Pc shuts down when plugging in usb storage devices.

[lordmoltke]

Hi everyone! how are you doing? hope you're all having a nice life.
Need some help here. I'm having this issue with my computer; if I plug a usb storage device such as my 1tb usb disk drive in, it shuts down. At first it did almost instantly, I mean, if already in windows when plugged the disk in it shut down and didn't even booted into windows again unless I unplugged it , now it'd work for a while as long as I don't try to open it in windows explorer. Also, at first it not only happened with large storage devices but with smaller too, like a 8gb flash drive, but now I am able to plug the 8gb flash drive in, open it, even copy some files in, small files, any file bigger/larger than 2gb will cause the pc to shut down. If no usb storage devices are plugged in, the pc runs fine and no shut downs occur. Both devices work fine in another pc.
these are the specs of the pc:
cpu: athlon 64 x2 5000+ 2600mhz,
ram: 4gb 2x2
psu: 500watts generic model
hdd: hitachi 250gb (SATA)
OS: Windows 10 x64
mobo: asrock alive-nf6g vsta (bios updated about 3 years ago)
By the way, my pc connects to the internet via WIFI with a usb adapter and it works fine, I mean, the pc doesn't shut down because of it.
Any help/advice would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance for your answers.

 

[J_E_D_70]

Which ports? Front of case? In back on mobo? All?

Could be an electrical short or damaged usb port. Much less likely, the psu is bad and on the verge of dying - that little bit of extra power draw causes shutdown.

Does it go through the normal windows shutdown process or just turn off as if you unplugged from the wall?

 

[lordmoltke]

Which ports? Front of case? In back on mobo? All?

Could be an electrical short or damaged usb port. Much less likely, the psu is bad and on the verge of dying - that little bit of extra power draw causes shutdown.

Does it go through the normal windows shutdown process or just turn off as if you unplugged from the wall?

All of them, all ports back and front. It just turn off, no shutdown process. Yeah that's what I fear too; PSU failure. At least I hope it's not worst like mobo or cpu failure.
I forgot to mention, it used to run win 7 a few days ago and the problem started by then, I formatted it and installed win 10 in the hope of solving it, but it didn't work.

 

[J_E_D_70]

Odd, but would try new, quality psu next.

 

[lordmoltke]

Odd, but would try new, quality psu next.

I tried something that I remembered saved me from some issue like this a couple of years ago, it wasn't exactly the same cause it wasn't usb related, but the PC -this same one - shut down randomly whenever it was under heavy use; if playing videogames in high graphics mode for example. What I did back then was open the case, remove everything even the PSU, dust it/clean it with a vacuum cleaner and it worked. The pc stopped shutting down, so I thought it might worth taking a shot at that, it was a long one I know, but who knows, right? So, I did it. Put everything back toguether, plug the power cord back in and this is when it gets interesting and/or revealing: when I pressed the power button the PC failed to start, I mean, It started; hdd led, mouse, cpu fan started, then it shut down, I tried again same thing, I think I tried like 5 times untill it finally started and windows booted, and I guess this confirms the PSU is failing, cause I can't remember but I don't think that behaviour to be normal, is it? I haven't tried plugging the usb disk in cause I think it won't work.