In this article, we will consider the backlighting of the computer's system unit as one of the most common types of modding.
In the first part of our article, we will look at installing the backlight in various parts of the system unit. In the second part, we will consider the options for connecting the backlight.
1. External lighting.
This type of backlight allows you to see all the main external components of the computer in the evening.
1.1. Backlighting the front of the system unit with LEDs
Diodes used in this paragraph
To begin with, we solder the LEDs to the extreme ends in series, and also solder 2 additional wiring 30 cm each to them.
Select the location of the LEDs and mark it with dots.
In our case, this is the place, next to the DVDRom, where all the inputs are located. Therefore, I had to remove the DVDRom, as well as the protective shell.
.jpg)
We drill holes. We insert a chain of LEDs into these holes
1.2. External lighting of the lower part of the system unit.
This type of lighting provides for the presence of legs on your system unit, therefore it is suitable for experienced modders.
It is best to use LED strip for this.
The tape can be easily cut with ordinary scissors into sections divisible by 5 cm. The sections are easily connected with wires. In this article we will cut the tape into several pieces for clarity, but you can use 4 segments around the perimeter of the system unit.
We fasten our structure to the body using a self-adhesive tape layer and connect
Used tape from this section. complete assortment with all kinds of colors.
2. Illumination of the inside of the system unit
It is carried out in several ways.
2. 1. By means of LEDs ().
We consistently solder the LEDs. Solder the long leg (+) of the first LED to the short leg (-) of the other LED.
We solder the wires to the remaining two free legs.
We place the LEDs in the system unit. It is best to place them on the bottom and back wall.
2.Using pieces of LED strips.
With LED clusters, you don't have to solder each diode separately.
LED clusters are interconnected by two wires 5 cm long, so that they can be placed both close and at some distance. They are inserted into the holder and placed along the perimeter of the inner part of the system unit using double-sided tape.
Clusters must be placed so that they do not interfere with the installation of expansion cards, disk drives and other mods. If there are not enough wires between the clusters, you can lengthen them yourself.
.jpg)
After installing the clusters in their places, it remains only to connect the power.
Clusters can be quite expensive and there is no point in using them in most cases. You can take it, cut it into 5 cm pieces. In the end, you get the same thing, only for a smaller amount.
3. Backlighting with LED strip.
The installation principle is similar to the installation of LED clusters, but significantly. The tape has 2 terminals for connecting wires on each side, and is also equipped with a self-adhesive surface, thanks to which you can install the backlight without using additional devices. Before fixing the tape, it is better to degrease the surface. 
4. Illumination of the cooler
This is the only type of backlighting where we will take wires powered from the cooler itself as a power source in order to do without unnecessary wiring.
To begin with, we take 2 LEDs and solder them according to the standard scheme.
We glue the LEDs on the inside of the cooler. We take food directly near the cooler.
Now it is enough to connect the cooler and the LEDs will work simultaneously with it.
Backlight connection.
1. To the 4-pin molex connector
The 4-pin molex is the most common power connector in a computer. This connector contains four contacts: +12 V (most often yellow wire), +5 V (red wire), as well as two ground contacts (black). When connecting the backlight to a 4-pin molex, you can choose exactly where to connect the LEDs, to 12 or 5 volts. 
In our case, you need to connect to a 12 volt source.
Before connecting, you must first check the correspondence of the selected contacts with a multimeter, and determine the polarity. After that, you need to solder a 120 Ohm resistor to the positive contact, from which, in turn, we take another wire and connect it to the "plus" of our backlight. The minus is soldered to the ground pin of the molex connector. After that, we carefully insulate the wires and close them with a heat shrink tube.
For example, let's connect a single LED.
2. To the 3-pin connector
3-pin connector - a standard connector for connecting fans in a computer and similar connectors are often superfluous. Therefore, it is reasonable to use them to connect the backlight. The 3-pin connector has 3 pins: + 12V, ground, and a third pin that is used by the fan speed sensor.
The connection principle is identical to the connection to the 4-pin connector. We also use a 12 volt pin and a ground pin. However, it is important to remember that 3-pin connectors are for connecting fans and. therefore, cannot withstand the loads of the 4-pin connector. But for connecting LED backlighting, it will still work. Also, here we need a 220 ohm resistor. Otherwise, there are no differences. We carry out the same operations as in the first case.
3. To the USB connector.
USB is a data transfer connector and is usually used for this very purpose, however, in addition to data, the USB connector also transfers voltage and can be used to power various devices. The USB connector has four pins: two of them are responsible for data transmission and two more are responsible for voltage transmission. The USB connector has a 5V voltage supply up to 500mA. There are 2 types of USB connectors: 4 x 12 mm and 7 x 8 mm.
The differences between them are only in form. There is no difference between the two to connect the backlight. In our example, the first variant of the USB connector is used.
This type of connector requires an 82 ohm resistor. As in the first two cases, we determine the polarity and solder the resistor to the "plus". We also attach the "minus" to the "ground" contact. We close all connections with a heat-shrink tube.
.jpg)
Can be connected to a computer.
There is also an elegant solution - the use of flexible neon! In this case, a neon cord of different colors is pulled along the stubs and half connected to the inverter.
Some users believe that investing in LED backlighting is an absolutely unnecessary luxury, which still has no practical value. And other users, on the contrary, cannot live without an LED "disco" in the system unit of a home PC. For them, we have selected some of the best sets of LED strips that will allow you to organize a "party" in a computer case.
Lighting inside a PC is nothing new and never seen before. Light tubes, LED coolers have been used for decorating cases for decades. And now even motherboards are equipped with special controllers for connecting additional LED strips. You no longer need to play Kulibin if you wanted to add a "spark" to your body.
Best Basic LED Kit
At a price of 1200 rubles, it is one of the most affordable multi-color lighting sets. It includes two 30 cm long LED strips with 18 LEDs each. This solution is more suitable for use in Midi-Tower cases, which allow one ribbon on top and one ribbon on the bottom inside the case. The tapes are attached to magnets, which is very convenient, and the plug is connected to the corresponding connector on the motherboard.
To control the backlight, a wireless remote control is used, which allows you to control the backlight. Note that only the entire strip can be illuminated, and not each LED separately. Thus, each LED on the strip will glow the same color at the same time. The remote control allows you to control the brightness and set the rate of change of shades on the LED strip, creating the effect of "breathing", for example. Choose from 15 static lighting colors or RGB lighting mode.
Price: about 1200 rubles
Best Digital LED Lighting Kit
Unlike the previous kit, the kit has ten LEDs on each strip, and each of them can glow in an individual color. In total, you will receive 40 LEDs, to which you can buy 4 more tapes with the same 40 diodes. In addition, the kit contains a huge number of different cables for connecting both the tapes themselves and the fans (they are also in the kit).
The backlight on the controller itself, which is made in the form of a small box, is not adjustable. If you don't like it, you can just turn it off. The NZXT Hue + controller is two-channel, which allows you to supplement the backlighting system with 4 more ribbons (4 for each channel). In addition, this allows you to trigger two different lighting effects on each of the channels.
All control takes place through proprietary software, which already has eight preset operating modes, but it does not interfere with creating your own. For example, Smart Lighting Modes allow NZXT Hue + to automatically change colors based on CPU or GPU temperature. Audio mode activates an equalizer-style glow: the backlight will react to any sound coming out of the PC.
Installing the kit is quite simple. The controller is screwed into place of the 2.5-inch drive in the HDD cage. From it, a four-pin plug for power and a data cable from the motherboard to the controller are connected to the motherboard.
Price: about 5000 rubles
The best LED lighting kit for customization lovers
There are many pixel addressable LED strips on the backlighting market today, but it is the most convenient and efficient solution when it comes to backlighting your gaming PC case. This huge 500cm long LED strip reel has 300 LEDs, allowing you to cut suitable diode strips for your case. But, in addition to the LED coil itself, you will have to separately purchase a power supply and a controller.
You can find ready-made controllers on sale with hundreds of pre-programmed glow types, and this will be the easiest option to purchase. More advanced users can use Arduino or Raspberry Pi boards to program their own lighting effects. In our case, we decided to limit ourselves to a ready-made solution with remote control. We did not cut the tape, but simply laid it along the inside of the PC case.
Those who decide to cut out individual LED strips will have to carry out further self-soldering to connect the tapes. We recommend using 3-pin JST connectors so that you can easily detach the strips without having to cut and re-solder.
Price: about 1600 rubles
Good day, dear readers. As you understood from the title, we will talk about connecting the front panel and connectors of the motherboard to the case or vice versa.
This article, which is a small addition to the once written material about assembling a computer under the same name "Assembling a computer with our own hands" or "What is what in a computer, part 2".
We are talking about a small overlooked, but not insignificant element - connecting the connectors (all kinds of buttons, bulbs, etc.) of the front panel.
Go.
Front Panel Connection - Connection Guide
The front panel of the system unit usually contains the power and manual restart buttons. They also need to be correctly connected to. Connection cables are usually made in the form of pins (see what pins are above).
They look something like this (clickable):
Power SW - power button cable; Power LED + - - power indicator cables (light bulbs); HDD LED - boot indicator cable (the same light that usually blinks); RESET SW - reset button cable.
Correct connection of the front panel connection is also important, because without this the computer simply will not turn on.
Each motherboard has a so-called Front panel or F-Panel for short. It is usually located in the lower right corner of the board, but there are exceptions. This is how it looks like:
The connection of the front panel and its pins is carried out manually, and for this, there are sure to be hints in the accompanying documents to the motherboard.
If you have documents, then connecting the pins is not difficult. If not, there are clues around or near the F-Panel on the motherboard itself. If you are lucky many times, then there is an adapter included with the motherboard:
In which you simply stick, as shown above, the connectors themselves, and then this adapter into the motherboard and everything turns out quickly and simply. But not everyone is so lucky, and you probably came here because you are trying to connect everything for an already former (not new) motherboard.
What else is worth knowing
In addition, on the front panel of the system unit there are sometimes USB interface connectors (usually a couple of them) and ports for connecting headphones / speakers and a microphone. It looks like this:
The cables for connecting these external USB ports inside the system unit look like this:
They are connected to the blocks of pins on the motherboard, which are called F-USB1 and F-USB2, respectively (they may not look exactly the same in color and location as in the screenshot below, but the shape and number / location of pins are the same):
The ports for connecting external audio inputs look approximately the same, except that the position / number of pins differs, so connecting the front panel in this regard is not a very difficult task.
It's easy to connect them (they simply won't fit into other pin blocks). But for them, there are also tips in the accompanying documents for the motherboard:
Actually, everything and nothing complicated about it.
What to do if the documentation for the motherboard has not been preserved
Alternatively, take a magnifying glass and carefully examine the above connection connector on the computer's motherboard:
Usually it is at least somehow, but symbolically signed, since from the second or third you can guess what is there and connect everything correctly. The wires are connected, as a rule, with the inscription on themselves:
Occasionally, the second row (far) looks in the other direction with inscriptions, but this is quite rare. One way or another, as I wrote above, not from the first, but from the second time - you guess :)
If you can't see anything (you never know is weak or the inscriptions are poorly spelled out), then open the website of the manufacturer of the motherboard and there you look for the "Support" section (or something like that), where you can usually download instructions from the motherboard, where it is always described connection.
If it was not possible to find the manufacturer on the manufacturer's website, then on the Internet you can find by request "name of the board" + the word manual, with minimal knowledge of English, you will definitely find a place to download, and there you will already have a case to open, look at and connect.
Afterword
If you have any questions or additions, write in the comments or with the help. I will be glad to help and just listen to you.
PS: Presented in the figures is shown for examples and information only. No ads.
PS2: The article was written by a person living on the Internet under a nickname (friend and project assistant). For which many thanks to him.
Desktop problems can have various causes. By following our advice, you can quickly fix any problem.
PC failure can manifest itself in different ways. For example, after pressing the power button, the car does not show signs of "life". Or the computer turns on, but some components do not function. The first step is to figure out what works and what doesn't. Are the motherboard LEDs on? Are the fans spinning? Is there an image signal to the monitor? Are BIOS messages displayed? Based on these observations, most problems can be divided into six categories (see below). For each category, we provide instructions, consisting of sequential steps, with which you can eliminate the likelihood of the simplest malfunctions, so that you can then proceed to more complex diagnostics. If you are not successful at any of the steps, move on to the next until you solve the problem. Even if you stop at a step, the results of your testing will subsequently become a good help for the service center staff.
1. No signs of life
If the computer does not respond in any way when you press the power button, first check the power or the button itself. We will help you isolate the problem.
1.1. VISUAL INSPECTION. First of all, check if the power cable is well connected and if the surge protector is turned on. It is possible that the power supply button on the back of the computer is in the “Off” position.
1.2. BODY CONNECTORS. Open the PC case and check that the connectors are securely connected and that the cable is not damaged in the area between the switches and the case LEDs and the motherboard - perhaps some connector has come off the plug. If one or more cables are disconnected, open your motherboard manual and check if the cables are properly connected to the plugs.
1.3. POWER BUTTON. If the case connectors are connected correctly or reconnecting them does not work, disconnect all connectors from the motherboard. Then close the two contacts labeled "Power Switch" with a paper clip. If the computer turns on, there are two options. The first is a faulty power button on the case. In this case, you need to connect both connectors marked "Reset Switch" to the contacts marked "Power Switch" on the motherboard. From this moment, the PC will be turned on using the restart button, and the power button will cease to perform its function. Another reason for such a malfunction may be a short circuit in the reset button: the usual button in this case will not work, and the PC can only be started by closing two contacts on the motherboard. Confirmation of this assumption will be the ability to start the PC with the reset button disabled. In this case, leave the power button connected and disconnect the reset button. After all these steps, your PC will most likely turn on again without any problems. If, even when using an office paper clip, the computer refuses to "start", then you should check the power system.
1.4. FOOD FOR THE MOTHER'S BOARD. Check if all power supply connectors are properly connected to the motherboard. We are talking not only about the wide ATX connector with 24 pins, but also an additional four-pin P4 connector for powering the processor.
1.5. POWER SUPPLY. Further, it is necessary to exclude the possibility of failure of the power supply. To do this, connect a working power supply unit to the PC - for example, from a second computer. Connect the 24-pin ATX connector and the 4- or 8-pin P4 connector of a working computer to the motherboard of the failing PC and try to start it. If after that it turns on, then it's all about the power supply, which will need to be replaced.
1.6. MOTHERBOARD. If all the above measures did not help, then, most likely, the motherboard has failed, which is best to replace, since repairs that are not under warranty, as a rule, do not justify themselves. Either way, replacing your motherboard means completely disassembling and reassembling your PC. But it is recommended to start this procedure only when other possible malfunctions are excluded.
2.PC works but no picture
After power-up, the screen remains black, although the fans for the power supply, CPU, and video card are running and the LEDs on the system board are on.
2.1. CHECKING THE MONITOR. The first step is to eliminate a trivial malfunction by answering the question: does the monitor turn on? If not, then there may be a power problem: the cable is unplugged from the display or from the wall outlet, or the screen has a switch that is set to off. If the monitor turns on, open the OSD and check if the correct source is selected (VGA / D-Sub, DVI, HDMI).
2.2. SOUND AND LIGHT SIGNALS. If the monitor is not receiving an image signal, the motherboard will often make this clear by emitting beeps or flashes to help you figure out what the problem is. Check your motherboard manual to determine what the signals mean. One of the typical defects reported in this way can be faulty or improperly installed RAM modules, which the motherboard, depending on the model, warns about with a beep or LED lights.
2.3. RESET BUTTON. A short circuit in the reset button can also cause these symptoms. Check (point 1.3).
2.4. BIOS. Sometimes, incorrect BIOS settings can be the cause of these startup problems. To reset the BIOS, look for the Clear CMOS jumper on the motherboard. We are talking about three contacts, two of which are connected by a jumper. Remember the initial position of the jumper, then pull it out and connect another pair of pins with it, wait at least ten seconds. Then set it back to its original position. If the system board has a reset button, press it. If the computer turns on, check the BIOS settings. In most cases it is necessary to select the correct operating mode of the SATA controller, which, starting from Windows XP, is "AHCI", not "IDE". After doing this, the specified problem should disappear. One of the possible reasons for lost BIOS settings can be a discharged motherboard battery - this will be discussed in paragraph 3.1.
2.5. RAM. Failed memory is signaled by most motherboards using sound or light (LED) signals (see paragraph 2.2). However, we recommend that you check the operability of the RAM modules without waiting for a warning signal. The computer must have at least two modules installed - remove one and try to boot the computer with it. If the PC does not turn on with this module, try starting the system with another module installed. If the computer starts up with only one memory module, it usually means that the other is defective.
2.6. VIDEO PAYMENT. Among the components of the PC, the problem is primarily to be found in the source of the image signal - the graphics card. If your computer has an integrated video card, remove the discrete card and test the system with an integrated GPU. If not, check if the PC works with a different graphics card. If so, your discrete or integrated graphics card is faulty.
2.7. CPU. A defective processor can also be the reason that the computer works but does not output an image signal. Therefore, test if possible before the next very difficult step, the performance of a PC with a different compatible processor.
2.8. MOTHERBOARD. With all other possible sources of problems now ruled out, the motherboard remains the last suspect. The problem here can be, for example, in the CMOS chip, which stores the BIOS, or in the PCIe bus, to which video cards are connected. Troubleshooting in most cases does not pay off, so the best solution would be to immediately replace the motherboard.
3. BIOS stops working
The BIOS's job is to prepare the computer to boot the operating system. If problems arise during the BIOS operation, then, as a rule, error messages appear, with the help of which you can localize them.
3.1. BIOS SETTINGS. With computers manufactured four to five years ago, there are often situations when they unexpectedly refuse to boot. The reason lies in the BIOS settings. In this case, the message “Please enter Setup to recover BIOS setting | CMOS Date / Time Not Set ". You can enter BIOS, as a rule, using the F1 or Del button when turning on the PC. After that, you need to restore all basic settings - for example, the date, the sequence of boot devices or such an important parameter as the operating mode of the SATA controller (AHCI). After restoring the settings, there should be no problems with loading the PC. However, the reason that the settings are lost is most likely in the following: the motherboard has a round flat battery, which is an “emergency” power supply for the CMOS chip so that the latter does not lose settings. If this battery is discharged, it must be replaced, otherwise the BIOS settings will get lost every time the PC is turned off.
3.2. SEQUENCE OF LOADING DEVICES. If the BIOS reports that it cannot find the bootable media, there could be several reasons. First, check the boot device sequence in the settings. In modern motherboards, this requires two steps. In the boot options, you will find a “Boot priority” item that lists components such as hard drives, removable media or optical drives. The hard disk must have the highest boot priority.
3.3. DISK FAILURE. If the drive does not appear in the BIOS media selection menu, open your PC and check that the power and interface cables of the appropriate media are securely connected. If the problem persists, test the drive with a different cable, in a USB HDD enclosure, or in another computer. If this does not help, then, most likely, the carrier has failed as a result of damage to the controller. In this case, only a specialist will most likely be able to recover the data for quite a lot of money. If you regularly create system images and data backups, then you only need to replace the disk and copy the data. Otherwise, you will have to completely reinstall the system.
3.4. LOADING SECTOR. If the boot device appears in the BIOS and you can view its contents when connected to another PC, then the boot sector is most likely corrupted. This happens quite often when an unsuccessful attempt to reallocate disk space or when uninstalling Linux used as a second operating system. To resolve the error, boot from the installation DVD or Rescue Disc. During the boot process, select "Restore your computer" or "PC recovery options", then click on "System Restore", then follow the instructions of the wizard. If this does not solve the problem, then try manual recovery. Boot your PC again as described above and in the system recovery settings open a command prompt window. Enter the following commands in it:
bootrec / fixmbr bootrec / fixboot
bcdedit; / export C: \\ bcd_1 c: cd boot attrib bcd -s -h -r ren bcd bcd_2 bootrec / RebuildBcd
After that Windows should boot up. If difficulties still arise, follow the directions below.
4. Unable to boot OS (Windows logo appears, but the system does not start)
Your computer starts to boot, but hangs just before the user interface appears. With these symptoms, many hardware and BIOS problems can be ruled out.
(to be continued)
