Everything query

I'd use the brass ones where the holes line up between the case and the motherboard and use the plastic ones where they don't.

 

Alright then, thanks.

Well, I took the advice you've been giving me for so long and bought almost every part from newegg.com. They didn't have the cheapest prices around, but they were only a few dollars more than the cheapest, and considering it's more convenient to buy it all in one place and since Newegg is so respected, I got everything there but my cables. The cables I got from bestbyte.net because they were considerably cheaper. Now all I need to do is wait for my parts and then buy the video card. Then the day will come for me to put my first computer ever together.

 

I also noticed today that my motherboard has a 2-pin power LED connector and a 3-pin one. My case has a 3-pin one. Are there others that have a 2-pin one?

 

Yup. It's an LED, and if the case and motherboard don't match up, I don't worry about it. It's not critical to operation.

 

Still, it's nice to be able to see from a distance in a dark room if the PC's on or not. So I can just use the 3-pin and leave the 2-pin empty? Do I need to cap it with a jumper or anything?

 

You'll probably have to just rewire the LED's jumper cap so that it matches up with the motherboards.

 

The LED's jumper cap? Please explain.

Remember, there IS a 3-pin power LED connector on my motherboard. There's both a 2- and a 3-pin.

 

Oops.

Probably the easiest way is to unhook one of the wires from the jumper cap on the LED (the part where both wires hook into the black thing). if you can get one of the wires out or clipped and stripped, you could wrap the exposed part around one of the pins for the LED's on the motherboard. I'd suggest soldering, but it could cause some problems when you get a new motherboard and choose to keep the same case.

 

I'm sorry, but you're losing me more and more with each post. My motherboard has a 2-pin power LED connector and 3-pin power LED connector. My case has a 3-pin. My question is can I use the 3-pin, or is that one off-limits for some reason, since it is completely separate from the 2-pin one (the 2-pin one is right along with HDD LED, power and reset sw, etc.)? And, if I can use the 3-pin one, do I need to cap the 2-pin one at all? And, if I can't use the 3-pin one and must use the 2-pin one, how do I do it? Were you answering that last question?

 

Okay, forget my last post.

The black part that is hooked to the LED wires of your case is where you want to work. Take one of the LED wires out of it's place in the black block and move it into the open hole on the block. I'd explain more, but I gotta go to work now. I'll talk when I get off.

 

Okay then. But before you continue that explanation anymore, can't I just use the 3-pin connector and be done with it? Or, like I said, is that one off limits for some reason? Because I know a lot of boards only have a 2-pin connector.

 

Okay, I've been reading stuff wrong the whole time.

You say that your case has 2-pin and 3-pin connectors for the LED right? Then I don't see any issue.

Didn't mean to drag this on this long, but you know what happens when things are read the wrong way.

 

Yes, of course. Don't worry, it's no problem. Unfortunately, however, you're not quite right yet, but you're getting closer. My motherboard has two power LED connectors. My case has one which has 3-pins. The 3-pin one on my motherboard is separate from all the others, making me think it may be for another purpose somehow, so I was asking if I can use that 3-pin connector or not, and, if so, do I need to cap the 2-pin one at all.

 

Okay, I'll just use the 3-pin power LED connector and hope it works. I hope I haven't confused you further.

 

New Q: How can you tell which is the right way to plug in any of the front connectors? The pins are just in a horizontal row, and it could go either way.

 

If it works, great. If not, it's on backwards. I'm not too picky so long as power works. The jumpers on the motherboard may be setup to work either way.

 

Okay, thanks. I just wanted to make sure having it backward wouldn't short out anything on the board.