The peculiarity of the front panel is that this element of the system unit is not connected with other components of the system. What are the consequences of this? If you manually disconnect the element for its subsequent cleaning, replace the motherboard yourself, then you will have to connect the front panel to it later on yourself. How to do this is difficult for most users. Therefore, we consider it important to step by step to disassemble the connection of the front panel to the motherboard for readers. We pass to the first stage of actions.
Step # 1: Ribbon and Plugs
How is the front panel connected to the motherboard? The first thing on it (the panel) is to find a cable with 4-6 multi-colored plugs - their number depends on the specific model of the device. Names, colors of elements may also vary slightly.
All of the above is not a problem if you have instructions on the motherboard. The document will help to connect the plugs quickly and accurately. If you don’t have the instructions, then we suggest that you deal with the colors, name and purpose of these elements below.
Step # 2: Assigning Plugs
We continue to disassemble the connection to the front panel motherboard. Consider the plugs:
- POWERSW, PWRBTN. This item will activate your actions with the on / off key on the system unit case.
- HDDLED, HDLED. The same light that flashes when the hard drive is functioning.
- POWERLED + and -, PLED. A light that comes on next to the system activation and deactivation button. Accordingly, it glows when the system is operating. In some models it is presented with a separate plug.
- RESTARTSW, RESET. The item that will activate the restart key of the personal computer.
- SPEAKER. This is a small speaker that emits a beep when certain computer malfunctions.
It should be noted that many even experienced users, when connecting the front panel to the motherboard, often ignore the last plug. And in vain. This sound effect warns the user of important malfunctions:
- Incorrect connection of one of the connectors on the motherboard.
- Connecting one of the plugs to the wrong socket.
- Critical motherboard issues.
- Monitoring the general condition of the system.
Step number 3: the main guide to action
Depending on the motherboard model, the names of the plugs may vary. However, this is not a big discrepancy: for example, instead of RESTARTSW, the manufacturer indicates RES, and POWERSW is often replaced by a shorter PW. But even in this case, comparing the first letters of the names, logically you can recognize who is who.
Let us also pay attention to the color coloring of the elements when connecting the front panel to the computer motherboard. Identical cables and jacks are often marked with the same shades by the manufacturer. But we still recommend that you first pay attention to the names, and only then compare the colors.
Step # 4: connect to the socket
And then about connecting the front panel to the computer motherboard. All of the above plugs are connected to one large socket, which you will see on the "motherboard". Its "official name" is FRONTPANEL or F_PANEL. Usually located on the edge of the component.
The connectors on the socket are marked with colored sections - according to the shade of the cables being connected for the convenience of the user. How to connect the wires to them the right side? Take a look at the plug itself. If one pin is missing in it (an iron "pin" is visible), then this part is connected to a suitable connector on the motherboard.
Often, lateral fastenings also help in orientation (observed both on the plugs themselves and on the connectors). They, respectively, should be on one side. In addition, the wizards, when connecting the front panel to the Gigabyte motherboard, are guided by the shade of the connectors, shiny contacts, as visual hints. The plugs will be connected with the inscription "on themselves" in the direction of the inscriptions printed on the motherboard itself.
If none of the above is present, then the plug is connected to the jack by either side. However, in this process, it is worth refusing to use brute force. Actions are performed smoothly and accurately. If there is not enough small effort when connecting the wires of the front panel to the motherboard, then there is only one conclusion. Namely - you connect unsuitable to each other connectors and plugs.
Step # 5: help with supporting documentation
You are connecting the front panel connectors to the motherboard. What can you rely on when carrying out work?
Often, under the colored connectors on the motherboard, places where plugs should be connected are signed or schematically indicated. Such an example: the plug responsible for turning on the computer (its name is POWERSW) must be connected to the red socket on the motherboard. Let's say the top, the second on the left side. It will be definingly signed: PW. According to this scheme, the master connects all other wires.
Also pay attention to the accompanying documentation for the motherboard. In particular, the user manual. Often, a detailed diagram is placed in the document, according to which it is easy to connect the buttons of the front panel to the motherboard. Often the images are so detailed that the manufacturer even marks the decoding of the purpose of a plug.
Step # 6: connecting USB plugs
Today, most of the front panels of system units are equipped with USB connectors for the convenience of users. Their connection is a little different and even a little easier.
Let's determine the names of the connectors for this type of plug:
- USB1 or USB2.
- F_USB1 or F_USB2.
- All slots suitable for connecting the plug are marked with the same name - USB.
Step number 7: features of connecting USB 3.0
When connecting the front panel to the Asus motherboard, it is important to know the following: all USB sockets are identical, so there is no difference where you connect this or that plug.
An exception would be a faster (than standard 2.0) USB 3.0 interface. If there is a similar plug on the front panel of your system unit, you need to connect it to the corresponding "high-speed" socket on the motherboard. Most often it is easy to find - it has a similar name. For example, USB 3.0. Sometimes, a similar one may be written: F_USB30.
Here the reader may have a question. And what will happen if you connect the 3.0 plug to standard 2.0? Later, the connected device will work properly - charge from a computer or synchronize data. The difference is visible only in the "speed" of information transfer - data exchange will be carried out at standard, and not at high speed. By the way, this feature of USB-connectors helps to connect 3.0 plugs to the motherboard even if separate sockets are not intended for them.
Step number 8: connecting the audio output
We are moving on to the final stage of the connection. This is the connection of the audio output plugs - speaker and / or headphones. The process is similar to the above: you determine the name and color of the plug cable, then look for a suitable connector on the motherboard socket, based on its color, name, schematic image in the instructions.
How to detect the audio output connector? It can be distinguished by the following name:
Step 9: troubleshooting when connecting audio outputs
And an important point that many users celebrate. If you correctly connected the necessary ports, the sound may still not appear. The problem lies in the incorrect BIOS menu settings. We proceed as follows:
- Reboot the computer.
- Using the necessary key when starting the system (each model has its own - find out its name in the user manual) go to the BIOS menu.
- Here you should check both the state of the front panel itself and its specified characteristics. A common problem: when you plug in the HDAUDIO plug, the system recognizes it as AC 97. Because of this, the sound "does not go".
- How to solve the problem? It's simple: change the incorrect driver in the BIOS settings to one that matches the device connected to the front panel connector.
The video that we posted next clearly illustrates all the above actions. It is worth noting that the standard instruction is suitable for motherboards of all manufacturers common today. The difference is only in the spelling of the names, the color of the paint, the particular arrangement of the nests.
You have made sure that you can connect the front panel of the system unit to the motherboard yourself. The main difficulty: to figure out how to properly correlate the plugs and their corresponding connectors on the "motherboard".