Hi everyone.
I recently baught a very nice PC case which has front audio and USB ports. I installed all of my hardware and it runs fine. But I looked at the case manual for plugging in the USB ports and at my motherboards manual and they are labled differently to eachother.

These are the plugs for the front 2 USB ports.

VCC
D-
D+
GND
and the same again for the second USB port.
These are the pins on my motherboard.

USB Power
USBP2-
USBP2+
GND

Then

USB Power
USBP3-
USBP3+
GND

I'm not sure how this would go. Would I set it up like this:

USB Power --->VCC
USBP2- --->D-
USBP2+ --->D+
GND --->GND
Then the same for the second.
And one last question, will I need to install motherboard drivers to get the onboard USB ports to work? I have an Asus K7V. I hope this post wasnt too confusing.

Thanks for any help.

Mattwizz3 : )

AMD K-7 600MHz & Asus K7v
256Mb SDRAM
80Gb WDC, 8Mb Buffer
128Mb ASUS Radeon A9550
Cyber Drive CD-RW DVD Combo
Spirit TV tuner

Matt

I have been frustrated with the non standard labeling of the USB case wiring for years. I'm a little confused by your diagram. Take a look here for some clarification.

http://www.directron.com/installusb.html

You don't need to install USB drivers but you do need SP1 or better to use USB 2.0. You are correct to be cautious with the USB wiring. Connecting wires wrong will cause no harm UNTIL you connect a USB device. Incorrect wiring can burnout the USB controller or device.

mattwizz3, you are corect.

OtheHill, you can use USB 2.0 with WIN98SE.

There are PCI USB 2.0 cards that work quite well on most MOBOs that do not have USB 2.0. I just got one from Fry's for $10.

Badboy

I didn't think about how my reply COULD be taken. What I was pointing out to Matt, who runs XP, was that with XP you must have SP1 or better to use USB 2.0.

OtheHill, I misunderstood your comment to mean "you need at least WIN XP SP1" to use USB 2.0.

That's OK I could have been clearer. I am on a nForce2 MB system as we speak with Win98se/Win2000SP4 dual boot. I do use USB 2.0 with Win98.

Sounds similar to my case and asus board...you have it right, but you should double check just in case. vcc=power, gnd=ground, and the - and + are for each usb port. The 2 and 3 on the mobo signify the various ports (like on my computer, I have 4 usb ports available)

re: OTH's comment on blowing a USB device: not too long ago I accidentally reversed two leads on my USB, stuck in my flash drive and blew it dead. So you are right, getting the connections wrong won't hurt the mainboard, but it can hurt the peripheral plugged into it.

I also agree-why don't these bone-head manufacturers get together and set a standard labeling system for the hook-ups?

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day;
Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime;
Then industry pollutes the water and kills all the fish.

Thanks heaps for your help guys. I don’t need to worry about installing SP1 because I only have USB 1.1 anyway. I double checked the wiring and I thought it was OK. XP installed them after I plugged my digital camera into them. I think they work because when I plug in something XP makes the sound that it usually does. BUT I plug my camera in and it won’t show up in My Computer. I will install the Via 4 in 1 drivers after school today but I don’t think it will fix it. Any ideas? Thanks for your help.

Mattwizz3 : )

AMD K-7 600MHz & Asus K7v
256Mb SDRAM
80Gb WDC, 8Mb Buffer
128Mb ASUS Radeon A9550
Cyber Drive CD-RW DVD Combo
Spirit TV tuner

The digital camera may need USB 2.0. Have you used it with USB 1.1 before?

You can get a USB 2.0 PCI card. Staples and Best Buy have them for about $30. I just bought one at Fry's for $10 after rebate.

Yeah the digital camera is USB 1.1 & 2.0 I have been using it in my back USB 1.1 ports for a couple of months without problems. I also tried my USB printer which worked in the ports in the back of the computer but not in the front ones, just made the 'plug in' noise. I dont really have any PCI ports left even though I have 5 there all taken. And I dont think I can stretch out my budget any further at all, to the point where buying a coke is a huge concideration before I buy it.

Thanks for your help everyone.

Mattwizz3 : )

AMD K-7 600MHz & Asus K7v
256Mb SDRAM
80Gb WDC, 8Mb Buffer
128Mb ASUS Radeon A9550
Cyber Drive CD-RW DVD Combo
Spirit TV tuner

You might be able to find a cheap USB hub.