Hi, I got my new beagleboard xM 5 days and tried to set it up over the
weekend.
It was going fine for a few hours, I got Ubuntu installed and working.
After a few hours, I accidentally hiot reset, and the board wouldn't
seem to respond. The Red VOLT indicator was on, suggesting my laptop
usb port was providing too much voltage? I left it like that for the
rest of the day frustrated.
Now today, on my desktop computer, I plugged it in and no VOLT warning
light appeared, but I got a strong "burning" smell, like when a
component is being fried. It booted to the log in gui screen, but
does not seem to respond to the mouse or keyboard as it did before.
The board is VERY hot! Infact, the network interface and serial port
metal parts are too hot to touch,I unplugged it as soon as I noticed
this.
Is this normal? The high temperatures?? Or do I have a faulty board?
I've only had a few days, and probably spent 3+ hours with it? I don't
want to power it up again if I'm going to ruin it.
I have a rev C board also (withthe NAND) but never noticed anything
like this.
Thanks
No, burning smells are not normal. The Ethernet and USB connectors will get a little warm which is normal. If you hold your finger on it for a long time, then it will keep getting hotter, the finger that is, until you have an urge to remove it. This is normal as well. These parts pull heat off of the USB hub that is on the board. If they do get very hot and you cna’t touch them at all, you may have blown ou tth eHUB. Which would be indicated by the keyboard and mouse not working.
Hitting the reset button will not cause a board to smell and get hot. It sounds like you may have a blown board.
What revision board is it?
Gerald
Hi Gerald,
The box says Beagleboad-xM BB-XM-00 Rev C
Yes, after 5-10 seconds, the ethernet port in particular is too hot to touch without the urge to remove my finger.
Between the time yesterday from when the board was working and I was logged in, and the red VOLT indicator being active and the board un-responsive, the only things that occured was a) the pressing of the reset button I mentioned, and b) I probably cycled the power around this point. The keyboard and Ethernet were left connected all day.
The board has only been powered via the USB OTG port and has not been excessively handled, and only while wearing my esd wrist strap to plug in the power and peripherals on 3 to 4 occasions.
Could some of these activities have damaged the hub?
Thanks,
Ian
With the USB keyboard connected I see no issue. However, cycling power with ethernet connected with no other ground reference may have caused an issue. I have seen USB powering of the board be an issue if the PC ground is not good. Do you have monitor or Serial port connected to the board when you did the power cycle?
The red light may come on when you initially plug in the power, but that is normal.
Gerald
Hi Gerald,
I had no serial or monitor connect. The only things I had connected were the USB power to my laptop, the keyboard, and the ethernet cable. Initially, I powered up the board first, then connected the ethernet and keybaord. I logged in “blind” with the keybaord, brought up eth0, then connected with ssh to to the beaglebaord via my laptop. The laptop and router were connected connected to different power outlets, but I don’t know if they were on the same mains transformer.
I had not noticed the red light being on previously, I only became aware of it after I had brought the board up again and after a several minutes I looked at the board again.
Ian
Then there is a chance that you may have popped the USB hub. Not that we have ever had one fail before. I suggest you send it for an RMA and let them look at it.
Gerald
OK, Thanks for you help Gerald, I appreciate it.
Ian