JAD wrote:

"larry moe 'n curly" wrote in message
ups.com...

a port on an NEC-based USB card failed (a section of
its LM3526 power controller & overcurrent protection
chip blew), and just recently the same happened to an
ALI-based USB card.
I always touch the outer metal shell of the USB connector
to bare metal on the computer case before plugging it in.

Is there anything I can change or add to protect USB
ports better? Does it help to use tantalum or low ESR
aluminum capacitors?

is this with various USB devices or one in particular?

The NEC card's port blew when I tried a thumb drive, the ALi card with
a Netgear wireless LAN adapter. Neither of those devices was damaged.