Need ongoing help, PLEASE....

[A-TECH]

Hi everyone, I'm currently putting together my PC, this being my first build. I've got some questions that are coming up as I go, and I'd really appreciate any input you knowledgeable people could give. I'll post a few questions, and add some as I go. Thanks!

I'm using an ASUS a8n32 SLI motherboard, and an Aspire X-navigator case.

1. The case has two cables, one labeled 1394, the other USB. The board has two places for each of the cables to plug. The terminals are labeled
IE1394 "1", and the other IE1394 "2". Does it matter which one I plug into? The USB terminals are labeled USB "1", and the other USB "2". Again, does it matter where the case wires plug into?

2. On the small black connectors for the case, there is a small triangle stamped on the connector. I believe this indicates the "ground" wire of that connector, usually black. Correct?

3. I've got 2 temp probes, one for the CPU, the other for the Hard Drive. How should I fasten these things?

4. I have 5 SATA cables in my MB kit. However, ONE of them is a little different, not as heavy duty as the other 4, and the end connectors look a little different as well. I'm about to hook up my hard drive, but which cable should I use?
I've got 4 that read: style 21149, and 1 that reads: style 2725.
Any clue as to what the differences are?

THANKS!

[A-TECH]

For now, I'm going with the heavy SATA cable for the HD. I found a case on the net that had a problem with the smaller cable.....

[ktkendall]

Doesn't matter if you use 1 or 2 for the usb and firewire front panel connectors, but I would go ahead and use 1, and yes the triangle is ground so check the pinout in the manual and put the arrow side to the pin for ground for those led connectors.

[A-TECH]

Thanks.

Next question...

5. I'm putting in an EVGA 7800 GTX KO, with the auxillary power connection.
The small harness that came with it has two pigtails. Should I loop both ends into ONE of the harness leads from the power supply, or should I use two seperate leads? Does it matter?

Also, is it not-so-good to power most of the pheriperals using one harness leg, or would it be better to spread the power around?

THANKS!

[jayb1234]

Spread the load around to different leads as much as is practical.

[A-TECH]

I'm going to use the power supply leg that's made for the graphic card.

Thanks.

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by A-TECH 3. I've got 2 temp probes, one for the CPU, the other for the Hard Drive. How should I fasten these things?

For the CPU probe you attach it to the base of the heatsink with thermal tape. You don't want to place it between the CPU and heatsink or you won't get good contact between the CPU and heatsink for good thermal transfer and your CPU temps will be high. Just make it contact the side or somewhere in the fins of the heatsink.

For the hard drive, just place the probe on the cover somewhere and hold it down with thermal tape.

Personally, I wouldn't even use the probes.

Cricket

[A-TECH]

Thanks...almost done....I hope..


Next question:

6. For my DVD burner, I've got a connector on the back that's labeled
"USB", I think it's about five pins, flat. It does not look like the blue USB ports on the motherboard. Where does this thing plug into on the board?

I'm at work at the moment, so if my details are vague, I apologize.

Thanks!

[A-TECH]

The floppy drive connector I mentioned is a 4 pin, with "positive, data positive, data negative, and ground" wires........where does it go?

Next...

7. X-navigator case, I've got two connectors that come out of the cases wiring harness. One is labeled "Input dc 12v", and has only 2 wires in a 4 pin connector. Should I plug this into the power supply? Or is this plug supposed to be an input to something else?
The other connector is labeled "output, 0.23amps, 5 fan, max 1.23amp".
These plugs can plug into each other, but I don't think they are supposed to...anybody know?

[A-TECH]

Okey, dokey.

[kram 2.0]

Connect the "12v Input" you mentioned into your power supply unit - the four pin molex connector, I presume. You should link all your fans together so that one fan's input is leading to the other's output, etc. Then connect the "5 fan output" to the first fan in the chain - ie. the one that's receiving all the power for all the fans. Aspire cases are tricky - I worked with several and figuring out what to do is half the work.

kram

[A-TECH]

Originally Posted by kram 2.0 Connect the "12v Input" you mentioned into your power supply unit - the four pin molex connector, I presume. You should link all your fans together so that one fan's input is leading to the other's output, etc. Then connect the "5 fan output" to the first fan in the chain - ie. the one that's receiving all the power for all the fans. Aspire cases are tricky - I worked with several and figuring out what to do is half the work. kram

I've done that. The 12v supply was connected to the power supply. I checked with a voltmeter that there was voltage coming back out to the 5 fan output, and there was 12 volts. When I turn the adjustment knob, the voltage doesn't change at all. This thing is pissing me off.
I guess I'll have to disassemble the thing even further and make sure it's wired correctly. It may be burned up.

Thanks for the help though.

[A-TECH]

The instructions were printed on the box of the case, which had a shipping label over it. So, even with it hooked up correctly, I still only get full fan speed. This sucks.

[Spearball]

Ok listen. I got the same type of case like you and this is what i did. First split the power in and out cables from the front of the case so u know what is for what. Take a power connector from the power supply and connect it to a input cable going to the front of the case. Then piggyback 3 of your fans together and make the main power from that connect to the power out of the same connection of the connection coming from the front of the case. Do the same for the other 3 fans if you got 6 like in my case. This is what i did and it worked.

Good luck...

[jayb1234]

If you piggyback fans, watch out that you don't put too many on the same lead. Don't exceed the 5A total.