HAF 932 Adv. Front USB 3.0 ports can't connect to M4A89GTD PRO/USB3

[VEK]

Caveat #1: This is my first build.
Caveat #2: I'm female & probably shouldn't be building computers to start with (but I bore easily and like a challenge).

I freely acknowledge I've made major design mistakes. Please help me dig my way out of those mistakes?

I'm using a HAF 932 Advanced chassis with a (mistakenly purchased) M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 MOBO. Obviously, this set up does not function because there is no USB 3.0 connection on the board, let alone a 19 and/or 20 pin (which ever it's actually known as) to plug the HAF's front USB 3.0 connector into.

Now that I've figured this out, and after spending the last five hours reading every post I can find on Tom's Hardware (and any other site I can find, many of which spoke of winding cables around from the front to the back, which doesn't appeal to me - women supposedly like everything "neat & tidy") about connecting front USB 3.0 to MOBOs, I've come to the conclusion I need to ask the experts:

Am I better off to (A) give up on the M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 board (which I have much invested in, not only in $$, but by virtue of the time it took me to get the Hyper 212 cpu cooler properly installed on the M4A89GTD PRO/USB3), and get a board designed to work with the HAF 932 Adv. (if so, please suggest some such boards), or (B) buying this add in card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816115113, at $99, which will kick out Rosewill's (supposedly) proprietary PCIe 2.0 x1 card that I (apparently) need to connect to my Rosewill RAID enclosure?

Would it be better to just start over with a different MOBO? That might work if I can buy a good, compatible MOBO for not too very much more than I've got into the M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 and sell the M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 (What's the market for MOBOs which have been installed & posted, but not tested further? Should I sell it with the cooler & buy a new one, or remove the Hyper 212 cooler and sell it bare? So many, many questions).

I will be very thankful for any help!

 

[scout_03]

you could try this connecting the front panel to it passing in the case open a free slot and connect to 3.0 on the back so you get 3.0 in frant and back http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812200670

 

[VEK]

you could try this connecting the front panel to it passing in the case open a free slot and connect to 3.0 on the back so you get 3.0 in frant and back http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812200670

Thanks for your response.

My two front USB 3.0 ports require one 19 pin connection.

 

[scout_03]

could not find another cable so you could try sell this board and look at the specs of new one for the inboard usb 3.0 connector when you find a model that please you come back with name and model so i could check if it got 3.0 connector on board before you buy

 

[VEK]

Oops! I just posted a new request for advice on a MOBO for my HAF 932 Advanced chassis. NewEgg RMA'd the M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 MOBO, so I'm on the search for a replacement. Any suggestions? I want a MOBO which maximizes the strengths of the HAF 932 Advanced case, including (but not limited to) the front USB ports. Any thoughts?

 

[scout_03]

what is your cpu name and model because the only board i found use the am3+ socket

 

[VEK]

Thank you! My cpu is the AM3 socket, Phenom II X3 720 Black. What board did you find?

 

[VEK]

I also need the board to support the front eSata connection and would like HDMI & SPDIF connects on the back if possible.

 

[scout_03]

check the new am3+ from asus you could write to them and ask if your processor will work on this board http://ca.asus.com/en/Motherboards/AMD_AM3Plus/AMD_990XSB950 and use the second link to ask them if your processor will work with that board http://vip.asus.com/eservice/techserv.aspx

 

[VEK]

Thank you very much!

My AM3 socket, AMD Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition will work with the SABERTOOTH 990FX (ak/k/a 990XSB950) MOBO (it's on Asus QVL for the board). It took me a while to find it because a search on AMD's page for "990XSB950" yields nothing (I wish ASUS & all the other component manufacturers would get their act together on actual model #s...). Apparently, my 8GB of Corsair "vengeance" DDR3 memory will not work with the 990XS MOBO (http://support.asus.com/QVL.aspx?SLanguage=en&p=1&s=24&m=SABERTOOTH%20990FX&os=&hashedid=H9GanpgqHG8yN8yQ). So, I'm either going to have to sell the CPU ($80 in) or the RAM ($54 in). My initial reaction is to keep the CPU and replace the RAM, but I'm learning not to trust my initial reactions so much in this new (and fun, even if a bit frustrating at times) endeavor. What are your thoughts?

I would also like your advice on the trade-off between the fact that I have a 19 pin, USB 3.0, add on card ($32.49, with other associated parts I don't need - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005FE726G/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details) on it's way from Amazon (ordered just before I got your 10:20pm message on 3-12-2012), which the SABERTOOTH 990FX will make unnecessary (and which I can send back for credit); but, the 990FX does not have an HDMI connection and my preliminary searches for HDMI add on cards lead me to the conclusion that a decent add on card for HDMI is quite a bit more expensive than the 19 pin, USB 3.0, add on card (the quality of which I have no way of evaluating - it's the only on out there other than the HighPoint card @ $99 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816115113). Which of the two connections would I be better off to have "on board" rather than via an add on card (with consideration to the fact that in the event the original connection fails, it is much easier to replace an add on card than to try rework a failed component of the MOBO)?

Again, my apologies for so many newbie questions and many, many thanks for sharing all of your experience and knowledge in helping me dig my way out of my newbie "design mistakes".

 

[VEK]

Correction, in the second sentence of my post above, I said "AMD's page" and meant "ASUS' page".

 

[scout_03]

the less expensive one would be to keep your m4a89gtd card and use that extension you bought for usb 3.0 but if you wnat to change of motherboard check to compare the one you got are the same as corsair finder by clicking on the list of module compatibale with the 990fx http://www.corsair.com/learn_n_explore/ also did you check the one on the link

 

[VEK]

Again, thank you for being willing to advise a neophyte.

Yes, I checked both links uou gave me.

Although I'm retired, and can't go crazy with spending money, I don't want to make short sighted decisions. I'd like this build to have some flexibility going forward, as technology progresses. I'm willing to spend a little bit more now to avoid having a technologically obsolete board 3 or 4 years from now. Does that change your advice?

 

[scout_03]

build mine with same cpu you got 3 years ago still good depend if you gone go high gaming or just surfing the web

 

[VEK]

Best answer selected by VEK.

 

[VEK]

Scout: Thanks for all of your great advice and help! I'm up and running now, with all connections functioning, in the HF932 Advanced, on the M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 MOBO. I decided to take another shot at trying to get the M4A89GTD out of it's dysfunction (couldn't get into Bios - the red mem check light stayed solid red no matter how many times I powered off & took the CMOS battery out for 30 seconds, etc.). After many calls, I finally lucked into a great tech support person at ASUS, and got the board out of memory revolt and into bios. Booted down, installed my add in cards, booted back into bios and all is still good! My SSD arrived yesterday, so all I have left to do is install WIN 7 Pro 64 bit and I'm good to go! Again, many thanks!