I reduced my PC's size by connecting a USB-C port to a USB-A port.
I reduced my PC's size by connecting a USB-C port to a USB-A port.
Hi, I've accidentally plugged my phone with USB-C into an A port and shorted it so the computer shut down. It boots up fine, I've just restarted it and have just wondered whether I might have caused some damage?
I didn’t believe it was possible. It seemed like it would need a strong effort. The only ideas that popped into my head were possibly disrupting the USB-A port you connected the USB C to, or harming the circuitry on the other side of the USB-A port on the motherboard.
You manually inserted the USB-C port into a standard USB port? The device likely safeguarded itself and powered down as intended. Any harm is uncertain.
No force was used; I mistakenly connected the smaller USB-C to a larger USB-A port, causing the power supply to shut down. The computer stopped working while the PSU remained active. That was my mistake.
I see you're thinking about how a USB connection behaves like a controlled overload. (Some call these USB devices PC killers) I know that when they hit a machine, they can really damage the wiring on the motherboard. If your system starts up and the ports still function, it means the short didn’t reach the main board. Your graphics card uses capacitors to smooth out the energy spikes from the power supply, which helps protect the GPU. Although there have been issues like the 3080 problem where capacitors failed, it’s not uncommon. In short... Your PC likely has built-in safeguards, and with a bit of luck, you should be okay. Good luck!
USB Killers function distinct from short circuits by intentionally delivering an extremely high voltage to disable the USB port and potentially the motherboard.