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09-27-2004, 02:14 PM
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#1 |
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Member (10 bit)
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 583
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Can a power surge travel though a USB cable?
I have a Western Digital external USB hard drive that I use to back up all my important data, it does not have an on/off switch so to turn it off so you simply eject it and then unplug it. I like this because I don’t need to access it often and it being unplugged means that a virus cannot get on it or it cannot be damaged by a power surge. Or at least I thought until I realized that a power surge could probably travel though the USB cable that goes into the hard drive. If this is the case I will probably just unplug the USB cable when it is not in use as well. And I do have a surge protector, it is a Belkin UPS, but I don’t really trust it to protect against a serious surge such as lightning.
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09-27-2004, 02:36 PM
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#2 |
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Kickin' it
Staff
Premium Member
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: USA
Posts: 7,723
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It is possible that a power spike could affect USB devices. Since USB is a connection that moves data and power (most USB devices, such as mice and keyboards, obivously are not plugged in to the wall), a power surge could travel through the usb. To be safe, unplug the usb drive completely to avoid any damage.
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09-27-2004, 02:39 PM
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#3 |
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Professional gadfly
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Posts: 6,364
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Yes, if a power surge destroys your mobo, it could travel through the USB cable to any attached devices.
Basically, power surges can travel through any connected wires. USB, Ethernet, what have you. The best advice is to keep using your surge protector and unplug everything when there is a storm. |
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09-27-2004, 02:39 PM
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#4 |
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Staff
Premium Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Cardiff, Wales. UK
Posts: 6,105
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Your decision to unplug the hard drive completely is a good one, being an ex telecom engineer from the UK I have had a lot of weired and wonderfull experiences with lightning. As far as I am concerned lightning is a law unto it self and has no respect for the laws of physics, it will go where it want's when it want's. "Keep it safe Keep it unplugged" unless of course you are using it
 I now live in Puerto Rico and you have no idea how much the lightning here has cost me. "Keep it safe Keep it unplugged"
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Niwa no niwa ni wa, niwa no niwatori wa niwaka ni wani o tabeta. |
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09-27-2004, 04:38 PM
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#5 |
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Member (9 bit)
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Asheville,NC
Posts: 422
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I would think it be unlikely because if you have a surge protector the surge wont come threw the psu power cable un less something happens with the mother board and puts more power to the hard drive
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09-28-2004, 01:34 PM
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#6 |
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Member (10 bit)
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 583
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Thanks for the info, looks like to be safe I will just leave the USB cable to the HD unplugged and only hook it in when I need to use the drive.
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