Mobile Dongle Cauese PC To Die?!

[-Hox-]

Hey all,

I've got a 3 dongle, unlocked, with the iPhone sim in it. This works fine on my laptop, and on a desktop in my workshop, but I've just installed it on my girlfriends desktop (which is better than mine!) and after about a minute or 2, whether connected to the net or not, it shuts the PC off. The lights for the PC stay on though, and the internal fans still run, but it just dies and needs to be turned off and started again?! It's weird because this happens whenever the dongle is in a USB port, whether it's actually on the net or not!

Any ideas?!

[chroma]

Cheap/underrated powersupply unit.

My first instinct is the power supply, the usb might be drawing too much current across the 5v rails and causing the crash.

Try plugging in something else that you know will draw a couple of amps and see if it happens with that.

[Gypo]

Power issue, had this with my father in laws computer, USB port killed his phone and his pc.

[-Hox-]

Cheers for the info guys!

Other things work fine, like her printer... that's about it actually!

If it's the power supply that's causing the issue, I won't try it again!

Thanks again!

[-Hox-]

Actually, thinking about it, I've used an older 3 dongle on there before and it worked fine... maybe this one take more power to make it move!?

[chroma]

Actually, thinking about it, I've used an older 3 dongle on there before and it worked fine... maybe this one take more power to make it move!?

more likely than you think, not all electronics are produced equal.
Just upgrade the PSU and you'll be away.

[-Hox-]

Would a powered USB hub sort it do you think?! Would work out cheaper... and would save me some messing about too!

[chroma]

As long as the hub doesnt draw too much current from the computer to begin with then yeah.

To be honest though your going to be better spent replacing the psu, its like 6 plugs at most and 4 screws, not really a major modification, unplug the connectors inside, unscrew the old one and screw on the new then replace the connectors and "roberts your mothers brother" 15 minuite job at most.
Just make sure and buy the biggest wattage you can lay your hands on and you'll be fine.

[-Hox-]

I've got a couple of spare ones hanging around actually, from other desktops that I've binned... I'll try those first.

Cheers Chroma.

[Street Hawk]

Ummm , Hi Hox,

Can i ask... are you using the same Usb port each time? or have you tried different Usb ports on the system?
as this could well be a fault with the Usb port its self.

try changing the usb slot. if it works without a problem then its gotta be that port. you could also try pluggin in a different device (that doesnt have its own power supply) like a Usb memory stick, connected to the very same usb port you have the problem with.

if the problem is still the same, take a closer look at the usb socket itself & see if any of the inside connectors are out of place, or touching in anyway. just incase when u plug something into that port it completes & circuit & causes the problem. i have had a similar problem before on a laptop where a user at work left a usb memory stick in the side of the laptop then knocked it off onto the floor after catching the power lead under the desk. it wiped out that port but funny enough the usb memory stick survived.

Although i wouldnt rule out the problem with the PSU. find out what size psu you currently have running & upgrade from there, a better power supply give you max system performance for devices that are power hungry.

[-Hox-]

Cheers Hawk.

I've tried various ports, all with the same outcome, although my flash drives all work fine. I'm gonna give the powered USB hub a go, and then look at the PSU.

She's on dial up still (FFS!!!!!!), and she could REALLY do with something better! Ha!

[Street Hawk]

ooooh the pain m8. Dial up? Ouch ! i bet its like a slow week in jail trying to load up google ..

Might be worth Investing in the Broadband Dongle on the "Kaos Market" freebies thread,

http://www.digital-kaos.co.uk/forums/f24/3-usb-wifi-dongle-free-pay-go-37886/

cost me ?26 to setup in total including the ?10 top-up. and its Free for the year!! & im getting good connection speeds in my area, can even game online with it too, so much faster than the painful dial up!

best of luck bud, let us know if you manage to crack it.

Street.

[-Hox-]

ooooh the pain m8. Dial up? Ouch ! i bet its like a slow week in jail trying to load up google ..

Might be worth Investing in the Broadband Dongle on the "Kaos Market" freebies thread,

http://www.digital-kaos.co.uk/forums/f24/3-usb-wifi-dongle-free-pay-go-37886/

cost me ?26 to setup in total including the ?10 top-up. and its Free for the year!! & im getting good connection speeds in my area, can even game online with it too, so much faster than the painful dial up!

best of luck bud, let us know if you manage to crack it.

Street.

That's the exact dongle I'm trying to use Hawk!

Works fine on my PC, my other PC, and my Laptop....... just not the girlfriends! And dial-up's stoneage!

[Street Hawk]

oh ok erm, im puzzled then really.. umm have u check the bios settings on your girlfriends PC? and tried looking for the latest bios update ?

[-Hox-]

oh ok erm, im puzzled then really.. umm have u check the bios settings on your girlfriends PC? and tried looking for the latest bios update ?

Nope! Would that cause it?!