A USB Device has exceeded the power limits of its hub ports

[tnedator]

I have started receiving this error "A USB Device has exceeded the power limits of its hub ports" on my T43.

We sent it to an outfit that repairs laptops, and they said that it was because I needed to update a driver (which doesn't make sense as it just started happening with no hardware or software changes), but they also 'disabled' the message from continuing to appear. They stated that this is a known issue with this motherboard and there is a service bulletin on it (or something to that extent).

Once this started occurring last week, it occurred whether there was anything plugged into a USB port. The error message would also popup if the computer was simply left alone for 20 seconds or so, and would re-appear after resetting the USB port/hub (as the error message instructed). Also, opening notepad and typing random characters would make the message appear sooner (as compared to the laptop sitting idle) as would moving the mouse around and clicking the mouse buttons on the touch pad.

So, my question is. Based on the fact that I had not recently installed any windows or IBM updates, nor new programs when the error started occurring, do you think the solution the repair company provided, which was to update a driver and 'suppress' the message, sounds reasonable?

I am having a hard time getting my head around this being a driver/software issue, since it occurred out of nowhere with no change in software/drivers.

Also, prior to sending it to them, I did a "restore to factory image" from the recovery partition and the USB power limit error continued after the OS restore to factory image.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[tnedator]

Also, I should add that I tried popping out the DVD drive, as I didn't know if it used the USB hub, and the error continued with the drive in or out. Any other device that might be using the USB hub would be integrated (keyboard, mouse, fingerprint scanner, etc.).

[virge]

Have you plugged in and USB devices recently? You might want to check to see if the USB ports are damaged in anyway. It's never happened to me before, but there certainly are cases where the USB plug has been damaged allowing the pins to contact. This is of course is a shot in the dark....

[tnedator]

Have you plugged in and USB devices recently? You might want to check to see if the USB ports are damaged in anyway. It's never happened to me before, but there certainly are cases where the USB plug has been damaged allowing the pins to contact. This is of course is a shot in the dark....

Both USB ports appear fine. I typically use a USB mouse at work and I tried it in both ports. I also tried a USB drive in both ports, and they both work fine.

[richk]

Do you have bluetooth or fingerprint? both are USB devices

[steveg47]

Surpressing the error message is not a fix. I have seen this before on a T series laptop (I think it was a t43) and the fix was to replace the motherboard. Sorry about that, I know it's not something you want to hear.

[tnedator]

Rich: No on the bluetooth, yes on the USB.

Surpressing the error message is not a fix. I have seen this before on a T series laptop (I think it was a t43) and the fix was to replace the motherboard. Sorry about that, I know it's not something you want to hear.

Actually, that is what I was expecting. We even paid a flat fee for MB repair or replacement, and then when they got it they said they have seen this before, that there is a tech bulleting (IBM???) on it, and it is a driver issue.

The googling I had done ahead of time lead me to what you are saying, it takes a MB replacement to fix it.

I have asked for details of exactly what driver they replaced (I don't see how a driver issue could persist through a restore from image) and if they did anything else to 'suppress' the warning.