Member Avatar for Bullshot

Hi folks ...I'm not very techie and have been using my computer and camera for a couple of years with no problems until today. I connected my Pentax digital camera a per usual to the front USB Port on My Dell and got a warning message re Power Surge to USB Port andvising me to disconnect and reset the port...which I did...I have tried all 6 Ports now and still the same message. Can anyone help or advise me as to what I should do next?
Kindest Regards
Bullshot

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Short expert summary and practical next steps.

The Windows balloon “Power surge on hub port” (and Mac “USB Over Current/Overcurrent Notice”) means the host detected a brief over‑current condition — a USB device is trying to draw more current than that port/hub is allowed to supply. (support-en.wd.com) USB ports have fixed limits (USB 2.0 hosts are typically limited to ~500 mA; USB 3.x ports to ~900 mA unless the host negotiates higher via USB‑PD), so a failing device, damaged cable, debris or a shorted connector can trigger the warning. ()

Straightforward isolation checklist (work top → bottom):

  • Try a different, known‑good USB cable and a different port (rear ports on desktops are powered direct from the motherboard). If a simple mouse/flash drive works but the camera triggers the message, suspect the camera or its cable. (support.microsoft.com)
  • Remove the camera battery or use a separate card reader to copy photos (this avoids powering the camera electronics from the PC). If the card reads fine, you’ve isolated the fault to the camera.
  • Visually inspect the camera’s USB socket and the cable ends for bent pins, corrosion or foreign metal that could short VBUS to ground.
  • On Windows: remove/reinstall the USB stack (Device Manager → Universal Serial Bus controllers → uninstall each root/host controller, reboot) to clear controller state if ports stop responding. (support.microsoft.com)
  • On a Mac: resetting the SMC (System Management Controller) can clear USB power allocation problems; Apple documents the exact steps for each Mac model. (support.apple.com)
  • If the device legitimately needs more current (external drives, some cameras), use a powered USB hub or the device’s AC adapter; that avoids drawing extra current from the host port. (dell.com)

Note: several members here (for example , and ) reported similar symptoms affecting cameras or multi‑function devices; if the same device trips multiple hosts, stop plugging it into PCs until repaired — repeated overcurrent events risk damaging a port or the device. If tests point to the camera itself, have it serviced or use a card reader as the least‑risk workaround.

Recommended Answers

All 9 Replies

Member Avatar for Bullshot

I fixed it.....I'm amazed at myself....

Member Avatar for HTIT

How did you fix it?
I'm having a similar problem.

Member Avatar for Tim Hunter

How did you fix it?
I'm having a similar problem.

Again, i'm having same problem and would be interested in hearing how you resolved it!!!

Member Avatar for Bullshot

Hi Tim...it was a while ago now and we were experiencing very hot weather at the time and a friend suggested I moved my computer further away from the window and also move the modem. I literally hung it over the back of a chair so that air could circulate all around it and placed the chair in a shaded corner of the room. I also placed a desk fan close by. This cooling sustem did the trick. Not had and trouble since. Hope this helps.
Regards
Barbara

Member Avatar for mercALS

I fixed it.....I'm amazed at myself....

Please tell me how...I have a Pentax and have had the same pblm

Member Avatar for scottevh

Please tell me how...I have a Pentax and have had the same pblm

I have a Pentax *ist DS2 that just recently started causing the power surge issue (it worked fine for the last 10 months. No new USB device has been installed). I have tried plugging the camera into multiple machines with similar results. Because of this I am ready to take it in for repair. Any thoughts

Member Avatar for firstbreak

How did you fix it?
I'm having a similar problem.

There are thousands upon thousands of people with same problem, me as well and it all seems to come back to windows XP and possibly the SP2. The thing is, nobody, and I mean nobody has offered a solution that works. Since I am computer illiterate, I took my Emachine into Best Buy and had the Geek Squad put in a new power supply and a video card. When I got it home it had the warning on it. I took it back and they could not figure it out so I have been living with it. Yesterday I bought a card reader for my pictures and none of the ports work. The only suggestions by the manufacturers and windows I can find shuts off the warning from popping up but does nothing for the inoperable ports.

Member Avatar for scottevh

There are thousands upon thousands of people with same problem, me as well and it all seems to come back to windows XP and possibly the SP2. The thing is, nobody, and I mean nobody has offered a solution that works. Since I am computer illiterate, I took my Emachine into Best Buy and had the Geek Squad put in a new power supply and a video card. When I got it home it had the warning on it. I took it back and they could not figure it out so I have been living with it. Yesterday I bought a card reader for my pictures and none of the ports work. The only suggestions by the manufacturers and windows I can find shuts off the warning from popping up but does nothing for the inoperable ports.

Thanks for the reply...The way Pentax discontinued the *ist DS2 I'm wondering if the camera may be what is causing the problem. WHat do you think with that idea?

Member Avatar for Tculhane

Hi -- I consider this issue far from solved, and need help!

I have an HP 1315 All in one scanner/printer. It used to work just fine with my MacBookPro laptop while we were in Egypt last year. But it stopped working.

Now we are in Germany where it is easier to get access to technical help and we tried to hook it up to my wife's MacBook laptop and we got the message " USB Overcurrent Notice " saying the device was drawing too much power. It was also not detected. I tried in on my MacBook Pro, where it used to work, and got the same message. On both machines, thinking it might be a driver update issue I tried reinstalling, uninstalling, downloading updated drivers etc., lost many hours. No avail! Then I thought I would be clever and used Bootcamp to install Windows XP SP 2 on one partition of my harddrive. I then installed the HP All in One software on the PC side of my map and tried the printer/scanner. It said "not detected". I tried several different usb cables and jiggled one around where it joins the printer because the fitting didn't feel snug. Then a message popped up "Power Surge Hub Port Problem".
If this is a Windows XP SP2 problem as some have indicated, why do I get the USB Overcurrent" notice on both Macs? This seems to be a problem with the printer, no?
It has a 400 W power supply, so some other threads saying you need a 400 W power supply or over don't help me.

I will trudge down to Saturn and waste money I don't have on a powered USB as some have suggested and see if that has any effect, and I will report in later.
But if you know the answer (HP support is silent about this problem!) PLEASE HELP -- I'm writing a Ph.D. Dissertation on the garbage collectors/recyclers of the Ghettos of Cairo and they want me to scan hand-drawn maps they have made of their community so I can put them in Google Earth so we can direct relief money to them to build solar hot water systems.

We are on a deadline and have to solve the problem, so I am turning to the international IT community!

Thanks!

T.H. (Taha) Rassam Culhane
Solar Cities Cairo/Essen/Los Angeles
http://solarcities.blogspot.com

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