Generic front Panel Wiring Guide. Updated

[Danno]

***Please note this is a generic wiring guide and we can not guarantee it will work with every motherboard. Please check your motherboard manual first. Wiring the headers wrong can cause damage to the motherboard and case, this damage is not covered by the warranty***

Because there are so many different case and motherboard combinations sometimes it can be difficult following the instructions for connecting the front panel, USB header and audio header.

Below is a few generic guide that should stop some of the confusion with the labels on the wires.

http://forum.novatech.co.uk/files/FrontPanelSetup.jpg

http://forum.novatech.co.uk/files/usbheadersetup.jpg

Front Panel Audio
http://forum.novatech.co.uk/files/audiosetup.jpg

***Please note this is a generic wiring guide and we can not guarantee it will work with every motherboard. Please check your motherboard manual first. Wiring the headers wrong can cause damage to the motherboard and case, this damage is not covered by the warranty***

another handy USB wiring guide can be found here http://www.directron.com/installusb.html

this maybe easier to follow

FRONT PANEL AUDIO

2________10
__

1________9

Pin Wire
1) Mic In
2) GND (ground) or if 2xGND available, it’s the GND for the headphones, NOT the Mic
3) Mic BIAS
4) n/c
5) Speaker Right Out
6) Speaker Right Return
7) n/c
8) no pin (n/c)
9) Speaker Left Out
10) Speaker Left Return

n/c = not connected



USB (F_USB1 and also F_USB2)

2________10

 x
1________9

Top row of pins
2 = USB port 2 : VCC/Power/+5V
4 = USB port 2 : Data -/D-
6 = USB port 2 : Data +/D+
8 = USB port 2 : Ground/GND
10 = USB port 2 : pin present, but not connected to anything.

Bottom row of pins
1 = USB port 1 : VCC/Power/+5V
3 = USB port 1 : Data -/D-
5 = USB port 1 : Data +/D+
7 = USB port 1 : Ground/GND
9 = USB port 1 : no pin present

Front Panel Connector (FP1)

1 2
x 




9 10

1 = no pin present
3 & 5 = Power Switch
7 & 9 = Power LED (light)

2 = pin present, but not connected to anything.
4 & 6 = Reset Switch
8 = 10 = Hard Drive LED (light)

[dunfincin]

My motherboard (Foxconn) has the same connector as shown in your diagram . However I have a Thermaltake case and my PWR-LED plug is 3 pin . I have tried connecting as you show but my computer won't work so I have transposed the HDD-LED and the PWR -LEDs and the Reset switch uses the bottom 2 left hand pins - the result is that all LEDs are on continuously . Any advice please ?

[snograt]

The PWR LED connecter needs to be cut - only the outer two pins are needed, so just cut straight down the centre.

A common problem with FP connectors - I had to do this with my Tt Armor+ - why this has to be the fiddlest part of PC building I'll never know. I've seen one mobo manufacturer (I forget who) who makes a connector that you can easily connect your front panel wires to, which then simply connects to the FP pins on the mobo. I wish all mobo manufacturers did this - great, simple idea.

[dunfincin]

Thanks very much .So I don't make a balls of it , if I hold the plug with the PWR-LED lettering upper most , I just need the left and right hand wires so I can get rid of the one in the middle ? I agree , these tiny plugs are far too fiddly .

Thanks again

[Slackhurst]

I could do with some guidance on this subject. I've just bought an Asus M3N78-VM microATX motherboard, as a replacement to go inside an Acer Aspire M1100 PC. Everything fits - except the front panel connector. The board's connector has 20 places with 8 pins; the lead has only 14 sockets, one blocked. In addition the lead isn't quite long enough to reach the right place on the new board. I guess the solution is a new case - but which one? Can anyone point me to a microATX case with a 20-8 pin front panel connector??

[system7]

Slackhurst, you're always going to have issues reusing a case like an Acer with a new motherboard due to non-standard front panel connectors. You may be able to disassemble the front panel block into the individual power button and LED cabling.

Otherwise a new case like this Novatech Corona with 450W PSU would help and be generally better:
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?NOV-CORONA

[Schwabby]

I've seen one mobo manufacturer (I forget who) who makes a connector that you can easily connect your front panel wires to, which then simply connects to the FP pins on the mobo. I wish all mobo manufacturers did this - great, simple idea.

Yes it is ASUS. I have just installed an ASUS mb, Q PLug connects via FP and mb, very handy.

[Chewie]

Yes it is ASUS. I have just installed an ASUS mb, Q PLug connects via FP and mb, very handy.

Your slightly wrong there Schwabby.

MSI pack coloured block connectors for audio jumpers, power/indication jumpers, and USB jumpers, with (to tyhe best of my knowledge) all boards after P35 chipsets.

I know that because mine came with it.

[Schwabby]

OK. The ASUS had exactly the same too...

[Slackhurst]

Thanks for advice, system7. I've now got a new case and have installed everything in there. When I switch on the fans spin and the front power LED lights up, but the system doesn't boot. I've taken out the CPU and found a couple of pins badly bent, so I presume that's the cause....

[chad15]

I plugin the USB jumper settings of my keyboard (AMD Athlon)incorrectly and now all USB port will not work.Every time I plugin any USB device it will say "USB Device Not Recognize".
In F_USB1 of USB headers of the motherboard I plugin the connector as follow
1.Black
2.Green
3.White
4.Red
I have reverse them though and try the USB port again and still give me same error.
How do I correct this?