Read/Write LED

valdai · 27 May 2009 at 22:32

So pretty standard on most PCs is the HDD read/write LED right? I mean it's helpful for telling whether your pc is crashing or just taking a long time and such stuff.

Well I built my own PC not that long ago and, unsurprisingly, having not installed one, I don't have one. Now it's not like there's a spare LED hanging around in my case that I haven't used; so I was just wondering how I can obtain and install one?

Also if anyone has any ideas where I could put it, if I ever get one, on a case such as the Antec 300, that would be great.

Cheers.

Edit: Spec in sig.

TheVoice · 27 May 2009 at 22:54

The Antec 300 should have an HDD indicator already, you just need to connect the cable to the appropriate header on the motherboard.

LukeTW · 27 May 2009 at 23:10

TheVoice said:
The Antec 300 should have an HDD indicator already, you just need to connect the cable to the appropriate header on the motherboard.

This.

valdai · 27 May 2009 at 23:12

Oh ok, I thought I had plugged everything in but on having a more thorough look I actually haven't. There's one called HDA, could that be it? It's coupled with one that says AC'97, though I seem to remember looking these up in the manual and deciding they weren't important for me.

Also they are both 8-pin (minus one slot) which seems a bit much. I guess at this stage I should really be getting the manuals out but I'll throw it out there just in case anyone has a quick answer

MeatLoaf · 27 May 2009 at 23:19

Ive got the antec 300 and the HDD led is blue and to the right of the headphone socket below the power LED, which is also blue.

You need to connect the 2 pin HDD LED cable to the approrpriate pins on the mobo front panel connectors. If i it dosent work try it the other way round

HDA is the front panel audio connectors.

What mobo are you using?

EDIT : If its the P5Q are you using the Q-connector? i found that this didnt connect the cables correctly on my 680i board, it had you connecting the cable ther wrong way round.

smids · 27 May 2009 at 23:26

HDA and AC'97 are audio headers for front headphone/mic connectors.

You'll need something like HDD LED as above.

james.miller · 27 May 2009 at 23:30

are you sure it isnt already plugged in? check that its not plugged in the wrong way 'round lol

valdai · 27 May 2009 at 23:32

Thanks Meatloaf that did the trick. I had them plugged in but sure enough they were the wrong way round. I actually had power and HDD ones wrong way round so I hadn't really spotted the LEDs there until today.

If you don't mind me asking, what's a Q-connector? Kinda like a raised version of the pins below to join all the disparate ones together?

Thanks for all the quick replies everyone.

MeatLoaf · 27 May 2009 at 23:38

valdai said:
Thanks Meatloaf that did the trick. I had them plugged in but sure enough they were the wrong way round. I actually had power and HDD ones wrong way round so I hadn't really spotted the LEDs there until today.

If you don't mind me asking, what's a Q-connector? Kinda like a raised version of the pins below to join all the disparate ones together?

Thanks for all the quick replies everyone.

Glad that did the trick for you. The Q-connector is a little block that you plug your cables into and then connect the whole lot to the mobo. Nice idea in theory but i found it had you connecting stuff the wrong way round