First step: Check the remaining stubs where the port was attached to be sure nothing is shorted across the terminals. Can't quite tell from this picture.
Alright, when you say check to be sure nothing is shorted, how does one determine if it is shorted or not. Again, sorry, totally new to all this.
No problem. I'll try to keep the explanations simple.
Visually inspect the torn up traces (silver lines) on the board to make sure they aren't touching each other. If the pins for 5v or ground (pins 1 and 4) are making contact with the other traces, that could cause the voltage to go where it isn't supposed to. (Think BIG plumbing leak causing a drop in water pressure and damaging the house.)
Once you get your multimeter back, you can use the Ohms (resistance) setting to check for shorts (accidental connections) and opens. (breaks or disconnects) To see what a short looks like, just touch the meter leads together in Ohms mode and the reading should drop down to 1 or 2 Ohms. To see what an open looks like stop touching the leads together.
Checking a cable for shorts (Ohms mode--no power applied)
Press one lead to pin 1 and the other to pins 2, 3, and 4 in turn. You should get an open reading on all three.
Now move the first lead to pin 2 and the other to pins 3 and 4 in turn. Should be opens.
Now move the first lead to pin 3 and the other to pin 4. It should be open.
Checking a cable for continuity--the connections you do want to have (Ohms mode--no power applied)
With one lead on pin 1 and the other on the red (5v) wire, the meter should read 1 or 2 Ohms.
With one lead on pin 4 and the other on the black (ground) wire, the meter should read 1 or 2 Ohms.
Second thing to check:
Disconnect the USB red and black wires from the U360--with no power applied, of course.
Set your multimeter to DC Volts, plug in the hacked USB cable and verify that the red is indeed +5v. Measure with the "-" lead connected to the PC case ground.
Next, verify that the black is indeed ground. (0v) Measure with the "-" lead connected to the PC case ground.
If both of those are correct, connect red to "+" and black to "-" and you should read +5v.
If you want to be absolutely certain, here is a pinout for the USB connector. (Right side, scroll down a bit.)
With no power applied, set your multimeter to Ohms and verify that pins 1 and 4 are not shorting to any other pins.
Is there any other way to determine that black is truely ground in this situation? I do not have a multimeter at this time (This is why you do not let people borrow your stuff). So at the moment I have no way to check any of that. Is there anything else we can try without this information?
That is why I have two meters and bought a Harbor Freight $3 meter for a buddy. As the old military saying goes,"Two is one, and one is none.
The quick and dirty way to check the voltage is if you have an LED pushbutton (5 or 12v versions will work equally well for this) , you can use the USB wires to light that up. If none are available, try a 3-cell flashlight bulb. (~4.5v) That will tell you in a hurry if there is a voltage on the cable. I'd avoid using a 2-cell flashlight bulb since it is only rated to 3v and would probably burn out very quickly. Same for a regular LED.
Once you've verified that you can light the LED/bulb, you can then verify that the colors aren't reversed by using a chunk of wire shorted to the PC case in place of the black wire. (Use this for a quick test ONLY)
Scott