by 
The Curious Bag
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Under normal operation, a computer should not shut down when you plug in an external device. Conversely, a computer should never be powered on when you're attaching internal devices. A system crash on plugging in an external device can mean a couple of things.
Devices with External Power
The additional load created by plugging an external hard drive into the wall may cause a circuit overload, and trip the breaker. Of course, the lights would also go off.
Weak Internal Power Supply
A hard drive that draws power over USB could overload the computer power supply. For desktop machines, replace the power supply with a higher-wattage model.
USB Failures
The USB controller may have a short or be otherwise damaged. This may necessitate the replacement of the motherboard to fix.
Case Failures
The case of the computer may be grounding out on a USB or Firewire connector, causing a short. Most power supplies will automatically power down in such conditions to save internal components from damage.
Internal Drives
Internal drives are not usually hot-swappable. While the Serial ATA spec does allow for this, not all Serial ATA controllers support it. Parallel ATA drives do not support hot-swapping at all.
Source:
Why Circuit Breakers Trip | Electrical & Plumbing | Reader's Digest
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