Does Linux have inbuilt feature or a software for detecting power surge in computer?

s.verma · 01-28-2015, 07:13 AM

I have used Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP2 in the past.
It has a feature that when a USB port is short circuited, it pops a message "power surge on hub port, USB device has exceeded the power limits".

I want to know does Linux or some linux based software has such feature.

Does it also shows for other power surges let say e.g power surge on Ethernet card or Wifi card, etc.

If yes, then which software I can install so that I can get a pop up message in case of any power surge that may be fatal to my system.

smallpond · 01-28-2015, 08:18 AM

The error message is misleading; there is no "power surge". USB devices negotiate different power levels. If a device requests high power and the port can only provide low power, Windows puts up the error message. In fact there is no danger to your system; the device just doesn't get power.

jefro · 01-28-2015, 07:27 PM

I'd assume that most drivers in linux can operate a usb port in a similar manner to windows in that the power management and protection feature is still there. Not sure it would pop up to tell you. Maybe an app out there has been written to monitor that and report in some way.

veerain · 01-29-2015, 07:40 AM

A lead for research would the seeing files in /sys/bus/usb.

Also see Linux kernel documentation directory for usb and it's power.

rtmistler · 01-29-2015, 12:24 PM

Leave it to Windows. Or rather some idiot-ware which foments this stuff. smallpond is exactly correct.

jefro · 01-29-2015, 03:39 PM

The OP does ask about various issues but not well written exactly.

"USB device has exceeded the power limits " is a fair concern.

Doug G · 01-29-2015, 09:07 PM

That same popup message is in windows 7 also, and it will pop up when there is a hardware issue with a normally OK usb device that overloads the power capacity. I suppose the same message shows up when there is a mismatch with the available power on the port, but I haven't seen that. The wording of the popup message is correct for an overload situation in the device.

I've never seen a similar message in Fedora, but that's not to say there isn't one.