System powered off and experienced a loud noise upon connecting the SD card reader.
System powered off and experienced a loud noise upon connecting the SD card reader.
You're aware that certain power supplies can produce loud sounds during operation, especially when they trip or shut down completely. They also tend to reset automatically after being turned off fully.
It seems the other parts appear secure based on the current state. As for the protections, they seem to be designed for repeated use rather than a single application.
You likely experienced a short circuit, electrical arc, or USB overcurrent protection shutdown—particularly when using the front case USB port. A loud noise came from the speakers. Honestly, if a capacitor or VRM failed, you’d both *feel*, *smell*, and *see* it, and the board wouldn’t start up.
I resolved the issue by reinstalling Windows. I’m still trying to understand why this happened, but currently everything seems okay.