I have 2 front USB ports, and want to plug them into the motherboard. I held back from plugging them in when I built the PC due to confusion, but now I've run out of USB ports.

There's 2 seperate cabling for the 2 front USB ports (http://www.aaronstevens.fsnet.co.uk/usb_for_case.jpg), but how should they be connected to the motherboard?(http://www.aaronstevens.fsnet.co.uk/usb_on_mobo.gif)

A friend said to put both into USB1 - but since the cabling is seperate I'm unsure how the 2nd cable will drain itself when theres only 4 pins. Is it the right thing to do?

Aaron, Have you gotten this resolved? I looked at the pics you posted and I'm afraid I can't see what you're asking. Did the cable to connect the ports come with the case or the MB? And I'm assuming there is only 1 port on the MB to connect to??

you have to look in the manual of your mainboard, it tells you there how to connect them. There should be a schematic about it

Yeah I know which way they connect in, but was just curious why there was only 4 pins on the mobo, when the USB cable has 5 slots for 5 pins.

Just an hour ago, I heard the drain wire doesn't matter (comes through 5th pin). So both cables can go into USB1 on the mobo.

Just connect the coresponding cables with the USB1 pin header.
There should be a clear definition of what the cables are and if you look in the mobo manual there will be an outline of what to plug where
The configuration is generally:
VCC, -, +, and then ground.
There may be an additional groud wire..dont worry about that its extra for some reason.

|Drew|

yes that right Drewdatrip, Just connect the cables to USB1 Aaron

that 5th pin is for helping the user so that it does not get plugged the opposite way.(hmm already answered)

btw way does your mb support that many usb ports? or are thost just on the Box? (reason I'm asking this my mb supports 4 usb 2 connections but optional. So there are plugs on the box but no where to connect them on the mb.)

Motherboard supports up to 8 USB ports: 4 are built-in at the back, and two spare on the motherboard - one to feed my front case 2 USB ports, and one to feed the USB expansion card that came with the mobo.

Now I wonder if its safe to hibernate the PC, plug them in and then take the PC out of hibernation... (so I don't lose my uptime ) Might get a BSOD if I did though.

8? I take my word back
I use usb hubs to reach that

I've not managed to open xp after hibernating with 512mb ram. 4 usb devices (back home on my desktop)
my laptop works wonderfully good with hibernating and standby


aww I wouldn't do that, I've read a lot of posts saying that even their plugged devices didn't function after restoring from hibernation

How to install front USB
http://www.directron.com/installusb.html

The above link is the one I always refer to when installing the USB front ports. There are two common types of headers on most newer motherboards; Intel Standard and Gigabyte. Your header is the Intel standard. The missing pin on the motherboard (drain) is not there, as on the majority of motherboards, because it is only used for specialty boards.

Its a little tricky, but very well explained if you visit the above link.