OK, first of all Merry Christmas everyone!

Here's the score: built my little girl a PC for Chrimbo. Yesterday I secured a USB attachment that goes in a floppy hole on the front and has a pre configured USB bit to plug straight in to the USB pins on the board. Not knowing which way around it could go as it's just 2 strips of 5 pins. I plugged it in and figured I'd find out by switching it on. When I did this it booted up, etc but after 30-45 secs I could smell smoke so I yanked the power lead out and investigated. Switching it back on I could see what looked like a small light as it smouldered above the USB pins, and it was smoking like hell. Once out, it still happened so I unplugged the only thing I had also done since last plugged in; the reset switch, speaker, power LED and HD/IDE LED (see below).

The same happened in the other set of USB pins. By flipping it around the USB mouse lights up but doesn't actually work and the webcam doesn't register at all (they're actually going in the back but I needed to test the front for digi cam, mp3 player) - I'm guessing I may have fried the USB unit or the circuits relating to the pins on the board. Thoughts?

1)Is there now any danger to her as a result of this?

2)Is this normal when USB configuration is technically rotated 180 degrees? It could well have caught fire if left alone.

3)What is an IDE LED? I assumed it to be the same as the HDD LED as there isn't a pin for that so I plugged the HDD LED wire into the IDE LED pins... wondering if that also may have explained the smoking when the USB was unplugged...

Speedy replies appreciated to make sure this little girl's Christmas goes smoothly!

I would RMA the board, and next time read the usb pin-out schematic

Merry-Ho-Ho-Ho

I can't, bought it from a mate.

I read the pin out schematic but like I say it was just a rectangle with no indication of which way the pins can go.

Heh.. any MORE ideas??? Is it actually worth ditching for another one? Is it dangerous or could it go at any minute cos of this?

Here's the general pin-out of the USB header on any motherboard. It sounds like your had it rotated 180-degrees, which meant that pin 10 of the plug is connected to VCC, which isn't good since pin 10 is typically a ground. Since you smelled some smoke, most likely, the IC is burned out. If you connect the receptacle to the header and try using it, it shouldn't damage anything else, but it's most likely dead.

Also, the IDE LED = HD LED. Just note that any device on the IDE channels could cause the LED to blink, that includes optical drives as well.

My old tower had single wires to connect to header while my new tower has a plug for it. It can get confusing with single wires but a plug has only one way to go.

At least 3 possible layouts, where the two sides run the same or opposite ways, and 8 or 10 pin setups - absolutely bloody stupid!

An option would be to not use the onboard usb controller, and buy an PCI USB card, they are pretty cheap. But also there are plenty of cheap MB's, so replacing the MB is also an option.

Thanks for your replies everyone.

I may actually get a USB hub to plug into the back that can sit on top at the front as I want her to be able to plug her mp3 and camera in easily.

Is it a wise idea to use this USB thing I've got at all if I get a new mobo considering that there is no indication of which pin is which, and that being the wrong way around fried the USB controller?

ALSO: is it a possible danger now that it's fried?

I don't think there is anyone on this forum that is capable of knowing for sure if the burn USB IC posses a fire risk or not. If it were me, I would continue using the MB if the option to RMA didn't exist.

If you feel its not possible to figure out the USB connector for the front panel, then as you suggested, don't use it. As you can see in the above diagram that there is pin #9 that is the 'key' pin, that should line up with a spot on the cable that doesn't have a wire or something to that effect.

if your worried about any fire risks, bin the board, as whats the point in trying to save a wee bit of money over your familys safety.

Fire hazards over a bloody USB connector ? Not worth it ! Sorry to be direct m8 but that was a STUPID thing to do - Lucky for you if you get it RMA'ed, you voided your waranty. Any type of connector that has currents flowing through it should be plugged in correctly - unlike data pins, one wrong move can screw things up pretty bad. You should have taken the time to check the pins schematics - And forgive me for asking but why the hell would you put a USB attachment on your floppy hole this is the most absurd thing I've read this month Are you using ATX tower ? there is far sufficient USB connectors at the back plate, why don't you use those ? If those are nto enough there are usually headers with USB attachments you can install in a free PCI slot with cables that go directly on those respective pins on your motherboard.

Looks like you like living on the edge

No, no, no.

Read again, people - the connector had TWO rows of 5 pins, not one row of 5 and one of 4. There SHOULD have been a solid point instead of a hole making clear which way it goes; there wasn't. Seeing as it was designed in this manner I assumed that the manufacturers saw fit that it would be a question of trial and error. There WAS no USB schematic for the pin plug on the USB attachment, no little engravings on it or anything and I assumed all mobos had a universal USB pin layout.

And the USB attachment is DESIGNED for a floppy drive hole on the tower. Jeez.

RE fire risks, if there is a slight possibility as some of you indicate then yes I'll get a new board.

groovemeister don’t feel to bad about it. I seen experts do the same thing and they should have known better because they do it for a living. A lot of the PC manufactures have very bad and confusing manuals they can’t follow it them selves so how do they expect the average person to do it. As long as you don’t use those pins there should be no possibility of a fire hazard how can it be? There is nothing to short it out to start a fire. You can do what you think is best but if it was me I would keep using it and agree with eric93se

yes that just about always happens if you incorrectly connect the usb ports to the Mother board. You are luck both your USB port connections and your USB device didnt get fried.

Reason for this is remember that usb carries power and if you do not correctly attach the wires when u plug in the device power goes to the data wire and that data wire isnt meant to have power wich then fries your usb device.

I highly reccomend you ship the mother board back for a RMA, parts of the MB circuitry have beendamaged and therefore in the future could lead to other circuitry getting fried then resulting in a fire hazard. so fix the problem properly while its small. Ive heard of IC components on mother boards start glowing cherry red and smoking from people trying to save a damaged board.


Also remember, since it was your fault the board was damaged the manufatureer are not required to RMA. If thats the case i would personally junk the board, $100 board is not worth jepordizing your home.