I'm new at this so forgive my question but do mother boards have product id numbers stamped on the back or something? I have a PC that was given to me. It's in a case with clear windows and lights and all those fancy deals. It's a pretty old case at this point. The windows are a bit cracked and there are a lot of screws missing. I would like to move it to this nifty case I got at BestBuy for $20 the Dynex MidTower I imaging this should be a relatively simple task. I can read and follow instructions very well. I've put installed a few harddrives and some components in other computers before but I've yet to build a full PC. My concern here is the motherboard. This this computer was given to me I don't know much about it I don't know how to hook up the wiring to my new case. Most products have a serial number/product number which I could look up and from there find a manual. That's how I solved some problems with the graphics card and the printer. I don't know if this applies to motherboards and I don't want to take it all apart and be stuck with pieces unless I'm reasonably sure of what i'm doing.
Yes they all do.. you will have to search for it, It will sometimes just be what looks like a batch number printed on it somewhere (always on the component side) Google any numbers you find.. that's what I do when faced with an unknown mobo anyways. While you are looking for the number you will probably notice that the major connections on the board are clearly labeled anyway. Chances are the ones you will need to know.. the connections to the power/reset switches and the front panel power and hdd leds are marked on the wires on your existing case.. just take note of where they go (draw a diagram) Or try in device manager. I remember slysoft-sandra used to be able to tell the make and model of a mobo.. does it still do that?
well that's helpful. I may try it this weekend. I don't know what it's supposed to look like inside but it's a jumble of wires. two fans on the case and one on the mobo from what I've traced I'm pretty sure three of the wires are twisted. I found two connectors in the circuit that aren't plugged into anything so I just took 'em out of the series. It's going to be interesting I'm just going to have to work very slowly and methodically. luckily that's that way I am mentally inclined.
Yes.. that will do it. If you look at the wires that go to the front panel switches (usually a bundle of multicoloured wires possibly held together with cable ties) you will see that they go to a certain block of stand up connectors on one edge of the mobo. They are the only ones that may cause confusion. They should have what they are for written in white on the black plug ends, and the mobo nect to the pins will have some rather cryptic but logical markings indicating what the pins do (pwrs) or (psw) or (prs) obviously power switch.. (rst) reset (pld)(pled) power light.. and so on.. The exact terms vary, but they are usually close enough to work them out.. I get given boxes of old mobos from time to time.. I have only had to google the connections 4 or 5 times in 10 years the mobo number will usually be near the middle of the board and will be in a format like azn-9/102-rev/c or similar. Just grabbed a msi board that is hanging about.. the number would be hidden by the cpu heatsink (if there was one fitted) and reads...Micro-Star MS-7003 All the rest of the plugs and wires will only fit where they fit.. computers are lovely and standard that way X)
