Can I use my old HP pavillion case to build a new desk top?

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44surf

44surf

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Jan 19, 2011
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I want to try and build my own PC. Can I use my old 2008 HP Pavillion case? My system crashed...the motherboard is bad according to the repair tech. He said not to sink another penny into it. I am interested in learning how to build my own system and was hoping I could use the case. Any ideas out there?
 
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I did want to mention that the power connector on this MB is a 24 pin however the power connector from this case only has 20 pins plus the separate 4 pin connector. The old MB had the same thing so I did not think it would be an issue. Could that be the problem?
 
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OMG! It's working! My on light went on also. But I am not hearing any beeps. Am I supposed to hear beeps? I cannot turn it off by pushing the on/off button...I have to unplug it. I am so happy I did not short out the board LOL!

I am in a much better mood now. It's made up for the three pairs of shoes our new puppy just chewed up!
 
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So, where are you now? BTW, do you currently have both the 20-pin and 4-pin connectors connected or only the 20-pin connector?

If only the 20-pin, you need to attach the 4-pin connector to the plug (usually somewhere between the CPU socket and where the ports stick through the I/O Plate (back of case).

Also, are you using the on-board video or did you add a stand-alone video card?
 
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Hi COL~When I have the 4-pin connector connected to the MB...It seems to start up...the CPU fan and system fan spin but then stop. With just the 20 pin connected they keep running and the on light is lit. I am really not sure where to go from here. I am counting on you guys! Tom's Forum tech support!

I was just going to use the on-board video for now...much to the child's dismay.
 
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Understood. When you plugged the 20-pin connector into the 24-pin connector on the motherboard, which end did you leave 4 pins open on (looking down on mobo with the back of your PC away from you, looking straight down onto the mobo)? Are the right-most or left-most 4 pins open?
 
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It is the right most 4...It is the only way the 20 pins will fit. I tried the other ways. I also tried to see if I could connect the 4 pin into the remaining 4 but it won't.
 
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OK, just wanted to make sure (that is the correct end by the way). While the connector is indeed keyed to only go in one way, you would be amazed at what others have done.

So you don't have the 4-pin aux power connected (the connector I mentioned earlier), right?

I would like for you to disconnect all devices (HDD and optical drive) from your power supply, and with only the keyboard, mouse, and monitor attached try to power on the system. I would like to see if you can enter the BIOS.
 
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^
agreed COLGeek but remember the power switch isn't properly placed yet and I think that she should correct that so she doesn't have to keep killing the power supply to turn off..
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You, sir, correct. I missed that earlier in the thread. That definitely needs connected. I am assuming this case uses a single block front panel connector. If so, I can only see a couple options: 1) Re-wire to match the mobo's front panel config, 2) kludge 2 wire connections into the existing FP connector to connect to the mobo FP header, or 3) get a standard case (no fun in that!).
 
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Really not hard (really....), you just poke the wires out of the existing connector (they have tips on them), and then you plug those into the order needed for the new mobo.

BTW, does you front panel connector have a single row or 2 rows of pins?
 
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I did try plugging another connector in to the FP connector...It comes out of the back of the diskette (?) space on the case. It's empty...but I thought what the heck...It made no difference.
 
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+100 to malmental's new avatar. Way cool!!!

Rearranging the current FP block to match the new mobo is pretty easy as long as you can back trace the wires to know which pairs go with the power, reset button, HDD LED, and power LED (as appropriate).

44surf, have you been able to figure out which wires go to which item?
 
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The FP connector on the old MB had two rows also...5 pins in one row, 4 in the other. the new MB has 8 in one row, 7 in the other with the missing pin in the power LED connector space. I was thinking maybe I should just get a new case.
 
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Actually, your current connector can be made to work. The left most pins on your mobo aren't used (unassigned or for the speaker and I think your new mobo has a built-in speaker since you are hearing beeps. That means you only need to use the 5 pairs of pins on the right side of FP header.
 
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If you mean the backtrace, you can either remove the front panel from the case and eyeball it -OR- you can try to look up the manual for you original mobo to see how it was wired.

Do you have the actual old mobo's model number? If not, I can dig back through the thread to locate it.
 
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