PC off but USB devices still on!

[tobo]

Hello all.

I have searched for my query (all over the web) but I think the terminology is too vague.

I have Windows Vista Home 32bit. When I switch my PC off, all the USB devices I have plugged in, stay on!

I have a multi-card reader, backlit keyboard and an optical mouse. All of these have little LEDs that show they're still on.

Is this a problem or is there a setting in the BIOS?

I've had a search around the BIOS settings but I can't find anything that it could be.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Many thanks.

T

 

[michiganteddybear]

your mobo is sending the 5v standby source to the usb's. There may be a bios setting to turn it off, or jumpers on the board, consult the manual.

the reason they do this now is because many people use the keyboard to turn the pc on from an off state (same as hitting the power button, not a sleep state), and to do that, the keyboard ports and usb ports need power so they can be monitored for the appropriate keystroke to power up the system

 

[geofelt]

How this works will depend on the mobo. Which one do you have?

In the bios, there will be some options, one of which might permit powering on of the pc by keyboard or mouse. If this is enabled, the mobo would have to leave those devices with power so it could recognize when they were activated and power on the pc.

I suspect that what you are seeing is normal.

 

[StevieD]

your mobo is sending the 5v standby source to the usb's. There may be a bios setting to turn it off, or jumpers on the board, consult the manual.

the reason they do this now is because many people use the keyboard to turn the pc on from an off state (same as hitting the power button, not a sleep state), and to do that, the keyboard ports and usb ports need power so they can be monitored for the appropriate keystroke to power up the system

Correct.

And the amount of juice being pulled is so minor why even worry about it.

 

[justinmcg67]

Its the same way that a PS2 keyboard or USB keyboard still will light on even if the PC is off. I can do it on my keyboards, if the PC is off I can hit the Numlock button and the indicator light comes on. It's because the PSU is still getting power and the ports still receive it.

 

[purplerat]

or it could just be that your computer is not actually off. Vista has a mode where everything appears to be completely shut down but can be turned "instantly on". I use this all the time on my HTPC. It will look like its completely off but whenever it's setting to record something it turns back. All periphials will also turn the computer back on.

 

[tobo]

I think my motherboard is a "Nvidia Sli Ready Chipset ATX Motherboard".

I still can't find an option in the BIOS that mentions this!

It's really beginning to annoy me.

T

 

[BigJ3384]

probably a jumper. i have my mobo set up that way so i can use keystoke combos to turn the computer on. also a computer with vista may in fact be off, but ACPI standards incorporate a power on timer. if you have a recording set up and the recording software or os is properly programmed, your computer will turn itself on at the appropriate time.