Hi,
This is about the ASUS Prime x470 Pro Motherboard.
I've never done this much hardware building before. I upgraded MoBo, PSU, Ram, CPU, GPU, removed stock CPU cooler brackets, installed Noctua CPU bracket kit and cooler, updated most power and data cables inside the case.
This was pretty daunting, as I'm not too experienced with hardware, so it took me a full (and I mean full) day of work. I was proud when - late at night - I posted the system for the first time and it did so without issue, everything seemed to be fine. Installed Windows 10 and started to set everything up.
Then I wanted to update the BIOS today and tried to find an empty USB port at the motherboard I/O.
Then I realized there's a little metal piece coming from the I/O shield in one of the rear USB ports. I realized/googled it's a little thing that's supposed to press on the I/O components from the "outside", kinda holding it into place / aligning it in addition to the MoBo screws.
I then remembered noticing this thing when I installed the I/O shield, but I thought it must be okay to be there and that it must be kind-of "plug-and-play" if it's there.
In my mind, if I were the manufacturer, I'd only put it there if "nothing" can go wrong when installing it (if done so reasonably).
Oh, and this is all based on that there was no mention of this in the MoBo manual - I looked up the section again today and alas, it only says "insert the MoBo and make sure it's rear ports align to the chassis' rear I/O panel'.
I really wish it would have had one sentence saying "make sure the I/O extra thingy-that-stands-out does not end up in the USB port", and I would have known to look out for this issue.
I've also never seen such a little thing on an I/O shield before.
Anyways, the metal (?) part was full on on the contacts of the USB port. I mean, comically so. I had hoped maybe it was on the other side, but no it was the side with the golden connections.
I actually don't know if it really touched, it was too hard to tell from the outside, or if it was just close.
I looked up another thread on the Internet to find out what that metal thing is supposed to be/do, and there someone said that if the guy (OP from that thread) had posted his MoBo in this state (with the I/O shield piece in the USB port), it would have caught fire.
Well, at least in my case, it did not catch on fire.
I opened up the PC again (yay), reseated the Motherboard and aligned the I/O shield thingy properly. It was much easier this time because I knew what to look for and I adjusted the flimsy piece first with my finger, so that the USB port could nicely glide "under" it.
I rebooted and it seems fine so far, and now I'm writing this thread.
Did I harm my MoBo/CPU with this whole thing? Or is it no harm/no foul? I could still return components, but that will not be the case anymore in a few weeks.
Another consideration is that this was a lot of work for me that I don't really want to repeat if I don't have to.
I checked the device manager, every USB device listed there says "working properly".
I haven't yet tested the USB port, because I wanted to ask this Forum first.
Thanks for reading. Would appreciate input on how to proceed. Now that I know what the little thing is for, I feel not so smart to have overlooked this. But like I said, it's easy to understand/look out for once you know about it.
This is about the ASUS Prime x470 Pro Motherboard.
I've never done this much hardware building before. I upgraded MoBo, PSU, Ram, CPU, GPU, removed stock CPU cooler brackets, installed Noctua CPU bracket kit and cooler, updated most power and data cables inside the case.
This was pretty daunting, as I'm not too experienced with hardware, so it took me a full (and I mean full) day of work. I was proud when - late at night - I posted the system for the first time and it did so without issue, everything seemed to be fine. Installed Windows 10 and started to set everything up.
Then I wanted to update the BIOS today and tried to find an empty USB port at the motherboard I/O.
Then I realized there's a little metal piece coming from the I/O shield in one of the rear USB ports. I realized/googled it's a little thing that's supposed to press on the I/O components from the "outside", kinda holding it into place / aligning it in addition to the MoBo screws.
I then remembered noticing this thing when I installed the I/O shield, but I thought it must be okay to be there and that it must be kind-of "plug-and-play" if it's there.
In my mind, if I were the manufacturer, I'd only put it there if "nothing" can go wrong when installing it (if done so reasonably).
Oh, and this is all based on that there was no mention of this in the MoBo manual - I looked up the section again today and alas, it only says "insert the MoBo and make sure it's rear ports align to the chassis' rear I/O panel'.
I really wish it would have had one sentence saying "make sure the I/O extra thingy-that-stands-out does not end up in the USB port", and I would have known to look out for this issue.
I've also never seen such a little thing on an I/O shield before.
Anyways, the metal (?) part was full on on the contacts of the USB port. I mean, comically so. I had hoped maybe it was on the other side, but no it was the side with the golden connections.
I actually don't know if it really touched, it was too hard to tell from the outside, or if it was just close.
I looked up another thread on the Internet to find out what that metal thing is supposed to be/do, and there someone said that if the guy (OP from that thread) had posted his MoBo in this state (with the I/O shield piece in the USB port), it would have caught fire.
Well, at least in my case, it did not catch on fire.
I opened up the PC again (yay), reseated the Motherboard and aligned the I/O shield thingy properly. It was much easier this time because I knew what to look for and I adjusted the flimsy piece first with my finger, so that the USB port could nicely glide "under" it.
I rebooted and it seems fine so far, and now I'm writing this thread.
Did I harm my MoBo/CPU with this whole thing? Or is it no harm/no foul? I could still return components, but that will not be the case anymore in a few weeks.
Another consideration is that this was a lot of work for me that I don't really want to repeat if I don't have to.
I checked the device manager, every USB device listed there says "working properly".
I haven't yet tested the USB port, because I wanted to ask this Forum first.
Thanks for reading. Would appreciate input on how to proceed. Now that I know what the little thing is for, I feel not so smart to have overlooked this. But like I said, it's easy to understand/look out for once you know about it.
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