IP35 Pro wont power off USB ports

[CeeJay.dk]

I originally posted my problem on the abit forums but no one was able to help, so I'm hoping another forumer (or someone official from abit) have a solution

My problem :

I've just built a new system using a IP35 Pro MB.
The bios version is 14.

When I shut my system off , the IP35 PRO does not power off the USB ports , thus preventing my USB power rail from shutting off power to my monitor, scanner , speakers , ethernet switch and lights.
This means I have to either shut each one off manually, pull out the usb cord to the power rail or shut the system off on the PSU itself - This is annoying to do, when you're used to the convenience of only having to only having to shut off the computer.

How can I get the IP35 Pro to shut off power to all or at least one of the USB ports, when the system is powered down ?

Also , how can I contact abit about this ? .. because I suspect that this could be easily fixed by a new bios version. I've seen other people complain that USB gets shut off when the system goes into S3 standby , so it's obviously possible for the bios to control power to the USB ports.

If you can't help then I was thinking that I might be able to workaround this problem by cannibalizing a pci-addon USB card from one of my other PC's that I don't use as often , because surely the power to the PCI slots is shut off when the system is powered down.

[ABIT Sean]

Sorry but the motherboard is designed to keep USB standby power on. There is no way to adjust it.

Most of our previous motherboards used to have usb jumpers allowing you to set the standby power to on or off.

[Fraz]

Couldn't you use one of these (or something similar) as a workaround?
Intelliplug Energy Saving Plug

[CeeJay.dk]

Originally Posted by ABIT Sean

Sorry but the motherboard is designed to keep USB standby power on. There is no way to adjust it.

Most of our previous motherboards used to have usb jumpers allowing you to set the standby power to on or off.

Indeed they did. The abit NF7-S 2.0 that I upgraded from had a jumper for this purpose.
Please address this design flaw in future revisions of the IP-35 board and in other Abit boards as well.
USB controlled power rails are quite popular here in Denmark , because the government agency that designed the commonly used USB power rail advertises it and other power saving steps, as part of a greater plan to reduce national power consumption. BTW the design was made freely available for anyone to use - no license , no copyright , no patents , if abit or someone else wants to make some in other countries.

I just tried hooking the USB cable up to a PS/2 to USB adapter plug , but it also would not power off correctly.
Would it be possible for the BIOS to turn the PS/2 plugs off ? .. or any other plug that supplies +5v ?

I have so far inserted the USB card I had and it works .. power shuts off just fine. I will need that card in another pc in the future though and a PCI uses a tiny bit of power , which goes against the point ( powersaving ) of the USB power rail, but it's a good workaround for now.

I just had the idea that I could use a female USB plug and hook it up to +5v and GND on a molex connector - it should provide the USB rail with the +5v that activates it, just as if it was a real computer, but it would shut off correctly when the pc was powered down.

@Fraz : I could , but I'd like to see if there I can find a solution that wont cost me money first .. A new powerrail and shipment would probably cost about 20 - 30 € .. it saves enough power to pay for itself in 6 - 12 months time.
But yes I could use something like this :
(had a link here .. but the forum wont let me post links yet .. maybe later then.)

I have the first one from the top .. I would need the second one.

[Bhavv]

Now I find this really funny....

I bought an MSI P35 Neo2 and the one thing I hate about it is that it powers off my USB ports after shutdown. One big reason why is that I have a USB desklight, not very bright, but enough to see things in the dark.

Now I would wholeheartedly prefer a motherboard which keeps the USB ports powered on, I guess i really should have gotten an Abit dark raider instead

[BUFF]

maybe you can swap ...

[Bhavv]

Originally Posted by BUFF

maybe you can swap ...

hehe. I was fully decided on buying a Dark raider, then I saw the MSI and thought Ooooooooo.... Look at all that shiny copper.... Buy !!!

then I saw the Platinum version with the rollercoaster thing, but it was twice as expensive. But all that copper...

I hope other manufacturers start putting loads of copper pipes and fins on their budget boards too. The IP35 pro doesnt even have as much copper as the MSI ones, but neither do gigabyte or Asus ones. And MSI have a nice shiny polish on their copper. Or maybe its a cheaper alloy so they can afford to put more on.

The Abit boards look a lot more sophisticated like Asus ones, I'm not really keen on bright neon colours like on my MSI and Gigabyte. But there is so little to choose between them other then looks and price that more copper definately makes a good selling tactic to overclockers.

But I want my USB ports powered on in standby dang it!

[Fraz]

Originally Posted by Bhavv

hehe. I was fully decided on buying a Dark raider, then I saw the MSI and thought Ooooooooo.... Look at all that shiny copper.... Buy !!!

then I saw the Platinum version with the rollercoaster thing, but it was twice as expensive. But all that copper...

I hope other manufacturers start putting loads of copper pipes and fins on their budget boards too. The IP35 pro doesnt even have as much copper as the MSI ones, but neither do gigabyte or Asus ones. And MSI have a nice shiny polish on their copper. Or maybe its a cheaper alloy so they can afford to put more on.

The Abit boards look a lot more sophisticated like Asus ones, I'm not really keen on bright neon colours like on my MSI and Gigabyte. But there is so little to choose between them other then looks and price that more copper definately makes a good selling tactic to overclockers.

But I want my USB ports powered on in standby dang it!

It ain't copper - certainly not on the IP35 pro, at any rate...

[CeeJay.dk]

Originally Posted by Bhavv

Now I find this really funny....

I bought an MSI P35 Neo2 and the one thing I hate about it is that it powers off my USB ports after shutdown. One big reason why is that I have a USB desklight, not very bright, but enough to see things in the dark.

Now I would wholeheartedly prefer a motherboard which keeps the USB ports powered on, I guess i really should have gotten an Abit dark raider instead

I just use an ordinary desk lamp to illuminate my desk.

I'd prefer a motherboard that allows you to switch power on or off as you please , either on all the ports or just some of them.

If the motherboard powered half and shut off power to the other half , you could attach units you wanted to stay on to the powered ports and units you want to shut off to the other ports.