USB Over Current Status

Hi!

I have a P7P55D Deluxe that have been running fine since the build.
Today midgaming session my mouse suddenly went black and ceased to work,
when trying to reboot I got the message that USB Over Current Status had
been detected and it shut down on me. Only by dissconnecting the mouse I
could get it to boot again.
I tried connecting it to another port (from mobo header) and then it lit
up and I could move pointer, although it was very jumpy and buttons
didn't work. From backend ports its basically dead.
Now I wonder what might have happened?
What exactly does the over current status mean and is it the USB port or
the device at fault? (seems the mouse is the problem). Any suggestions
on solution or what to watch for?

Related to this, I'm not sure as I can find no physical signs
whatsoever, but I fear my kitten might have bitten the moue cord, could
that possible cause the over current condition by some damaged wiring?

On Thu, 16 Dec 2010 00:32:01 +0100, Thomas Andersson
<> wrote:

>Hi!
>
>I have a P7P55D Deluxe that have been running fine since the build.
>Today midgaming session my mouse suddenly went black and ceased to work,
>when trying to reboot I got the message that USB Over Current Status had
>been detected and it shut down on me. Only by dissconnecting the mouse I
>could get it to boot again.
>I tried connecting it to another port (from mobo header) and then it lit
>up and I could move pointer, although it was very jumpy and buttons
>didn't work. From backend ports its basically dead.
>Now I wonder what might have happened?
>What exactly does the over current status mean and is it the USB port or
>the device at fault? (seems the mouse is the problem). Any suggestions
>on solution or what to watch for?
>
>Related to this, I'm not sure as I can find no physical signs
>whatsoever, but I fear my kitten might have bitten the moue cord, could
>that possible cause the over current condition by some damaged wiring?

It could be that, or some component inside the mouse has failed and
created a partial short which is causing the mouse to draw too much
current. Either way, is sounds like you need to get a new mouse.

Do you have a different mouse you can try?

Mike

Thomas Andersson wrote:
> Hi!
>
> I have a P7P55D Deluxe that have been running fine since the build.
> Today midgaming session my mouse suddenly went black and ceased to work,
> when trying to reboot I got the message that USB Over Current Status had
> been detected and it shut down on me. Only by dissconnecting the mouse I
> could get it to boot again.
> I tried connecting it to another port (from mobo header) and then it lit
> up and I could move pointer, although it was very jumpy and buttons
> didn't work. From backend ports its basically dead.
> Now I wonder what might have happened?
> What exactly does the over current status mean and is it the USB port or
> the device at fault? (seems the mouse is the problem). Any suggestions
> on solution or what to watch for?
>
> Related to this, I'm not sure as I can find no physical signs
> whatsoever, but I fear my kitten might have bitten the moue cord, could
> that possible cause the over current condition by some damaged wiring?

Intel Southbridges in the past, have had OC# input pins on them.
Your overcurrent message, may be causes by that OC# input pin seeing
a change in state. So what you've observed, could be consistent with
a USB short circuit, and the Polyfuse protecting the port, opening up.
Polyfuses don't need to be replaced, and as soon as they're allowed
to cool off, they will conduct again.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resettable_fuse

ATX_Supply --- 5V ---- Polyfuse ------+------ USB Port --- USB Device
|
Southbridge <----- OC# --------+

OC# stands for "OverCurrent, active low". The logic signal becomes
true, at zero volts. If OC# is used to monitor the bus, then it
becomes true, when the Polyfuse opens, and the bus voltage drops to zero.

Paul

On 2010-12-16 00:53, Mike Paff wrote:

> It could be that, or some component inside the mouse has failed and
> created a partial short which is causing the mouse to draw too much
> current. Either way, is sounds like you need to get a new mouse.
>
> Do you have a different mouse you can try?

Using my old cordless Logitech mouse now, it's pain though because it's
heavy and the internal (non-changeable) battery is burned out so it's
always on empty, have to stop working and charge it like every 5 minutes
(it's USB and works just fine though).
I can get the razer mose to light up, it can move the cursor but it's
very jumpy and lagged and imprecise, buttons doesn't work at all).
Windows reports the device as working fine and Razer config tools
detects it and doesn't report errors.
Hard to detect any bitemarks on it as the cover of the cord is a woven
cloth fabric and not smooth, been going over it again and again and
can't detect anything on it.

On 2010-12-16 01:40, Paul wrote:

> Intel Southbridges in the past, have had OC# input pins on them.
> Your overcurrent message, may be causes by that OC# input pin seeing
> a change in state. So what you've observed, could be consistent with
> a USB short circuit, and the Polyfuse protecting the port, opening up.
> Polyfuses don't need to be replaced, and as soon as they're allowed
> to cool off, they will conduct again.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resettable_fuse
>
> ATX_Supply --- 5V ---- Polyfuse ------+------ USB Port --- USB Device
> |
> Southbridge <----- OC# --------+
>
> OC# stands for "OverCurrent, active low". The logic signal becomes
> true, at zero volts. If OC# is used to monitor the bus, then it
> becomes true, when the Polyfuse opens, and the bus voltage drops to zero.

But wouldn't that affect all USB devices then? As it is now only the
mouse triggers the error message, if I dissconnects it everything is
fine. I can reconnect it after booth but it fails to work properly.

Thomas Andersson wrote:
> On 2010-12-16 01:40, Paul wrote:
>
>> Intel Southbridges in the past, have had OC# input pins on them.
>> Your overcurrent message, may be causes by that OC# input pin seeing
>> a change in state. So what you've observed, could be consistent with
>> a USB short circuit, and the Polyfuse protecting the port, opening up.
>> Polyfuses don't need to be replaced, and as soon as they're allowed
>> to cool off, they will conduct again.
>>
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resettable_fuse
>>
>> ATX_Supply --- 5V ---- Polyfuse ------+------ USB Port --- USB Device
>> |
>> Southbridge <----- OC# --------+
>>
>> OC# stands for "OverCurrent, active low". The logic signal becomes
>> true, at zero volts. If OC# is used to monitor the bus, then it
>> becomes true, when the Polyfuse opens, and the bus voltage drops to zero.
>
> But wouldn't that affect all USB devices then? As it is now only the
> mouse triggers the error message, if I dissconnects it everything is
> fine. I can reconnect it after booth but it fails to work properly.
>

What happens if you disconnect the mouse, wait two minutes,
and move it to another port. Does it work then ?

*******

To give an example of the wiring of that feature, there is
a reference schematic for an 875 era motherboard here.

http://developer.intel.com/design/ch...ics/252812.htm

If you open 25281202.pdf and go to PDF page 35, you can see the
eight OverCurrent signals. There is one per port. The Southbridge
controls up to eight ports. (OC0* to OC7*, the * meaning active
low, similar to #). The OC signals are wired in pairs, and that
is because the powering scheme for the USB port, also works in
pairs. A power failure, affects the two USB connectors in a
"stack". And the OverCurrent Status signals on two ports, are
triggered at the same time.

Moving to another stack, should give a "fresh start", in terms
of USB state.

The circuit that monitors the ports, is shown on PDF page 83.
The thing labeled THRMSTR (thermistor), is the Polyfuse. The
MMBT3904 transistor connected to PWRGD_3V_R appears to
be gating the OverCurrent indication, such that an OverCurrent
error is only reported, if the 3V rail is running. If the
THRMSTR opens, the bus voltage drops to zero, and
USB_OC_BACK_RIGHT drops at the same time (signaling there
has been an overcurrent failure). It's something along
those lines.

You could always fit another cord to the mouse, but that
wouldn't be a lot of fun. Opening the mouse, and
seeing how the cord terminates to the PCB, would
give you some idea how hard it would be to install
another one. You'd need a soldering iron, if the
wires are soldered into place. You can cut off the
old wires, but the new ones will have to be soldered
into place, for best results.

Paul

On 2010-12-16 08:29, Paul wrote:

> What happens if you disconnect the mouse, wait two minutes,
> and move it to another port. Does it work then ?

Nopes, same problem, and tried it on my server and its the same problem
there. Starting to belive the cat accident theory more and more as I
have been stretching and wiggling with the cord with the effect that it
lights up and can move cursor, although not steadily), buttons won't
work and computer still won't both with it connected. If I connect it
after both device manager says it's working ok and config util sees it
and reports nothing (but it isn't working).

> You could always fit another cord to the mouse, but that
> wouldn't be a lot of fun. Opening the mouse, and
> seeing how the cord terminates to the PCB, would
> give you some idea how hard it would be to install
> another one. You'd need a soldering iron, if the
> wires are soldered into place. You can cut off the
> old wires, but the new ones will have to be soldered
> into place, for best results.

If I knew where the break was I guess I could just clear the threads and
twin/solder them together but I have no clue where it might be and have
no tools for the job (the cord is covered in a woven fabric skin and is
not smooth so detecting tiny teeth punctures is pretty much impossible).
I've contacted Razer support and hope I can get a warranty replacement
or something as it's only 2 months old, but I bet I will run in to a
world of trouble with that.