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<\/p>\nI\u2019ve shared tech tutorials in the past when I\u2019ve found a solution to a problem that no one else seems to solve online. I\u2019ve happened across another one as I was in the process of upgrading my computer. I got a new motherboard and hard drives but kept the case, and discovered that the pins that should have connected the motherboard to the case were set up in a manner that was incompatible. But I didn\u2019t need to buy a new case, it turned out \u2013 I just needed a little ingenuity and a willingness to not allow the manufacturer to impose constraints on me!<\/p>\n
The issue was that the motherboard had pins that were aligned differently than those on the connector cable coming from the case, which had a single block at the end with one possible pin location closed off, as you can see in this photo below:<\/p>\n
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In theory that could be helpful, preventing someone from plugging the connector in to the motherboard the wrong way. But when the wiring doesn\u2019t line up\u00a0and<\/em> the location that is closed is one where there\u2019s a pin sticking out of the motherboard, it might seem that one\u2019s only option would be to buy a new case. It isn\u2019t, and I\u2019ll explain here what I did step by step.<\/p>\n Let me start with the issue of the arrangement of the wires. You can actually remove the connector block and rearrange them!\u00a0You\u2019ll need a tiny tool like a small screwdriver for eyeglass screws, or something similar. I imagine that a pin might work. The connector block has tiny tabs that hold wires in place. Lift these very slightly and gently, just enough that the wires are freed, as the tabs could break off easily, in which case you\u2019d need to replace that part.<\/p>\n You may need to do this to more than one connector, depending on what your case\u2019s features are and how your motherboard is laid out. Once you have done so, you\u2019ll have the wires freed and ready to be reinserted in the appropriate configuration. But don\u2019t do so just yet!<\/p>\n Remember that you still have one pin location closed off in the connector which will prevent you from plugging it into the motherboard even if the wires are rearranged. You\u2019ll need your tiny screwdriver again, but for a different purpose.<\/p>\n Simply push the screwdriver into the connector block and pop out the plastic that is in the way, as shown:<\/p>\n Now you\u2019re ready to reinsert the wires in the appropriate configuration.\u00a0Insert them into the connector block so that their locations correspond to those they need to connect to on the motherboard. Push them all the way in until the tabs that hold them in place click and the connections are thus secure. If you get one or more of them wrong initially, just gently lift the tab and change where the wire goes as you did when initially removing the wires at the start of the process.<\/p>\n That\u2019s all there is to it. Now connect the block(s) to your motherboard so that it can interact with your case however it is designed to. It will at least control the power button and almost certainly headphone and microphone jacks as well. But some have multiple lights and other features, and as long as the pins on the motherboard are arranged in such a way that your existing connector (with the annoying bit of plastic pushed out, obviously) can fit over the pins, then just follow the steps in this post and you\u2019ll be all set.<\/p>\n Please let me know how this solution works for you!<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I\u2019ve shared tech tutorials in the past when I\u2019ve found a solution to a problem that no one else seems to solve online. I\u2019ve happened across another one as I was in the process of upgrading my computer. I got a new motherboard and hard drives but kept the case, and discovered that the pins […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":136,"featured_media":66111,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[96],"tags":[1479,1629,14141,2093,4307,7735,16131,9395,16128,12947,13004],"class_list":["post-66063","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-button","tag-case","tag-compatibility","tag-computer","tag-hack","tag-motherboard","tag-pins","tag-power","tag-solution","tag-troubleshooting","tag-tutorial"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/719\/2019\/06\/716D17EF-CFDE-4747-A241-A79FBC75A339.jpeg\")
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