• On The Insider: Judge Bans Real Housewives Sex Tape
advertisement
WEEKEND PROJECT: Put your PC into a slick ATX case
Send feedbackE-mail to a friendPrint this project


Step 1

Give your PC a new look

Step 2

Tools for upgrading your PC case

Step 3

Is your PC ATX-compatible?

Step 4

Label all your cables

Step 5

Get the ATX case ready for your PC

Step 6

How to remove your PC's components

Step 7

Put your PC in the ATX case

Step 8

Link the front panel

Step 9

Tie your cables for better airflow

Weekend wisdom

Need more advice? Have tips to give? Go to the desktops forum to share your insights.

Put your PC into a slick ATX case

Step 8:

Link the front panel

Carefully push the front-panel connectors down onto their designated pin headers on your motherboard

Carefully push the front-panel connectors down onto their designated pin headers on your motherboard.

Hooking up front-panel ports, LEDs, and switches can be tricky. The wiring and its labels often vary from case to case, so consult your pin-header sketches and the new case's manual (in addition to diagrams in your motherboard manual). The idea is to match the new case's connectors for the power switch, activity LEDs, speaker, audio ports, and data ports to headers on your motherboard in their correct orientation.

Tip
Never confuse USB and FireWire port connectors. Crossed wires can result in motherboard damage.
Tie your cables for better airflow


Put your PC into a slick ATX case

More resources




More Weekend Projects


SEE ALL WEEKEND PROJECTS


Reviews & advice
Site map
Editorial policies
Meet the editors
How we test
Forums
Internet speed test
Popular topics
Apple iPhone
Apple iPod
Cell phones
Dell
GPS
LCD TV
CNET sites
CNET Site map
CNET TV
Downloads
News
Reviews
Shopper.com
More information
Newsletters
CNET Mobile
Customer Help Center
RSS
CNET Widgets
About CNET