Safe to connect a different Mbox 2 to an already-installed Pro Tools system?

[bewareofdog]

This is a follow-up to my question in this thread:
http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=269671

I run Mac OS X 10.6.2 and Pro Tools LE 8.0.3.

I've been unable to get my computer to recognize my Mbox 2 for a few days. After trying every method of re-installation short of wiping clean my hard drive and re-installing my OS, I've realized I probably have a hardware issue.

In order to verify this, I'd like to borrow my friend's Mbox 2 and connect it to my computer and see if it works. Is this safe? I figure that if it works the issue is with my physical Mbox 2 hardware, and if it doesn't the problem is with my software and I'll need to reinstall my OS and start over. Does this thinking make sense?

Thanks in advance.

[huzzam]

Have you plugged other USB things into that port? The only danger I can think of is if your USB subsystem has/had a voltage spike. If it does, and it's constant, it should also fry something like a USB memory stick. If it does, and it's NOT constant, briefly plugging the Mbox in wouldn't prove anything.

But if you have a hardware issue on your computer, most likely it'd be a port that's failed, so, for instance, a USB hard drive shouldn't work reliably either. Or else a dead mbox, of course.

So my suggestion is to do more tests with your own (preferably cheap/expendable) USB hardware first, to check your computer. Then, plug your mbox into your friend's machine to test that. THEN risk your friend's mbox

~peter in oakland

[bewareofdog]

I was able to run a full system backup on a USB portable hard drive. Does that mean I can assume the problem is with the Mbox, or should I try other USB experiments?