No USB on MB

[Rob V]

Hello,
I just got an internal USB multicard reader - My PC has 4 USB connectors on
the back + 2 in the front - when I went to install it - the reader has a
flat connector (its a female that accepts 5 prongs) that connects to the USB
connector on the MB. The problem is - the PC this reader is going on is a
low end dell and has no USB connectors on the MB.
Is there a card that I can by to give me the 5 prong connector I need - or
some adaptor I can get?
Any help is appreciated.

Thanks
-Rob

 

[mcheu]

Hello,
I just got an internal USB multicard reader - My PC has 4 USB connectors on
the back + 2 in the front - when I went to install it - the reader has a
flat connector (its a female that accepts 5 prongs) that connects to the USB
connector on the MB. The problem is - the PC this reader is going on is a
low end dell and has no USB connectors on the MB.
Is there a card that I can by to give me the 5 prong connector I need - or
some adaptor I can get?
Any help is appreciated.

Thanks
-Rob

You can get a USB controller on a PCI card. Xircom used to make one,
but it's been discontinued. I'm sure there are others available, just
go down to your local computer shop and ask about them. They usually
cost between $10-30 depending on how many ports you want on it, and
who makes it.

 

[kony]

Hello,
I just got an internal USB multicard reader - My PC has 4 USB connectors on
the back + 2 in the front - when I went to install it - the reader has a
flat connector (its a female that accepts 5 prongs) that connects to the USB
connector on the MB. The problem is - the PC this reader is going on is a
low end dell and has no USB connectors on the MB.
Is there a card that I can by to give me the 5 prong connector I need - or
some adaptor I can get?
Any help is appreciated.

Thanks
-Rob

But if your Dell has two USB in front, how can it NOT have front USB
pin-headers?

You bought an OEM box, it isn't meant to be altered. That is one of
the trade-offs being made. It is entirely your burden to figure this
out since Dell won't be accomodating to alter the system in this way.

What is needed is to trace back the wiring harness for the front USB,
determine the pinout, then subsitute individual connector-plugs
instead of the (large connector-block), which will then leave the
front USB pins unused so you can plug the card-reader plug into them,
after also confirming that it's plug has correct wire-positions.

Easiest to just buy a PCI USB card I suppose.

 

[Rob V]

The USB ports on the back are hardwired on the MB.
The ones in the front are combined w/ 2 other inputs into a 10 pin connector
that is smaller than the 5 pin that I have.

I assumed there was a card that will have the 5 pin I need - but I cant find
it.

Any ones that say they have an "internal" usb port - actually has a normal
USB port on the inside of the card.

 

[kony]

The USB ports on the back are hardwired on the MB.
The ones in the front are combined w/ 2 other inputs into a 10 pin connector
that is smaller than the 5 pin that I have.

I assumed there was a card that will have the 5 pin I need - but I cant find
it.

Any ones that say they have an "internal" usb port - actually has a normal
USB port on the inside of the card.

It sounds like you'll have to make your own adapter. It'd probably be
easiest to just buy a cheap 3ft. USB cable, cut the end off and solder
on a 5-pin header configured for the reader plug.


Dave

 

[Christopher Pollard]

It sounds like you'll have to make your own adapter. It'd probably be
easiest to just buy a cheap 3ft. USB cable, cut the end off and solder
on a 5-pin header configured for the reader plug.

Well, that's one option, but personally I would do it differently.

Firstly, I assume the card reader is designed to connect to the mb header which
uually goes to the USB ports? What I would do is figure out which wire is which,
then solder it to one of the rear ones (front ones being more useful to me).
Then, I would block off that port at the back to stop me trying to use it
(probably by putting a piece of plastic in it...).

It would probably be easier to connect it to the front port header, but you
would lose one port. That's lose as in it's now occupied. It's still there but
no longer available.

HTH.

Chris Pollard

 

[kony]

Well, that's one option, but personally I would do it differently.

Firstly, I assume the card reader is designed to connect to the mb header which
uually goes to the USB ports? What I would do is figure out which wire is which,
then solder it to one of the rear ones (front ones being more useful to me).
Then, I would block off that port at the back to stop me trying to use it
(probably by putting a piece of plastic in it...).

It would probably be easier to connect it to the front port header, but you
would lose one port. That's lose as in it's now occupied. It's still there but
no longer available.

Reread what I wrote, the part about connecting a PIN HEADER to a new
USB cable, not a socket. A pin header would plug into the card
reader cable's socket, with the other end still being the USB cable
male plug, which plugs into an existing motherboard or case-mounted
USB port, no modifications to the system are needed and it would also
be transferrible to the next motherboard/system.

Not that one solution or the other is wrong, but pulling apart a
perfectly working system to solder onto the back of a motherboard and
void the OEM warranty (if still in effect), is probably beyond the
desires of anyone buying an OEM box in the first place.


Dave

 

[Gary Tait]

Well, that's one option, but personally I would do it differently.

Firstly, I assume the card reader is designed to connect to the mb header which
uually goes to the USB ports? What I would do is figure out which wire is which,
then solder it to one of the rear ones (front ones being more useful to me).
Then, I would block off that port at the back to stop me trying to use it
(probably by putting a piece of plastic in it...).

It would probably be easier to connect it to the front port header, but you
would lose one port. That's lose as in it's now occupied. It's still there but
no longer available.

You'd lose 1 port anyway, so connect it to the rear, using a hacked
USB cable.

 

[Christopher Pollard]

Reread what I wrote, the part about connecting a PIN HEADER to a new
USB cable, not a socket.

I understood what you meant.

Not that one solution or the other is wrong, but pulling apart a
perfectly working system to solder onto the back of a motherboard and
void the OEM warranty (if still in effect), is probably beyond the
desires of anyone buying an OEM box in the first place.

That's true. I guess I'm a bit more confident when it comes to things like this.
Your method would be safer, and you're right, it won't affect the warranty.


Chris Pollard

 

[Dale Randall]

Rob I am facing the same problem. I bought a 6 in 1 card reader off ebay
that said for internal USB. Mine has the flat 5 wire femail plug with
four wires and one plugged hole. I got some information on a similar
ICCR from there web site where I was sent to d load a driver. It shows
Red--VCC, Black GND, White Data-, Green Data + . If you figure a way
to wire this in please let us know. I bought w Belkin USB 2.0 Card for
the expansion slot on the MB and I have an empty floppy port on case for
the card reader. Dale