Front Panel USB ports not recognized

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rick0909

Advanced Member (250+)
Built my WIN 7 machine with a Gigabyte GA-78LMT-S2P system board. My case has 4 USB ports on the front. The Header on the board is supposed to support these and I have the connectors connected. But the system does not recognize them :( .

These front panel USB ports is the primary reason I bought this Antec case. Are there special drivers for front panel USB ports? I can not find anything on the Gigabyte support page.

I checked the BIOS and the USB ports are enabled.

Rick
 


davnel

davnel

Senior Member (500+)
Hey, Rick - how you is?
Most USB2 headers are dual-port, and are keyed (one pin missing). Some case connectors are NOT keyed, ie: have all 10 holes in them. Pin 9 is supposed to be missing/plugged. Your front panel cable probably has no wire in both pin 9 and pin 10. Note that only 8 of the 10 pins are active. If your front panel cable is not keyed, it's possible to insert the connector backward. The connections ARE NOT symmetrical, ie: IT DON'T WORK BACKWARD.
 
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rick0909

Advanced Member (250+)
Thanks for the reply. I am doing well. Still behind on this computer stuff. I just upgraded to WIN 7, retiring an XP machine.. And WIN 8 is out and is what comes with a lot of new computers I see.

I have not checked my connections real close, but when I connected them when I orginally built it, I was careful to make sure the + went on the correct pin and the - did to. I will have to double check that when I can spend the time. Kinda busy latley, working 40 and sometimes 48 hours a week.

As I recall, each wire was a seperate connector, not attached to each other, like others. I don't have big hands, but they are big enough to make it a hassle working with a connector that is about 1/16 wide.. Alot has changed in assembling a PC from days gone by, but little improvements are still needed.

I am really wishing my job could be done remotely as I want to leave this state for better living expenses elsewhere. But not gonna happen.

And now the beggars (kids) will be knocking soon. Better get the candy out !!!!

Thanks
Rick
 
davnel

davnel

Senior Member (500+)
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rick0909

Advanced Member (250+)
Thanks very much. I owe you a burger and beer. I had thought that the front panel ports were connected in the header along with drive activity lights etc. But it was just like you said, a 10 pin block connector with #9 blocked connecting to a set of pins on the board. So now I got 4 front panel USB ports. Neat. Much easier to work with USB drives, cameras, etc on the front then messing around having to use the back panel ports.

Rick
 
davnel

davnel

Senior Member (500+)
Glad I could help. Just one caution: the connectors for USB2 and 1394 (firewire) are identical and could be confused. This applies to both the mobo and the case. Obviously you haven't mixed them, but you need to be careful. 1394 signals and power are on different pins and could damage USB devices if plugged into a 1394-connected port.
Cheers
 
R

rick0909

Advanced Member (250+)
davnel said:
Glad I could help. Just one caution: the connectors for USB2 and 1394 (firewire) are identical and could be confused. This applies to both the mobo and the case. Obviously you haven't mixed them, but you need to be careful. 1394 signals and power are on different pins and could damage USB devices if plugged into a 1394-connected port.
Cheers
Click to expand...


Certainly nice to be aware of. As of now, I have not had fireware on either a case or a mobo. But that could change in a few months !!!

Rick
 
davnel

davnel

Senior Member (500+)
Cool. If you do replace your mobo for one with 1394, Antec also makes modules that include USB, 1394 and Audio, again under $10.
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