of your case while your bare feet make contact with a tiled, non wooden non carpeted floor, then you have a grounding issue. Resolve that and you should be good.

3| Depends. If you're noticing your system is slowing down that might be signs of the static build up ion your system affecting the electrosensitive parts in your build.

6| Take your system to a friends or neighbors home and see if the issue persists if the problem continues throughout the outlets in your abode.

I’ve been continuously getting a "Power Surge on the USB Port" warning — sometimes right at boot
I'm sure this shows up during the POST process just like it does for Asus boards, it's a hardware issue, not software issue...your OS reinstalls were moot.

Worst case scenario, you shorted out the board with that USB cable.

 

[BappaM]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

Motherboard: Gigabyte H410M S2 V2
CPU: Intel i5 10th Gen
OS: Windows 10 & 11 (clean installs)
BIOS: F6a (latest)
Warranty: Expired in April 2024
Please list the specs to your build like so:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
include the age of the PSU apart from it's make and model. BIOS version for your motherboard at this moment of time.
+
Installed a new PSU (Cooler Master MWE 650 V3)
What was the make, model and age of the prior PSU?

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/H410M-S2-V2-rev-10

Good grief! That board has 9 PCB revisions...which revision do you have?

1| Have you tried relocating to another wall outlet in your room or your abode?

2| If you feel a mild tingling sensation when you touch the metal part of your case while your bare feet make contact with a tiled, non wooden non carpeted floor, then you have a grounding issue. Resolve that and you should be good.

3| Depends. If you're noticing your system is slowing down that might be signs of the static build up ion your system affecting the electrosensitive parts in your build.

6| Take your system to a friends or neighbors home and see if the issue persists if the problem continues throughout the outlets in your abode.

I’ve been continuously getting a "Power Surge on the USB Port" warning — sometimes right at boot
I'm sure this shows up during the POST process just like it does for Asus boards, it's a hardware issue, not software issue...your OS reinstalls were moot.

Worst case scenario, you shorted out the board with that USB cable.

Thanks for the warm welcome and detailed pointers!
Here are my full system specs as requested:

• CPU: Intel Core i5-10400F
• CPU Cooler: Stock Intel cooler
• Motherboard: Gigabyte H410M S2 V2 (Rev. 1.0)
• RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (16 GB) DDR4 3200MHz
• Storage:
  • 240GB WD Blue NVMe M.2 SSD (OS drive)
  • 1TB Seagate Barracuda 7200RPM HDD (internal)
• GPU: Intel Arc A750 8GB
• PSU: Cooler Master MWE 650 V3 (brand new, 1 week old)
  • Old PSU: Corsair VS550 (around 4 years old)
• Chassis: Ant eSport
• OS: Dual boot – Windows 10 Pro (latest updates) and Windows 11 Pro (latest updates) – both clean installs
• Monitor: LG 24'' 22MK600M

BIOS Version: F6a (latest, updated from Gigabyte’s site)

---

Additional info on your questions/suggestions:

1. I have tried plugging the PC into another wall outlet in the same room — issue still happens. Haven’t yet tested in another room or location; will try that next.
2. I don’t feel any tingling sensation when touching the case barefoot on tiled floor, so it might not be a grounding issue.
3. Haven’t noticed system slowdowns so far, but the USB power surge warning sometimes pops up immediately after boot, and other times after a few hours.
4. I haven’t yet tested at a friend’s place, but I will.
5. I understand the OS reinstalls probably weren’t useful if this is hardware-related.
   
   Thank you for your quick and detailed response.
   Please allow me some time to check all the suggestions you’ve mentioned, and I will get back with updates as soon as possible.

 

[Misgar]

I have inadvertently short circuited a laptop and a desktop PC recently with what turned out to be a faulty brand new 128GB USB memory stick.

Both times, the laptop and PC crashed, then Windows restarted. I was lucky that neither system appears to have sustained permanent damage.

Some motherboards incorporate over-current protection on all USB ports.

If your mobo has sustained permanent damage, you might be able to switch off the appropriate chipset in the BIOS and install a plug in PCIe USB card with 2 (or more) ports.
https://www.amazon.com/FebSmart-Self-Powered-Technology-No-Additional-FS-U2-Pro/dp/B071P5C6CS

If you cannot switch off the affected USB ports in the BIOS, dive into Device Manager and disable the USB port hardware in Windows.

You might be able to continue using your (potentially damaged) board without needing to replace it and without seeing any more error messages.

The HDD didn’t show up in File Explorer,

My normal explanation for this scenario is the cable was too long and the Volt drop on the +5V supply was too much for the hard disk to spin up.

A 2.5" laptop (spinning) hard disk derives all its power from the +5V rail, including power for the motor.

At startup, the motor can pull 2 to 3x the normal running current. If the +5V rail momentarily drops below +4.75V when you connect the drive, it probably won't be detected.

USB2-A is limited to 500mA. USB3-A is typically 900mA max. In rare occasions this might not be enough for a 2.5" laptop drive to start up.

For this reason, I avoid long USB cables, especially with 2.5" spinning hard disks. If a drive or card reader fails to work when connected to the front panel of a desktop PC, I move it round to the back of the PC and make a direct (shorter) connection to the rear panel.

This removes 1ft (30cm) cable from the mobo up to the front panel and shortens the overall connection length and associated voltage drop.

This is less of a problem with 3.5" desktop USB3 drives with their own 12V DC power brick, but I still keep USB cables as short as possible, to reduce potential data corruption.

My advice with all USB drives and card readers is keep cables short and avoid cheap external USB hubs if possible. 1ft6" (0.5m) is my limit. If the total length of all your USB cables is 3ft (1m) I recommend reducing the length.

I stick to Inateck USB housings with UASP and Inateck hubs. You never know what an AliExpress device contains.

 

[BappaM]

Welcome to the forums, newcomer!

Motherboard: Gigabyte H410M S2 V2
CPU: Intel i5 10th Gen
OS: Windows 10 & 11 (clean installs)
BIOS: F6a (latest)
Warranty: Expired in April 2024
Please list the specs to your build like so:
CPU:
CPU cooler:
Motherboard:
Ram:
SSD/HDD:
GPU:
PSU:
Chassis:
OS:
Monitor:
include the age of the PSU apart from it's make and model. BIOS version for your motherboard at this moment of time.
+
Installed a new PSU (Cooler Master MWE 650 V3)
What was the make, model and age of the prior PSU?

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/H410M-S2-V2-rev-10

Good grief! That board has 9 PCB revisions...which revision do you have?

1| Have you tried relocating to another wall outlet in your room or your abode?

2| If you feel a mild tingling sensation when you touch the metal part of your case while your bare feet make contact with a tiled, non wooden non carpeted floor, then you have a grounding issue. Resolve that and you should be good.

3| Depends. If you're noticing your system is slowing down that might be signs of the static build up ion your system affecting the electrosensitive parts in your build.

6| Take your system to a friends or neighbors home and see if the issue persists if the problem continues throughout the outlets in your abode.

I’ve been continuously getting a "Power Surge on the USB Port" warning — sometimes right at boot
I'm sure this shows up during the POST process just like it does for Asus boards, it's a hardware issue, not software issue...your OS reinstalls were moot.

Worst case scenario, you shorted out the board with that USB cable.

Hi there,

I’ve tried my PC at my neighbor’s home and I’m still having the same problem. I don’t know exactly what’s causing this.

Let me share a few things I’ve been thinking about. Before this issue started, I remember two things happening:
1| As I already mentioned, I plugged in a USB extension cable. The cable didn’t work, so I unplugged it and never used it again.
2| I also updated my BIOS, most likely before this error started — from version F1 to the latest F6a.

The next day, I noticed my mouse wasn’t working. I replaced the battery but it still didn’t work. Then I noticed the port itself wasn’t working, and that’s when this error began appearing — and it hasn’t stopped since.

*(But all the USB ports are working fine after rebooting and once again I'm mentioning that, even nothing is connected to the USB port I'm still receiving the USB power surge warning error.

Right now, I’m really confused. I’ve inspected all the USB ports and cleaned them with isopropyl alcohol. There are no bent pins or burn marks.

Do you think this could be related to the BIOS update? (There was no interruption during the update and it completed successfully.)

Or my Motherboard USB panel or something is got damaged ot short!

Thank you! I really appreciate any suggestions or help from you all.

 

[Ralston18]

How many USB devices?

Try using an independently powered USB hub as suggested by @Misgar.

Not just an extension cable.

And, as noted, not a cheap hub.

Plug the hub into the computer and the USB devices into the hub.

 

[Lutfij]

The next day, I noticed my mouse wasn’t working. I replaced the battery but it still didn’t work. Then I noticed the port itself wasn’t working, and that’s when this error began appearing — and it hasn’t stopped since.
Yeah you've described what seems to me as a short on your motherboard, specific to the USB ports that had the cable hooked up to it.

Right now, I’m really confused. I’ve inspected all the USB ports and cleaned them with isopropyl alcohol. There are no bent pins or burn marks.
If you don't see anything physically burnt or blown, then you will need a multimeter to identify the short which I'm assuming would be the fuses/capacitors located behind the USB ports afflicted. If you don't know what you're doing, find a reliable repair shop in your neighborhood and have them take a look at it.

On a side note;
New PSU:Cooler Master MWE 650 V3 (brand new, 1 week old)
Old PSU: Corsair VS550 (around 4 years old)
The VS is a step below the CX lineup of PSU's from Corsair, the CX(grey labelled, not green labelled) is considered borderline acceptable(depending on your system and it's use case scenarios) while the VS(later rebadged as CV) are considered trash. The Coolermaster PSU you picked up later on isn't exactly something I'd buy into either but is equivalent to the grey labelled CX units from Corsair.