G41M-ES2L: Disable USB power in standby/poweroff

[Daedalus1986]

Hello dear support team!

I'm a proud owner of the G41M-ES2L board (BIOS: F9 06/21/2010) and I'm very satisfied so far, however there is one tiny issue I simply can't solve:

There seems to be a feature (I guess "ON/OFF Charge") that supplies power to USB devices in all standby modes and even when the computer is powered off. I recently bought a heated USB mouse (it's freakin cold here in Europe right now...) and of course the heating module consumes quite an amount of power. I would like to have the mouse disabled when the computer is off or in standby to save power, but the USB ports constantly provide power, even when the computer is off. Same goes for other gadgets like an illuminated mouse pad etc, they are all active as well. So I have to either press the master switch on the PSU or unplug the devices, which is an annoyance.

Other boards often have a USB 5V-Standby power option in the BIOS menu or a jumper on the board. In the case of G41M-ES2 I wasn't able to find neither a BIOS option nor a jumper. I also tried all of the USB ports (four on the back, two on the front panel) and they are always all powered. I tried installing/uninstalling the Gigabyte ON/OFF Charge utility, but I don't think this is a software issue. After all the ports are still powered when the PC is off, regardless of the OS or anything. I also tried to put a passive USB hub between the USB port and the mouse, but this didn't help either: Both the hub and the mouse were still powered.

Well, I must be dumb or blind or something - could you please give me a hint how to disable the USB power in standby/poweroff-mode? It has to be possible somehow...

Kind regards

- Daedalus1986

[Rolo42]

On/Off Charge (AppleCharger.sys) is only for iPods; USB ports will still have power without it.

I'm surprised the mouse doesn't have a toggle switch for that reason.

[Dark Mantis]

Hi and welcome.

Sounds like a fairground or something similar! Heated mice and lighted mouse mats etc. All joking apart I don't think there is any way of disabling the USB power except by turning the mains off or removing the power to the PSU some other way like with the switch. 

[Rolo42]

I don't know of a way either; it's using +5vSB regardless.

I have a lighted mouse surface.     It always does have power.

[Lsdmeasap]

See here = disable USB power
http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php/topic,8189.0.html

[Daedalus1986]

Hello together!

Thanks for your replies! The hidden setting "USB device wake up from S3" described in the other thread really appeared after pressing CTRL+F1 and I set it to disabled. However, it didn't help at all. The ports are still powered when the system is off or in standby.

Well, I think I'll have to do it the good old way:

1. Connect all the devices to one USB hub.
2. Cut open the USB cable between the hub and the PC.
3. Connect the power lines to the switching contacts of a relay.
4. Find some power source suitable for the relay which powers down when the PC goes to standby, e.g. the 5V/12V power cables for the disc drives.
5. Connect that power source to the relay's coil contacts.
6. Profit!

Grml... Just one single time I hope to solve stuff via configuration, but it looks like I'll still have to fall back to the soldering gun.

Cheers

- Daedalus86

[Lsdmeasap]

Sorry to hear that did not help!

It's due to modern power supplies leaving that 5v rail on all the time, some older PSU's wont do that even with the BIOS options enabled.

Good luck with the cutting and soldering!   I'd just disable the LED from the device that bothers you instead, that would be easier

[Daedalus1986]

Good luck with the cutting and soldering!   I'd just disable the LED from the device that bothers you instead, that would be easier

Thanks! Well, I would like the LEDs still to go on when the PC is "active" however... same goes for the illuminated mouse pad etc.

[Lsdmeasap]

Well you could connect two of the items to PS/2 ports instead, that will solve some issues.  Use a USB to PS/2 adapter, I think there may even be PS/2 splitters so you might be able to connect more than two items via PS/2 not sure on that though.

[Daedalus1986]

Well you could connect two of the items to PS/2 ports instead, that will solve some issues.  Use a USB to PS/2 adapter, I think there may even be PS/2 splitters so you might be able to connect more than two items via PS/2 not sure on that though.

Thanks for the idea - I just tried it and guess what? The PS/2 port is powered as well when the pc is off or in standby, and so are devices connected to it using the green PS/2 => USB adapter! Looks like it's using the same circuit as the USB ports somehow. This is really strange, I always thought that the PS/2-port shuts off completely when the computer isn't "awake"!  I disabled "Wake on PS/2" etc in the BIOS settings, but this hasn't helped either. Well butter my biscuit...

[Lsdmeasap]

Ahhh!   Sorry man, that's terrible I thought it would sort this out for you!

[Daedalus1986]

Ahhh!   Sorry man, that's terrible I thought it would sort this out for you!

Hmm, I could hardly believe it myself - I've never seen a mainboard be so "active" when it's actually supposed to be turned off. There is a bright side of course because one can charge all sorts of cellphones, cameras etc even when the PC is off. But having all sorts of USB gadgets powered 24/7 isn't really that good.

Well then, I guess I'll stick to the relay plan or something like that...

[Lsdmeasap]

You could request a special BIOS, they may make it for you when they have some free time

[Daedalus1986]

You could request a special BIOS, they may make it for you when they have some free time

Hmm, I wonder if this can even be resolved by changing the BIOS. Maybe the circuit is just hard wired? Well, it could be worth a try nevertheless. Who exactly should I ask about the customb BIOS? Gigabyte themselves or is there some sort of community, like the folks who make custom ROMs for Android phones?

TIA!

[Lsdmeasap]

Well, I'm sure it probably can be in the BIOS, all they'd have to do is disable the +5VSB line while in the powered off state.  Or you could find an old power supply that does not provide voltage from the +5VSB line while it's off.  

And of course, you can always switch off your current PSU when it's not in use, which you already are aware of.  I know that's not an ideal solution for you, so you should send in a request for a special BIOS.  They will make it for you when they have time, probably after CEBIT now.

Ask Gigabyte directly here
http://www.gigabyte.com/support-downloads/technical-support.aspx