Dim 8300: Can't find motherboard USB connector for All-in-one memory card reader (in floppy bay)

For my Dimension 8300, I bought a generic internal 2.0 memory card reader
(SD/compactflash/etc...) that installs in a floppy drive bay.

Cool idea, except that it connects to some USB port on a motherboard that
doesn't seem to exist.

The connector end looks like this:

OOOOX
OOOOO

(O's are the 9 pin holes and the X is solid plastic, to key the connector.)

Of those holes, only 8 of the 9 are connected to wires:

WWWWX
WWWWO

(W's are connected via wires, X is of course solid plastic and the O is not
connected.)

I noticed a wide USB connection on the motherboard tying in the USB ports on
the front. But nothing that this thing seems to be able to connect to.

Any ideas?

Thomas G. Marshall wrote:
For my Dimension 8300, I bought a generic internal 2.0 memory card reader
(SD/compactflash/etc...) that installs in a floppy drive bay.

Cool idea, except that it connects to some USB port on a motherboard that
doesn't seem to exist.

The connector end looks like this:

OOOOX
OOOOO

(O's are the 9 pin holes and the X is solid plastic, to key the connector.)

Of those holes, only 8 of the 9 are connected to wires:

WWWWX
WWWWO

(W's are connected via wires, X is of course solid plastic and the O is not
connected.)

I noticed a wide USB connection on the motherboard tying in the USB ports on
the front. But nothing that this thing seems to be able to connect to.

Any ideas?



You've just discovered the joys of Dell proprietary connectors. All the
front panel wires go to a large connector at the top right of the mobo;
the docs are here, but Dell doesn't document the connector.
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...0/en/index.htm

"Thomas G. Marshall" . com
wrote in message news:Hgq3i.60$hw.28@trndny08...

For my Dimension 8300, I bought a generic internal 2.0 memory card reader
(SD/compactflash/etc...) that installs in a floppy drive bay.

Cool idea, except that it connects to some USB port on a motherboard that
doesn't seem to exist.

The connector end looks like this:

OOOOX
OOOOO

(O's are the 9 pin holes and the X is solid plastic, to key the
connector.)

Of those holes, only 8 of the 9 are connected to wires:

WWWWX
WWWWO

(W's are connected via wires, X is of course solid plastic and the O is
not connected.)

I noticed a wide USB connection on the motherboard tying in the USB ports
on the front. But nothing that this thing seems to be able to connect to.

Any ideas?




I'd recommend an internal USB hub that mounts in either the floppy or an
optical bay such as this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815150025

I'd also pick up a USB PCI controller card to connect the hub to (via
standard internal USB a/b cable like this):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815150097


My internal USB hub also has a front 1394 connector and is connected to a
similar PCI card via cabling that was included with the hub.

Stew

"S.Lewis" wrote in message
...

"Thomas G. Marshall"
. com wrote in message
news:Hgq3i.60$hw.28@trndny08...

For my Dimension 8300, I bought a generic internal 2.0 memory card reader
(SD/compactflash/etc...) that installs in a floppy drive bay.

Cool idea, except that it connects to some USB port on a motherboard that
doesn't seem to exist.

The connector end looks like this:

OOOOX
OOOOO

(O's are the 9 pin holes and the X is solid plastic, to key the
connector.)

Of those holes, only 8 of the 9 are connected to wires:

WWWWX
WWWWO

(W's are connected via wires, X is of course solid plastic and the O is
not connected.)

I noticed a wide USB connection on the motherboard tying in the USB ports
on the front. But nothing that this thing seems to be able to connect
to.

Any ideas?




I'd recommend an internal USB hub that mounts in either the floppy or an
optical bay such as this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815150025

I'd also pick up a USB PCI controller card to connect the hub to (via
standard internal USB a/b cable like this):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815150097


My internal USB hub also has a front 1394 connector and is connected to a
similar PCI card via cabling that was included with the hub.

Stew



Whups. SIIG internal memory card USB reader:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815150097

You probably have A usb motherboard connector, but there is little
standardization of these, you may have to put a new connector on the
cable matching what's on the motherboard.


Thomas G. Marshall wrote:
For my Dimension 8300, I bought a generic internal 2.0 memory card reader
(SD/compactflash/etc...) that installs in a floppy drive bay.

Cool idea, except that it connects to some USB port on a motherboard that
doesn't seem to exist.

The connector end looks like this:

OOOOX
OOOOO

(O's are the 9 pin holes and the X is solid plastic, to key the connector.)

Of those holes, only 8 of the 9 are connected to wires:

WWWWX
WWWWO

(W's are connected via wires, X is of course solid plastic and the O is not
connected.)

I noticed a wide USB connection on the motherboard tying in the USB ports on
the front. But nothing that this thing seems to be able to connect to.

Any ideas?

"S.Lewis" wrote in message
...

"S.Lewis" wrote in message
...

"Thomas G. Marshall"
. com wrote in message
news:Hgq3i.60$hw.28@trndny08...

For my Dimension 8300, I bought a generic internal 2.0 memory card
reader (SD/compactflash/etc...) that installs in a floppy drive bay.

Cool idea, except that it connects to some USB port on a motherboard
that doesn't seem to exist.

The connector end looks like this:

OOOOX
OOOOO

(O's are the 9 pin holes and the X is solid plastic, to key the
connector.)

Of those holes, only 8 of the 9 are connected to wires:

WWWWX
WWWWO

(W's are connected via wires, X is of course solid plastic and the O is
not connected.)

I noticed a wide USB connection on the motherboard tying in the USB
ports on the front. But nothing that this thing seems to be able to
connect to.

Any ideas?




I'd recommend an internal USB hub that mounts in either the floppy or an
optical bay such as this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815150025

I'd also pick up a USB PCI controller card to connect the hub to (via
standard internal USB a/b cable like this):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815150097


My internal USB hub also has a front 1394 connector and is connected to a
similar PCI card via cabling that was included with the hub.

Stew



Whups. SIIG internal memory card USB reader:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815150097


That's the same link. But when I searched for "SIIG internal memory card
USB reader" in newegg, I got a bunch of products, all of which seem to need
the same connector on a motherboard. (either 1x4 or 2x5).

I'm looking for a pci USB card that has the 2x5 on it.

"Pen" wrote in message
. ..
Thomas G. Marshall wrote:
For my Dimension 8300, I bought a generic internal 2.0 memory card reader
(SD/compactflash/etc...) that installs in a floppy drive bay.

Cool idea, except that it connects to some USB port on a motherboard that
doesn't seem to exist.

....[rip]...

You've just discovered the joys of Dell proprietary connectors. All the
front panel wires go to a large connector at the top right of the mobo;
the docs are here, but Dell doesn't document the connector.
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...0/en/index.htm



I came accross this oddball, but I'm not sure how to use it...

http://www.xpcgear.com/pinhead2usbx2.html

Ouch! As mentioned by others, the USB front panel connector on the motherboard
is really an oddball, as with most other Socket 478 Dimensions, Optiplexes and
Precisions... Ben Myers



On Fri, 18 May 2007 20:12:08 -0400, Barry Watzman
wrote:

You probably have A usb motherboard connector, but there is little
standardization of these, you may have to put a new connector on the
cable matching what's on the motherboard.


Thomas G. Marshall wrote:
For my Dimension 8300, I bought a generic internal 2.0 memory card reader
(SD/compactflash/etc...) that installs in a floppy drive bay.

Cool idea, except that it connects to some USB port on a motherboard that
doesn't seem to exist.

The connector end looks like this:

OOOOX
OOOOO

(O's are the 9 pin holes and the X is solid plastic, to key the connector.)

Of those holes, only 8 of the 9 are connected to wires:

WWWWX
WWWWO

(W's are connected via wires, X is of course solid plastic and the O is not
connected.)

I noticed a wide USB connection on the motherboard tying in the USB ports on
the front. But nothing that this thing seems to be able to connect to.

Any ideas?

"Thomas G. Marshall" . com
wrote in message news:rou3i.1595$aj.61@trndny06...

That's the same link. But when I searched for "SIIG internal memory card
USB reader" in newegg, I got a bunch of products, all of which seem to
need the same connector on a motherboard. (either 1x4 or 2x5).

I'm looking for a pci USB card that has the 2x5 on it.



I see. Hopefully those are common.

Again, my usb/1394 simply plugs to the card via standard USB connect and a/b
cable.

Good luck.

Yeah, I've given up.

The few usb cards out there that announce a 2x5 male connector on them don't
specify if it's really that 4+5 connector (one of the pins must be missing
to accommodate the block on the cable end).

So I have to punt and go with the HP thing (probably) which supplies it's
own stripped down USB 2.0 pci card to go with it.

Dell's non-standard behavior is a real pain. I first slammed into their
reverse wiring of the power supply connector on their motherboard years ago.
They finally backed away from that, but what numnut thought of doing that in
the first place: it's like they have a culture of iritants.



"Ben Myers" wrote in message
news
Ouch! As mentioned by others, the USB front panel connector on the
motherboard
is really an oddball, as with most other Socket 478 Dimensions, Optiplexes
and
Precisions... Ben Myers



On Fri, 18 May 2007 20:12:08 -0400, Barry Watzman

wrote:

You probably have A usb motherboard connector, but there is little
standardization of these, you may have to put a new connector on the
cable matching what's on the motherboard.


Thomas G. Marshall wrote:
For my Dimension 8300, I bought a generic internal 2.0 memory card
reader
(SD/compactflash/etc...) that installs in a floppy drive bay.

Cool idea, except that it connects to some USB port on a motherboard
that
doesn't seem to exist.

The connector end looks like this:

OOOOX
OOOOO

(O's are the 9 pin holes and the X is solid plastic, to key the
connector.)

Of those holes, only 8 of the 9 are connected to wires:

WWWWX
WWWWO

(W's are connected via wires, X is of course solid plastic and the O is
not
connected.)

I noticed a wide USB connection on the motherboard tying in the USB
ports on
the front. But nothing that this thing seems to be able to connect to.

Any ideas?