Question H110-I/M32CD4/DP-MB, Rev 1.04

[tg197]

This mother board has 4 dual SATA sockets. Three are gray and one is yellow. My PC has 6 SATA cables: (1) HDD, (2) Optical Drive, (3) 4 go to front panel. What is the significance of the yellow socket? Is it the same as the gray sockets? Which cables should be plugged into the yellow socket? Does it matter which cables plug into the sockets?

Here are photos of the board:
https://link.shutterfly.com/HrF0SxPFzjb
https://link.shutterfly.com/P5r61mSFzjb

 

[tg197]

I have been fighting this issue for some time. Here is an update and a question:

I unplugged the 6 SATA cables from the mother board and did not label them so I don't know which sockets they were originally attached. When I plug them into the sockets (surely not in the original locations) the HDD works, the optical drive works but the USB ports on the front panel do not work. The only cables attached to the front pane are the audio cable (mic and phone) and 4 SATA cables that connect to a small circuit board behind the front panel.

How do I get the front panel USB ports to work again?

 

[tg197]

More information. ASUS support just responded and said that the front panel USB ports have their own connector on the mother board. I believe it is labeled "AFFP". There is also a connector labeled "USB-PWR1". There are wires from both of these connectors go to the front panel and I have verified that they are fully-inserted and secure. But still no front panel USB.

If AFFP is the USB port than what are the 4 SATA cables going to the front panel? If my USB works this is not an important question - just curious.

The BIG question is: Why doesn't the front panel USB work?

 

[tg197]

Still more information:

A little research indicates that the connector labeled AFFP is for the front panel audio cable (not USB). So the ASUS information may be incorrect.

That brings me back to the 4 SATA cables as the only other cables attached to the front panel. My best guess is that the small circuit board on the back of the front panel converts SATA to USB. But why 4?

Bottom line: The front panel USB still doesn't work. What next?