In all likelihood, the cable in the case is marked as USB. If your case has front-mounted USB ports or a card reader, you’ll need to connect them to spare headers on your motherboard.
How To Connect USB Wires on the Motherboard This plug also needs to be attached in the right direction, so ensure you get the positive and negative connectors aligned.
Check your manual carefully to ensure you get this connection in the correct order.įollow the same procedures as above for the “Power” LED wires, which will have a similar connector. The motherboard HDD jumper will also have a positive and negative port. The cable usually includes positive and negative markings on the plastic plug. Since the wires connect to an LED, they require a specific order to work correctly. Among the loose cables in your case, you’ll find a two-pin connector, which is usually marked PWR SW, but check the case’s manual if you’re unsure.
To get your PC to turn on when you push the power button, you need to connect the power switch to the motherboard. Follow the steps listed below to ensure every component is hooked up and works correctly. Knowing where each wire or connector goes is essential and ensuring the correct order. Just like hooking up a home theater system, computers have numerous cables and wires that tend to make a mess. How to Connect Your Cables to the Motherboard The most significant dispute for ESD precautions is that you could shock a component, damaging it because of static electricity. The argument for wearing gloves is that oils, dirt, and other contaminants may cause damage to your computer parts (even corrosion later on). But, it’s better to err on the side of caution if you don’t regularly work with motherboards, capacitors, and other small electronics. Use protective gear – Admittedly, there is a ton of debate about the need for ESD bands and gloves when working on electronics. Say hello to getting snagged on random computer parts or blowing something up with static electricity and therefore increasing your level of frustration. Don’t shock yourself because you neglected to unplug your power supply from the wall before working inside your PC.ĭon’t wear jewelry or loose clothing – If you wear bracelets and loose long sleeve shirts while working on your machine, you’ll quickly realize why this isn’t a great idea. Wait to plug your power supply into a wall outlet – It may be obvious, but warning labels exist for a reason.
This step ensures that your components are safe and adequately function after you’ve completed your project. Also, remove any trash, debris, dust, or liquids before opening a package. Do yourself a favor and cut down on that frustration by having everything you need where you can find it before ever getting to work. Keep your workspace organized – Just like any project, even this one can be incredibly frustrating.
You can use small zip ties or neatly tuck everything where it belongs. If you take a few minutes before installing your peripherals and plan the layout of everything, it will be much easier to connect everything (and replace outdated components later on). Still, a clean and organized case is glorifying. Keep your cables organized – Ok, so this one isn’t necessarily vital to the health of your machine (except the potential for a wire touching hot components or catching a fan). If this is your first time working on electronics or even opening a computer case, you should know some essential tips before connecting components with wires. Tips for Connecting Cables inside Your PC Helpful Tips for Building/Upgrading Your PC/ComputerĪs with any technical device, there are a few things to consider when working inside your PC for any reason, so “let’s get it started in here.” Did you catch that pun? Here are four essential steps to follow anytime you work on your PC. Knowing where everything goes and how it connects is vital.įollow along in this article to learn all the details for connecting cables and wires properly. Others use larger pin plugs and couplings to connect to existing wires, such as power cables for the DVD or Blu-Ray player/recorder, video cards, and some cooling fans such as the ones attached to the case. Most use a small multi-pin socket and plug such as a sound card, a DVD player or recorder with audio out, and the buttons or USB ports on the front of your desktop PC. Many devices include cables of various sorts. Accuracy for this step is vital, as any mistakes will mean your PC may not work as it should or may not start at all. You’ve installed the motherboard, power supply, processor, and RAM modules.