Building PC, need help please...

[inquisitivePC]

Ok, so I've assembled a PC (first time) but there are a few things that I'm not so sure are ok.

1 -There are a lot of cables (5) touching the motherboard because of strange placement of case holes. Is it bad for cables to touch the motherboard?

2 -The modular PSU I have had 2 cables that aren't removable but one of those cables is a 4 prong and for the life of me I couldn't find out where to plug it in. (The PC works, OS and everything... but that unplugged cable bothers me a bit lol)

3 -Usb 3.0 header that runs from the top front of the case won't plug in anywhere so I can't use the usb 3.0 on the front of the case. Is there an adapter or something? The motherboard had usb 3.0 on it so I have 3.0 from the back.

4 -My motherboard didn't come with a speaker so I got no post beep. (again, it seems to all be working but no post beep!) Since the OS is up and running, everything seems to be recognized do I need a post beep?

5 -All 3 case fans have small 3 prong plugs (small new ones) while my PSU had larger molex so I had to plug all 3 of my case fans into the motherboard. I've read this is bad because it takes power or processing away from the motherboard or something?

6 -I also simply inserted the Windows disc and never chose what the PC should boot from so now when I turn the PC it searches other places before the HDD. How do I fix this? My TV I have it hooked to shows in a big in the way box "you have selected HDMI" and blocks the text "press ....... ................." when it first boots so that I can't see what I need to press. I don't have a monitor.

Thanks.

Oops posted the following below, should have just edited this first post:

Hey thanks here are more detalis...

PSU is the ocz 600W modxstream-pro power supply.
-The manuel says the plug I didn't use from the PSU is a +12V CPU connector (4pin) The plugs I did use are 24pin connector and 8pin connector, both going to the motherboard.

-The motherboard I have is the ASUS P8Z68-V LX I didn't see any 4 pin connectors on the board to use that cable from the PSU or any usb 3.0 header sockets for the cable from the top front of the case.
User guide:
http://www.cizgi.com.tr/resource/vfi...p8z68-v_lx.pdf

-The wires touching the motherboard round the top edge of the board in between the metal of the case and the actual board itself and are mostly very thin case fan wires and PSU fan wire. Is that ok?

-The case is the Corsair carbid series 400R and has this (link: the cable on the left) to plug in somewhere for the front usb 3.0 but cant find socket.
http://www.corsair.com/media/catalog...connectors.png

-Case fans plugged into motherboard are in sockets that say: Back fain in case is in CHA fan 1 / Top fan (I added this one) is in PWR fan / Front case fan is in CHA fan 2 So I guess the front and back fan speed will be determined by the motherboards heat because I don't have any fan controls on the system? The top fan will always simply be on right?

Thanks again you guys are really helpful!

[RickyTick]

Cables touching the mobo are not a problem as long as they are not bare metal.

One of the non-removable cable is probably the 24 pin mobo connector. I would have thought the 4 pin to provide power to the cpu.
What psu and motherboard do you have?

I would think someone makes a cable adapter of some kind. I looked around Newegg, but didn't see anything.

Don't worry about the beep. If it's up and running, it's fine.

Again, I'm sure someone makes adapters for going from a 3 pin to a 4 pin molex. Try some google searches.

You should change the boot senquence in the BIOS. Check the motherboard manual on how to access the BIOS and how to change the boot sequence.

[zburns]

Your point # 2: Just let the cable and plug 'dangle' in air. Use a cable tie and 'tie' it to several cables that can be 'bundled' together. If you do not understand, post me back!

Your point # 3. If your mobo has PCIe 3.0 capability, then there is a 'onboard' usb 3.0 header that will handle multiple 3.0 plugs from 'internal' components like the back plug and the top usb 3.0 front plug -- there are enough for multiple 3.0 plugs. Your mobo manual addresses this and there is a complete diagram of your mobo and it will show this header on the diagram -- all ATX mobo manuals have to have such a diagram.

Point # 4. As Ricky said, you are probably ok!

Point # 5. You mobo is fine for all fan connections. Look in your manual and it will tell you if there is a limit to the number of fans you can plug into the mobo. The mobo will speed up and slow down the fans in proportion to the temp of the cpu.

I can probably look at your mobo manual online tomorrow and confirm what I am saying and identify these plugs for you.

Closing Comment: Get used to looking in your manual and figuring out what it is saying about a specific item -- generally, the information is there. You just have to 'connect the dots' so to speak a lot of the time. Once you get used to looking at your diagrams in the manual, and the written explanations that go with them, things do get easier to understand.
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EDIT: Adapter cables 'Molex to fan plug (3 or 5 pin) are readily available. Google 'Molex - fan plug adapter cable' . Molex is the name of a 'connector' manufacturer; they invented the stuff years ago and their are many manufacturers that make the same plug(s). But everyone tends to use Molex as a generic name for these plugs. In the 'build it yourself computer business' the white or black 4 pin plug measuring about 15/16 inch wide is routinely referred to as 'Molex' by everyone!!

[inquisitivePC]

Hey thanks here are more detalis...

PSU is the ocz 600W modxstream-pro power supply.
-The manuel says the plug I didn't use from the PSU is a +12V CPU connector (4pin) The plugs I did use are 24pin connector and 8pin connector, both going to the motherboard.

-The motherboard I have is the ASUS P8Z68-V LX I didn't see any 4 pin connectors on the board to use that cable from the PSU or any usb 3.0 header sockets for the cable from the top front of the case.
User guide:
http://www.cizgi.com.tr/resource/vfiles/cizgi/pms_file/286/e6771_p8z68-v_lx.pdf

-The wires touching the motherboard round the top edge of the board in between the metal of the case and the actual board itself and are mostly very thin case fan wires and PSU fan wire. Is that ok?

-The case is the Corsair carbid series 400R and has this (link: the cable on the left) to plug in somewhere for the front usb 3.0 but cant find socket.
http://www.corsair.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/d/e/detail_300r_connectors.png

-Case fans plugged into motherboard are in sockets that say: Back fain in case is in CHA fan 1 / Top fan (I added this one) is in PWR fan / Front case fan is in CHA fan 2 So I guess the front and back fan speed will be determined by the motherboards heat because I don't have any fan controls on the system? The top fan will always simply be on right?

Thanks again you guys are really helpful!

[zburns]

To 'inquisitivePC':

I think I have bad news about the usb 3.0. I have looked at all the Asus Z68 motherboards on the Asus home page for motherboards, Z68: here is the link (webpage) I have looked at: http://www.asus.com/Search/?SearchKey=z68

There are nine total Z68 Asus motherboards on this page. As far as I can tell (I will go back and look once more), your mobo is the only one without 'onboard USB 3.0 socket connection for front panel USB 3.0 cable with plug. The other eight boards have it. Again, I will recheck in the next hour and post back that I have checked once more.

Here is the description under one of the mobos on the nine asus mobo page: ASMedia® USB 3.0 controller :4 x USB 3.0 port(s) (2 at back panel, blue, 2 at mid-board) Note: '2 at mid board' This is the description you look for.

I suggest you go to the link I have given you and you should look at all the nine choices and confirm that there is no 'mid board' USB 3.0 connector on your Asus board.

I would think if you want to return the board to Asus or the distributor, they would do so. This is a weird situation, nine Z68 boards, one without 'mid board' USB 3.0. It is easy to 'miss' it. You have a right to be unhappy about it!!

[zburns]

I am repeating myself here so there is no mistake. This link: http://www.asus.com/Search/?SearchKey=z68 covers nine Asus Z68 mobos and one Asus case (ignore this 'Asus case' completely).

The P8Z68-V LX Asus mobo does not have midboard usb 3.0 connectors or plugs (terminals). In addition, I did find one other Asus mobo, same page -- the P8Z68-M PRO, also does not have midboard usb 3.0 connectors, or plugs (terminals)

The other seven Asus mobos all have usb 3.0 midboard connectors for connection to the front usb 3.0 connectors (or for a added component that requires usb 3.0 mid board connections which is not the case here).
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EDIT: The Asus front page with the nine mobos and one case gives no hint of this problem; you have to click on 'Specifications' under each mobo to get to the 'midboard connections for usb 3.0'.

[inquisitivePC]

Thanks everyone, went to Tiger Direct and then to Microcenter (store) and between your help and the people at these two stores all the above problems have been resolved. Thanks!

[zburns]

Glad to see you resolved it quickly. I am assuming you are changing the motherboard. Other less acceptable solutions were to hook the front panel usb connections to the rear panel usb 3.0 plugs or to simply 'change' the case to get usb 2.0 on the front.

The fact that the Asus mobo you originally purchased was usb 3.0 compatible for the rear panel, but lacked a simple 'header' on the mobo that prevented front panel usb 3.0 hookup to the mobo should have 'been clearly' stated by Asus or the distributor from whom you purchased to begin with!

It is an Asus error from a marketing point of view in the 'time period of the changeover from USB 2.0 to USB 3.0'. The description on the outside of the box should have had some statement to the effect - USB 3.0 compatible via rear plug in panel only! with a follow up explanation, such as, 'not compatible with cases with USB 3.0 front plugs'.