Building new PC:Small but Annoying Problem

[Ribbit]

I'm helping a friend build a new rig. Everything's gone smoothly (except we have no memory yet - ) except for the power LED connector. The case comes with the normal 3-pin connector (blank pin between the wires), while the motherboard expects a 2-pin connector. There's no separate 3-pin LED connector that I can see on the motherboard or in the manual.

Is it possible (and easy and safe) to pop one of the pins out of the plug and move it? I struggled for a couple of minutes with a pin and a small screwdriver, but didn't accomplish anything.

TIA

[gt40]

there should be a small tab on the side of the connector at each pin, lift it out with a small screwdriver and pull on the wire (gently) at the same time - the connector should just slide right out.

[RC Agent]

Yes it's possible. I just saw this done. You have to be very careful. In the back of the 3-pin connector, you'll see some metal piece that's holding the wire in place. Using a pick with a fine tip, you either have to push down on that metal piece and pull out the wire or lift up the tab and pull out the wire. Best to have it done with one person pushing the pin/pulling the tab and another person pulling the wire. Once the wire is removed, just move it over to the middle. Now you have a 2 wire connection next to each other than you can connect to the motherboard.

[Kurt]

Originally posted by gt40
there should be a small tab on the side of the connector at each pin, lift it out with a small screwdriver and pull on the wire (gently) at the same time - the connector should just slide right out.

If you're not afraid to cut yourself, it's easiest with a cutter. The blade being very thin and supple you can lift the plastic tab with no problems and the cable will come right out even with a minimalistic pull from you (or find a very thin screwdriver ).

[HomeBrewer]

Just out of curiosity which motherboard is this? I can't ever remember seeing a 2 pin configuration. Of course my experiences are limited to ASUS, Iwill, Abit and Intel, lot's of others out there.

[Ribbit]

Thanks for the tips guys. I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

HomeBrewer - it's an Asrock K7S8X. IIRC I also saw the 2-pin connector on an Intel D850EMV or similar, but that also had a 3-pin connector elsewhere.

[bsdgeek]

I know that there is one also on the ECS K7S5A, and I remember having to fiddle with this for a little bit.

[GNEP]

I usually just leave the power LED off in cases like this (pun fully intended ) - it's not like with most machines you can't tell if it's going or not with all those fans...

[J1NG]

Tyan Thunder K8W has a 2 pin connector too. Lovely stuff.

J1NG

[Jon P. Inghram]

I know a guy who's got two computers that don't even have power switches, he just reaches in with a screwdriver or something if he needs to turn the computers on!

[Liquid Snake]

I ran into the same problem with my Antec case and K7S5A. I couldn't get the wire out, so i just cut the connector in half with a knife and connected the wires to their respective pins on the mobo.

[GNEP]

I use the screwdriver touched to the relevant connector pins when running outside the case. However I've just taken apart an old IBM case and salvaged the switch and hacked the front panel connector to make a nice testing switch which plugs right onto any mobo With no case you ESPECIALLY don't need no lights to tell you its on...

Oh, just had to do the move-wires-for-power connector thing and let's just say that you want to lift the plastic tab on the connector with a thin knife - NOT push the metal "tag" in (it snaps easily )

[KvHagedorn]

Originally posted by Jon P. Inghram
I know a guy who's got two computers that don't even have power switches, he just reaches in with a screwdriver or something if he needs to turn the computers on!

A better definition of "geek" has never been penned.

[Jon P. Inghram]

He didn't intentionally make his computers that way, they just ended up there. On one the power switch broke, while on the other the old AT powersupply with an INTEGRATED power lead/switch assembly died. Strangly enough the motherboard had an ATX connector also, so I was able to stick a spare PS he had sitting around in it (cutting my hands up in the process, very cheap case.) It's more "ghetto" than geeky.

Of course I probably shouldn't be saying anything, the adaptor I use to access the composite output from my 8500's video port is just a piece of RCA video cable with one end cut off and the shield and center lead tinned so they are stiff enough to be jammed into the proper holes in the DIN-7 socket.

[Paddy]

I used to do that until one day the screwdriver shorted out more pins than it should and the mobo got fried