Will the Coolermaster USB 3.0 Front panel work on my Gigabyte motherboard?

[soarwitheagles]

Happy New Year again to everyone again!

Ok, I am trying to set up both my rigs to work with a USB 3.0 front panel.  I noticed there are different ways to set this up.

One, is to purchase a USB 3.0 front panel with normal USB 3.0 connectors that connect on the back side of the case to the MB exterior connections.  I would like to avoid that if at all possible!

I just noticed for the first time that my Gigabyte 890XA has an internal USB 3.0 socket on the MB.  My question:

Will this Cooler Master USB 3.0 front panel work on the Gigabye 890XA and/or the 990 XFA MB?

http://www.coolermaster.com/product.php?product_id=6704

Please help me find a good solution.

I have visited other sites that show some really strange plugs that did not appear to work on the interior socket of the Gigabyte boards...how many different plugs/socket are there?  Isn't it standardized?

Thanks,

Soar

[absic]

Hi Soar,

I only have experience with Gigabyte motherboards and USB3 but the link you posted to for the Coolermaster Front USB3 panel has the same plug as the USB3 Panel I am using so you should be good to go with that one.

[soarwitheagles]

Hi Soar,

I only have experience with Gigabyte motherboards and USB3 but the link you posted to for the Coolermaster Front USB3 panel has the same plug as the USB3 Panel I am using so you should be good to go with that one.

Thanks Absic!

I could not clearly see if these plugs would work, but they look like no way!

And Newegg has this BIOSTAR version of the USB 3.0 front panel on sale, but again, the plug appears different too!  Are you sure it will work?  The male/female parts appear different...the BIOSTAR and the Coolermaster male plug looks like 20 hole plug, where as the Gigabyte MB looks like 9 pins?

Am I missing something here?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811996037

Soar

[absic]

Hi again Soar,

the plug on the Biostar USB3 Frontpanel is the same as on the Coolermaster version. Be careful though as the USB ports you have circled in your picture are the USB2 ones NOT the USB3 which, in your picture, is the multipin socket just below the red USB socket. (Hope you understand this)

Having looked on the internet, I see what you mean about different sockets but again, care should be taken as some are for single USB3 ports and some are separate wires that will have to be attached to the USB3 motherboard header individually rather than via a plug connector.

[soarwitheagles]

Absic,

I just opened my GA-990XFA and sure enough, the 1 x USB 3.0/2.0 header has nine pins vs. the 20 hole plugs on the aforementioned front panel USB 3.0 components.  So it appears this will definitely not work.

So sorry, I do not understand about attaching wire so pins.  You can't be saying that must take apart a plug then solder the wires directly to the 1 x USB 3.0/2.0 header?

Please clarify dear friend!

Soar

[absic]

Hi Soar,
exactly which motherboards do you have that you want to use with the USB3 frontpanel?

[soarwitheagles]

Hi Soar,
exactly which motherboards do you have that you want to use with the USB3 frontpanel?

I have the following 4 MB's:

Gigabyte GA 890XA-UD3 v.1
Gigabyte GA 990XFA-UD3 v.1.1
Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD3-B3 v.1
Gigabyte GA-Z68AP-D3 v.1

Soar

[absic]

OK Soar,

the only motherboard that will support the USB3 frontpanel that you have linked to is the GA-990FXA-UD3 as it has a USB3 header on the motherboard.

The other three motherboards will need to be connected via USB3 leads from the back panel's, USB3 ports or you will need a separate USB3 PCIe card to allow for internal connections.

[soarwitheagles]

OK Soar,

the only motherboard that will support the USB3 frontpanel that you have linked to is the GA-990FXA-UD3 as it has a USB3 header on the motherboard.

The other three motherboards will need to be connected via USB3 leads from the back panel's, USB3 ports or you will need a separate USB3 PCIe card to allow for internal connections.

Absic,

How can I connect a Front panel USB 3.0 plug that has 10 hole plug to a Gigabyte USB 3.0 motherboard header that only has 9 pins?

I do not think it is possible dear friend.  In fact, it appears literally impossible!

Also, the Gigabyte GA 890XA-UD3 v.1 has the exact same motherboard USB 3 header as the GA-990FXA-UD3.

Perhaps the only possibility to connect a front panel USB 3.0 plug to the motherboard is via a USB3 PCIe card that you have mentioned...

I am confused...why would people manufacture front panel USB 3.0 plugs that do not fit Gigabyte motherboards?

Soar

[absic]

Sorry Soar,

I have just double checked the GA-890XA-UD3 and it does not have a USB3 header. I think you are confusing one of the USB2 sockets (bad labelling on the motherboard) that is labelled F_USB3 and has 9 pins. Check page 30 of the User's manual as all of the USB headers on this motherboard are USB2 and the only USB3 ports are available on the back panel.

On the 990 motherboard there is a header labelled USB30 that has a 20 pin socket (only 19 pins are used) this is the socket that you would use for the Corsair or Biostar USB3 front panel unit.

[jabberwocky]

yes Absic your right ,its bad numbering practice ,I assumed on my 880 board that the USB3 header was USB3 ,ironic ,its just usb2/1.1 in fact all 3 m/board headers are .i recently fitted one of these http://www.scan.co.uk/products/4-port-lycom-ub-116f-usb-30-hub-in-35-front-bay-black  to my PC and used a standard b/a cable to run through the PC to one of the rear ports . it works gret and is very fast ,my only gripe is some hardware is a bit too big ,like my supertalent supercrypt drive ,and it partly covers whatever port is nxt to it .but apart from that its a nice piece of kit.

[Dark Mantis]

Hi Soar,

Sorry to be a bit late jumping in here but I see you have sorted it out now. The USB3.0 differ from the USB2.0 by the number of pins in the motherboard header. The USB3.0 headers are much larger and have more pins (20) the USB2 and previous versions have only 10. Well actually nine plus a key but for our puirposes ten.

The USB3.0 is certainly a lot faster and well worth using if you have any peripherals that are compatible.

[soarwitheagles]

DM,

Hi and Happy New Year.  Yes, it was a bit confusing for me.  Thanks to Absic and you, it is now clear.  Now I see the difference on each motherboard.  Well, now I have a better reason to switch out the 890XA-UD3 and install the new 990XFA-UD3, so I am working on that at this very moment.

Gosh, you two make things easier for us not so tech savy people!  Thanks again!

Soar

[Dark Mantis]

Only too glad to be able to help Soar. 

[soarwitheagles]

DM,

I ordered the BIOSTAR version from the Egg tonight...this is becoming exciting!

I cannot wait to try it.

Now here is something strange.  The transfer rates of USB 2 flash drives are more than twice as fast on the Intel rig that the AMD rig!  What would cause this phenomenon?  I felt like kicking the AMD rig!  I have been using the AMD rig as my main rig for nearly one entire year, and kept the Intel 2500k rig off as a back up in the corner...aaauuuugghhhhhh!  No more of that!

Soar