Kenny said:
Can these be obtained and replaced easily?
The case is the silver version of this:
http://www.planetmicro.co.uk/product_info.asp?stockcode=M006497
It's my daugter's andher wee one tried to climb up on an attached Bluetooth
dongle wrecking them.
The connector assembly on a computer case, may consist of a small
PCB with the connectors soldered to it. The odds that a PCB is involved,
increase, if there are multiple connectors in the front panel area.
The USB connector in question, could be vertical or could be right angle.
This is an example of a thru-hole connector, right angle type. In the
connector world, there can be hundreds of styles and types, so you'll want
the PCB assembly in hand, while shopping. You can remove the assembly and
allow the owner to continue using the computer, while you come up with
a solution. (My current computer has had that assembly type removed, out of
spite, for a couple years
The computer doesn't need the assembly,
to work properly. If you have AC'97 headphone and microphone jacks
on the assembly PCB, remember to put the two jumpers back on the FP_AUDIO
header, so the rear Lineout audio connector will still work on the computer.
For HDaudio motherboards, this is not necessary, and no jumpers are needed
on those.)
http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=WM17100-ND
http://media.digikey.com/photos/Molex/87531-0001.jpg
In the picture, you can see there are two tabs for mechanical rigidity,
and four pins for electrical connection. Actually, the mechanical tabs
are also grounding the metal shell, which aids in ESD protection by
taking "sparks" when a user approaches on carpeted floors.
Digikey has a UK option, so you should be able to order in
local currency from a page like this.
http://dkc1.digikey.com/uk/digihome.html
To replace the connector -
1) Unplug the computer.
2) Disconnect USB cable assembly to front panel, from
the motherboard.
3) Remove the front fascia of the computer.
4) Sometimes an adhesive is used to fasten the PCB to the
fascia. On my computer, this peeled away without too much
of an issue. The adhesive is mainly to prevent resonance
from making the case sound cheap.
5) With the USB PCB and cable assembly removed and in hand,
warm up that soldering iron.
6) Purchase solder wick or a solder sucker (hand held, spring
loaded, teflon tipped, vacuum device). Heat the solder and
use your solder removal tool of choice. If the holes in the
PCB are much larger than the leads on the connector, removal
should be easy. Clean up residue well enough, so that the
new connector can be fitted. Apply fresh solder. Depending
on your soldering skills, you may want to use an ohmmeter, to
check for shorts. (Depends on whether you are a "Mr. Blobby"
type solderer
)
7) Reinstall, using whatever kludge is necessary to hold
the assembly back in place. It must be rigid enough,
so the end user won't knock it out of place.
For those who don't want to know what a soldering iron is,
you can always substitute a FrontX panel in a drive bay. This
is a modular concept product, allowing custom front panel
connector combinations. The only reason I didn't put this
at the top of this posting, as a primary solution, is in
that Ferrari case, you'd have to open the door to gain
access, and that wouldn't work very well. It would spoil
the appearance.
http://www.frontx.com/
http://www.frontx.com/detail6.jpg
If you're handy with a dremel or hole saw, and there is a
flat area on the case somewhere, you can always cut a new
hole in the case, and use one of these assemblies from FrontX.
They make a single connector with 1x5 header, and
also have a dual with a 2x5 header on the end of the cable.
The two screws remove from the plastic, leaving a bare
connector you could bolt to the case.
http://www.frontx.com/cpx101_2.html
http://www.frontx.com/cpx108_2.html
Have fun,
Paul
