Quickie: Should USB device light be on when shutdown?

[Mugsy]

Quick question: When the computer is off, shouldn't the lights on my USB devices be off too?

I'm have a power supply issue that I'm trying to figure out. I burned up two psu's (and nearly a third) in as many days. Now I'm up and running again, but I can't plug all of my devices in w/o destroying another power supply.

I only have the bare minimum plugged in right now: video, kb, mouse and Ethernet cable (for my DSL). I found I can also plug in my external USB sound card without a problem, but I just noticed that when I shut the computer off, the light on my soundcard is still on, and I do not remember that being the case before all this began.

I'm now suspecting my computer may no longer be properly grounded and is "grounding" though anything I connect to the back of my PC... thus, leaking power through my ports.

Can anyone confirm that this should or shouldn't be the case with my USB device still lit up after shutdown? Thanks.

 

[TypeX45]

Well I have a usb mouse pad that lights up and with the motherboard that I have will keep all my usb devices on until I hit the power switch on the power supply. I have not ever had any problems with this. Also how big of a power supply do you have.

 

[Mugsy]

Interesting

That's good to know (about your USB devices), though I feel I'm probably still on the right track suspecting a short of some kind.

I was running a 550watt psu without a problem for one year (almost to the day) when the psu startted emitting a burning "plastic" smell a few seconds before it burned out (I was merely ideling at the time, running nothing)..

I replaced it with another 550watt supply and it too burned out in less than a minute.

I disconnected everything, tested the system with a borrowed supply and idled w/o a problem for several minutes. I then put a third new psu in and idled w/o trouble for five minutes. But as soon as I began reconnecting the cables for my external devices (antenna coax cable for TV, a USB hub, my USB soundcard, printer (RS-232) and SCSI cable (scanner and Zip100 drive... neither of which are turned on), the psu almost instantly began to burn again.

I quickly turned the PC off to prevent my latest psu from frying. I disconnected everything except what is needed to run, and everything is okay. But if I connect almost anything else... trouble.

It's taken me a week just to figure that much out. :-/

 

[CrossFire851]

I have the Razer copperhead mouse, http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2005/0826/msy10.jpg

As long as the computer is plugged in it will light up and do it's standard glowing. So for usb devices lighting up when the computer is not on, it is fine and is how it was intended to be.