Desperate Help Needed!!!

[insanechicken]

Ok Guys, here's my problem:

I recently bought:

Motherboard: Asus A7V600-X
CPU: AMD AthlonXP 3000 [2.10GHZ 400]OEM
Memory: 2 512MB PC3200 DDR SDRAM (DDR400)
Graphics: ATI Radeon 9250/AGP 256MB with TV-Out and DVI
Hard Drive: 120GB Maxtor DiamondMAX+9 133/7200
DVDRW: Samsung 16X Dual Layer DVDRW
Floppy Drive: 3½" Silver Floppy Drive
Akasa AK-786 Cooler
Case: X Blade
Windows XP Home OEM

I've phyisically installed all the components (e.g. put them in the case), but have no idea where to plug in the cables (in what order & where). the manual for the MB is quite difficult for a noob to pc mechanics to understand.
There must be at least 20-30 different cables in this thing.

If you need me to explain any further, don't hesitate to ask.
Any help would be much appreciated.

thanks

Just a quick note: i didn't get any sort of manual with the case, so no idea what the cables are.

[Jonny]

Which cables are the problem? All of them, including power cables? Or just the ones coming off the case?

[insanechicken]

well, i'm pretty sure i can connect the dvdRW HDD & Floppy, so it's the ones coming from the case mainly.
Do you want me to tell you what the cables have on them (e.g. printed)?

[Jonny]

Well all the ones coming out of the power supply you should be able to manage. A four pin plastic jobby into the DVD, and the hard drive if it's IDE. A smaller one fits onto the floppy drive, you say you can manage that. Your motherboard will have a 20pin connector - the big one off the power supply fits in here. All this stuff will only go in one way - you can't get it wrong.

Now to connect the drives. If they are IDE (DVD definately is, maybe HDD, and floppy is), there will be a large connector that slots in the back of the drive. The floppy cable is smaller and will only fit on one place - the smaller of the 3 ports next to where you plugged in the big power connector.

The DVD will have a similar looking but slightly bigger connector, plug this in to the back of the DVD and into the motherboard. If it is labeled, plug the "System" end into the motherboard, and the "Master" end into the drive. A small grove will ensure you don't get it upside down.

The exact same applies to the HDD, unless it is a Sata drive, in which case it has a small cable which fits onto an "L" shaped plug on the back of the drive, and also into the motherboard. It doesn't matter which end goes in which.

All the cables off the case are for the LEDs and power/reset switch. We only need to worry about the power for now - I'll look the others up on the internet if you want. The small power cable will be labeled "PWR" or possibly "POW". On the motherboard you will see a group of about 16 pins, normally at the bottom end of the motherboard. look on here for the label "PWR" "PWR BTN" or similar, and simply plug the small cable onto the pins! It doesn't matter which way up it goes, and it may be 3 pins wide, but only have two connectors. Doesn't matter.

Ok, some of that is hard to explain and it's your first build, so I doubt you'll get it first time, but dont worry.

Ask if you need to! Thats what Hexus is for!

[insanechicken]

I think i've connected up the power to the MB, HDD, FDD & DVD correctly.
here's the link for the asus a7v600-x manual:
http://www.lamals.cz/ceniky/datashee...0-x_manual.pdf

Now i'll tell you the cables i've got coming from the case:

POWER SW (BLUE & WHITE TWISTED, 2PIN)
SPEAKER (RED & BLACK TWISTED, 4PIN)
following 4 are all one set:
2+VCC (RED, 1PIN)
2-D (YELLOW, 1PIN)
2+D (GREEN, 1PIN)
2 GROUND (BLACK, 1PIN)
following 4 are all one set:
1+VCC (RED, 1PIN)
1-D (YELLOW, 1PIN)
1+D (GREEN, 1PIN)
1 GROUND (BLACK, 1PIN)
following 7 are all one set:
RETURN R (GREY, 1PIN)
RETURN L (BLUE, 1PIN)
SPKOUT R (GREEN, 1PIN)
SPKOUT L (WHITE, 1PIN)
GROUND (BLACK, 1PIN)
MIC BIAS (YELLOW, 1PIN)
MIC IN (PINK, 1PIN)
following 4 are all one set:
H.D.D. LED (RED & GREY,2PIN)
POWER LED+ (GREEN, 1PIN)
RESET SW (BLUE & GREY, 2PIN)
POWER LED- (GREY, 1PIN)

Also I have a red & black cable that has a pink socket, into which another cable is plugged (this has a white 4pin adapter thing with only 2 wires in).
I also have 2 case fans and can only find 1 fan socket on the MB, any help with this.

I know it's a bit long winded, but I'm hoping it will help you help me, lol

Thanks

[Jonny]

Ok, can you tell me what ports you have on your case? We don't "need" to plug all these in, but it's worth a go. The only one you need to get the system working is the power button. This is, obviously, "POWER SW (BLUE & WHITE TWISTED, 2PIN)". As you look at the motherboard, there is a block of 20 pins in the extreme bottom right. Plug the Power SW in to these two -
- - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - * * - - -
If that makes sense.... do that whilst I write about the other bits.
Also, I believe you only have two fan connectors (one for the CPU) on the motherboard. Do the fans also have 4 pin connections? (Same as on DVD drive).

[Jonny]

Ok, I've done it with a little code for you. Just done the main 20 pin connector first.

POWER SW (BLUE & WHITE TWISTED, 2PIN) A
SPEAKER (RED & BLACK TWISTED, 4PIN) B
following 4 are all one set:
2+VCC (RED, 1PIN) C
2-D (YELLOW, 1PIN) D
2+D (GREEN, 1PIN) E
2 GROUND (BLACK, 1PIN) F
following 4 are all one set:
1+VCC (RED, 1PIN) G
1-D (YELLOW, 1PIN) H
1+D (GREEN, 1PIN) I
1 GROUND (BLACK, 1PIN) J
following 7 are all one set:
RETURN R (GREY, 1PIN) K
RETURN L (BLUE, 1PIN) L
SPKOUT R (GREEN, 1PIN) M
SPKOUT L (WHITE, 1PIN) N
GROUND (BLACK, 1PIN) O
MIC BIAS (YELLOW, 1PIN) P
MIC IN (PINK, 1PIN) Q
following 4 are all one set:
H.D.D. LED (RED & GREY,2PIN) R
POWER LED+ (GREEN, 1PIN) S
RESET SW (BLUE & GREY, 2PIN) T
POWER LED- (GREY, 1PIN) U

NO PIN PRESENT OR UNUSED PIN x

On the main 20 pin connector - extreme bottom right -

S x U x x x B B B B
R R x x x A A x T T

This is all figured out from the manual really. It's on page 33.

[PMM]

Re:

following 4 are all one set:
2+VCC (RED, 1PIN) - 2-D (YELLOW, 1PIN) - 2+D (GREEN, 1PIN)
2 GROUND (BLACK, 1PIN)

Those 2 sets sound like your USB port connectors so they go to those blue 9 pin connects to the leftside of your board near front.

The group of 7 is your Audio.. in you manual there is are connector pins at the back of the board between PCI slots 2 & 3 so find you AGP slot then count 2.5.

The remainder goto the 20pin system panel connector to the leftside of the board at the front. Page 33 of the manual deals with this..(looking at now)...

(see post above )

[iranu]

The front panel connectors can be a real pain - we've all been there!

I've had a look at the manual and the front panel wires you have. Here is what they are and where to connect them.

USB - The 2+VCC (RED, 1PIN), 2-D (YELLOW, 1PIN), 2+D (GREEN, 1PIN), 2 GROUND (BLACK, 1PIN) are for the 2 usb ports found on the front panel of most cases. See Page 1-21 para 6 of the manual.

VCC is the usb 5v connector, 1-D and 1+D are the usb p5-/+ and ground is ground. Ignore NC. You can plug all 8 wires into USB 56 OR 78.

SPEAKER - wire, See page 1-23 para 11. Connect it to the pins labelled "Speaker Connector" in the diagram. This is your computer's internal speaker which is used to beep on boot up.

AUDIO - Front Panel Connectors - RETURN R (GREY, 1PIN), RETURN L (BLUE, 1PIN), SPKOUT R (GREEN, 1PIN), SPKOUT L (WHITE, 1PIN), GROUND (BLACK, 1PIN), MIC BIAS (YELLOW, 1PIN), MIC IN (PINK, 1PIN)

These will allow you to connect a microphone and speakers (green and pink sockets on case) to your front panel. See page 1-22 para 9. You will need to remove the blue jumpers from the pins. All are self explanitory except MIC IN AND MIC BIAS. Not sure about these so just switch them round until a microphone works, if not using a mic then leave the mic wires unconnected.

POWER - POWER SW (BLUE & WHITE TWISTED, 2PIN), H.D.D. LED (RED & GREY,2PIN), POWER LED+ (GREEN, 1PIN), RESET SW (BLUE & GREY, 2PIN), POWER LED- (GREY, 1PIN).

See page 1-23 para 11. System Panel Connector

POWER SW (switch) wire = ATX POWER SWITCH
RESET SW wire = RESET SW
2x POWER LED -/+ wires = POWER LED
H.D.D. LED (RED & GREY,2PIN) = IDE_LED

Hope that helps and welcome to Hexus.

[Jonny]

20 pin is on the right, and already done that one mate
Insane chicken - I reckon you can do the rest from the manual. If you need any help, give us a shout. But it should be ok.
Good luck!

EDIT:sorry missed Iranus post there. That should help you alot!

[insanechicken]

Also, I believe you only have two fan connectors (one for the CPU) on the motherboard. Do the fans also have 4 pin connections? (Same as on DVD drive).

the fans both have 2 connectors, one connector has got 4 pins, and the other has got 4 holes (if that makes sense, lol)

[Jonny]

Yep,thats so that you can plug something in "after" the fan, incase you don't have enough connectors on your PSU. Don't worry about that, just plug them into your PSU. It doesnt matter if theres nothing plugged in to the "4 holes" end. (You can, if you want, make a chain though.)

[insanechicken]

so, in that case, i won't need to plug anything into the MB for the fans (just connect power to the fans & i'm done?

[Jonny]

so, in that case, i won't need to plug anything into the MB for the fans (just connect power to the fans & i'm done?

Correct.

[insanechicken]

excellent, that just leaves one unidentified cable with a 4 socket connector, but only 2 pins, lol

[PMM]

That could be your chassis speaker

See jonny's post above (coded up B in his list)

If its a block connect 4 hole's in a line and a red & black wire its most certainly is.