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Computer Assembly - How To Assemble A PC

Connect The Motherboard To The Power Supply

The ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe Wireless Edition motherboard is ready to be connected to the power supply. There are three connections to be made. There is the 4-pin power connector shown circled in yellow at the top-center of the picture, the 24-pin power connector shown circled in yellow at the bottom-center of the picture, and the 3-pin power supply exhaust fan connector shown circled in yellow at the bottom-left of the picture.
How To Assemble A Computer - PC Assembly Guide, Motherboard Connections For Power Supply
Sort out the 24-pin power plug from the power supply. It looks as shown below. Notice there are 24 holes at the end of the plug arranged 2 x 12.
How To Assemble A Computer - PC Assembly Guide, Motherboard 24-Pin Power Connector
Insert the 24-pin power plug from the power supply into the 24-pin connector on the motherboard. It should click into place. If it needs to be unplugged, it should not slide right out - it should be necessary to squeeze the locking clip as it's removed. The connection is keyed so they can only be connected in one way.
How To Assemble A Computer - PC Assembly Guide, Motherboard 24-Pin Power Connector
Once inserted, it looks like this.
How To Assemble A Computer - PC Assembly Guide, Motherboard 24-Pin Power Connector
Find the 4-pin power plug coming from the power supply. It looks as shown below.
How To Assemble A Computer - PC Assembly Guide, Motherboard 4-Pin Power Connector
Insert the 4-pin power plug from the power supply into the 4-pin connector on the motherboard. Like the 24-pin plug, it should click into place, and to unplug it's necessary to squeeze the locking clip as it's removed. The connection is keyed so they can only be connected in one way.
How To Assemble A Computer - PC Assembly Guide, Motherboard 4-Pin Power Connector
Once inserted, it looks like this.
How To Assemble A Computer - PC Assembly Guide, Motherboard 4-Pin Power Connector
The power supply has an exhaust fan. Most power supplies need to have a power connection made for the exhaust fan to work. Seems strange doesn't it? I mean, most things connect to the power supply. Yet somehow the power supply fan needs to connect outside of the power supply. But that's the way it is much of the time. The connector may be a 3-pin connector, such as with the power supply I'm using, or a 4-pin connector. The connector may be labeled as being for the power supply fan, which is helpful, but it's not labeled with the power supply I'm using. Even so, it's easy to pick out as the lone 3-pin connector cord coming from the bundle of power supply cords. Often the 3-pin connector has blue wires, as it is with the power supply in the Antec Sonata II.
How To Assemble A Computer - PC Assembly Guide, Fan Connector For Power Supply
The connector is a standard 3-pin connector. The 3-pin connector for the power supply fan can be plugged into any 3-pin socket on the motherboard. The ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe Wireless Edition has five 3-pin headers on the motherboard. The one labeled "PWR_FAN" suggests it is intended for connecting the 3-pin plug for the power supply exhaust fan. There may be other 3-pin headers closer to the power supply, but in general it's best to use it as labeled. The BIOS and other applications assume the fan that is connected to a header is for a particular device. For example, it is a safety precaution built into most computers to shutdown if no cooling is detected to keep the processor from overheating. So if there is no fan detected spinning on the 3-pin header intended for the CPU cooling fan, labeled "CPU_FAN" on my motherboard, then the computer will shutdown shortly after being powered on. Fortunately, the cord for the power supply fan connector is plenty long enough to reach its intended 3-pin header, even allowing for tucking it out of the way. The 3-pin connector is keyed to the socket so that it cannot be plugged in the wrong way around. If the cord hadn't been long enough to reach then one option would be to use a 3-pin to 4-pin converter to connect the fan to one of the 4-pin power connectors coming from the power supply.
How To Assemble A Computer - PC Assembly Guide, Fan Connector For Power Supply Connected To Motherboard
This is how it looks when connected.
How To Assemble A Computer - PC Assembly Guide, Fan Connector For Power Supply Connected To Motherboard
Here's how the interior of the computer case looks now with the power supply connections made.
How To Assemble A Computer - PC Assembly Guide, Antec Sonata 2 Computer Case With Power Connections Made





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How To Build A Computer. Step By Step Instructions To Assemble. Skip To Any Assembly Step.

  Parts List
  Tools
  Computer Case and Power Supply
  Motherboard
  Processor, CPU Cooler and Thermal Compound
  RAM - System Memory
  Video Card
  Monitor
  Keyboard and Mouse
  Hard Drive
  DVD RW
  Sound Card and Speakers
  Modem
  Install the Processor onto the Motherboard
  Install the CPU Cooler
  Install the RAM - System Memory
  Install the Motherboard into the Computer Case
  Install the Video Card
  Connect the Power Supply to the Motherboard
  Connect the System Panel Cables
  Ready the Monitor
  Ready the Keyboard and Mouse
  First Boot
  First Boot Common Problems
  Install the DVD RW Drive
  Install the SATA Hard Drive
  Connect the Speakers (if using built-in sound)
  Second Boot
  Configure the BIOS Parameter Settings
  Test The Hard Drive
  Install the Operating System - Windows XP
  Install the Operating System - Windows Vista
  Driver Installation


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