I just built a computer, and there is only 1 problem with it. I can't turn it on by using the power button. I have to touch a screwdriver to the ON/OFF pins on the motherboard for it to turn on and boot into Windows.
I took apart the case and found out that the HDD LED is going to the ON/OFF on the motherboard. This must be why it doesn't work. However, since there are 9 pins out of 10 (1 pin blocked off with plastic), and they aren't separable pins, I have no way of getting my computer to turn on with the power button.
Here is the case I bought:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811153099
And here is the motherboard:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138327&Tpk=TH61%20ITX
Is there anything I can do to fix the problem?
Would buying something like this
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0327556
and connecting it to the ON/OFF switch on the motherboard and connecting that to the front panel connector allow me to turn on the computer with the power button?
Best Answer
Typically the wires for the case front-panel I/O have just 1-pin or 2-pin (female) housings. This allows complete flexibility in making the proper connections to the motherboard (male) header. You seem to imply that computer case came with a single 2x5 housing with one of the 10 positions blocked off (it's called a key), and the wire positions do not match up with the motherboard header assignments.
The simple solution is to reposition the pins/wires in the 2x5 housing. Each female pin should be carefully extracted from the housing by gently depressing the exposed retention tab. After all nine wires/pins are extracted, then re-insert the wires/pins back into the housing but in the needed positions. If you smashed the retention tab too far down and the pin can now be pulled out of the housing, then you will need to bend the tab back up.
Here's what the female pins look like with a 1x4-position housing: