- Dec 12, 2009
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Disclaimer: To experienced computer builders the below may seem obvious, but hoping to save those less experienced some time when buying the ASUS P8P67 Deluxe motherboard to install in a Cooler Master HAF X case.
While the CM HAF X is a very nice case, and the ASUS P8P67 Deluxe is a very nice motherboard, a small problem occurs when trying to mount the box into the case. The problem is the HAF X does not include any 3.5" bays in the front to mount the USB 3.0 box supplied by ASUS with the motherboard, and which provide access to USB 3.0. The HAF X does however provide two long thick blue cables attached to the USB 3.0 ports already pre-installed on the front of the case.
But the cable attached to the box is very short, limiting how and where you can install it. So I imagine many people will just leave the box flopping around loose, or not install USB 3.0 at all.
There is a work around, and I managed to get it installed by using one internal 3.5" bay instead, and then connecting the two long blue cables to the ports on the box. There are a couple of tricks to make this work:
1) Remove the second hard drive tray from the second 3.5" internal bay down, leaving the first for your main drive. You could also move things around and use the top bay for this, which would give you a bit more slack on the box cable once it is plugged into the motherboard.
2) Remove all four metal pins from the white rubber washer/grommets in the tray, leaving the white rubber intact. The pins pull straight out pretty easily.
3) Install the drive in reverse with just two screws, with the ports facing the back of the case, and the cable side of the box facing you. The key here is to line up the port side (now the back after turning it around) of the box with the edge of the back of the tray until you get those two end screw holes on the box to align with those two end screw holes of the tray going through the white rubber grommets. The other screw holes don't line up in the tray, but 2 screws will hold it fine.
Get the screws from your bag of screws included with the HAF X, and use the smaller threaded ones to do this. Note that you will have to tighten down pretty good and they will distort the grommets some, but if you want the screw heads to clear the tray rails properly, this must be done. You'll see.
The back (the port side) of the box must line up with the back of the tray- too far back and you can't close the case with the blue cables plugged in- too far forward and the short box cable won't reach the motherboard.
4) Once you have the box in the tray, then carefully slide the tray into the rail on the case. If it's not going in, you didn't tighten the screws down enough, or you are not aligning it right. Try again. The port side of the box should now be facing the cable side of the case, and the cable from the box you are holding is what you have to route next.
5) Snake the box cable up through the hole in the left side of the same 3.5" bay, and you will see it just makes it to the USB 3.0 multi pin connector on the motherboard. Once routed, plug the box cable into the motherboard in the provided USB 3.0 connector, and then shut the tray clip.
6) Now remove the other cover of the HAF X, and route your long blue cables the best way you can to leave the slack in the cable slack cover at the bottom of the case. For me, it worked to initially route ALL case cables to the lower most opening in the motherboard tray, and then feed cables through where needed. Same with the blue USB 3.0 cables. Once routed simply plug them in to the ports, replace both covers, and you now have working USB 3.0 ports on the HAF X (assuming you have the controller enabled in the BIOS.)
While the CM HAF X is a very nice case, and the ASUS P8P67 Deluxe is a very nice motherboard, a small problem occurs when trying to mount the box into the case. The problem is the HAF X does not include any 3.5" bays in the front to mount the USB 3.0 box supplied by ASUS with the motherboard, and which provide access to USB 3.0. The HAF X does however provide two long thick blue cables attached to the USB 3.0 ports already pre-installed on the front of the case.
But the cable attached to the box is very short, limiting how and where you can install it. So I imagine many people will just leave the box flopping around loose, or not install USB 3.0 at all.
There is a work around, and I managed to get it installed by using one internal 3.5" bay instead, and then connecting the two long blue cables to the ports on the box. There are a couple of tricks to make this work:
1) Remove the second hard drive tray from the second 3.5" internal bay down, leaving the first for your main drive. You could also move things around and use the top bay for this, which would give you a bit more slack on the box cable once it is plugged into the motherboard.
2) Remove all four metal pins from the white rubber washer/grommets in the tray, leaving the white rubber intact. The pins pull straight out pretty easily.
3) Install the drive in reverse with just two screws, with the ports facing the back of the case, and the cable side of the box facing you. The key here is to line up the port side (now the back after turning it around) of the box with the edge of the back of the tray until you get those two end screw holes on the box to align with those two end screw holes of the tray going through the white rubber grommets. The other screw holes don't line up in the tray, but 2 screws will hold it fine.
Get the screws from your bag of screws included with the HAF X, and use the smaller threaded ones to do this. Note that you will have to tighten down pretty good and they will distort the grommets some, but if you want the screw heads to clear the tray rails properly, this must be done. You'll see.
The back (the port side) of the box must line up with the back of the tray- too far back and you can't close the case with the blue cables plugged in- too far forward and the short box cable won't reach the motherboard.
4) Once you have the box in the tray, then carefully slide the tray into the rail on the case. If it's not going in, you didn't tighten the screws down enough, or you are not aligning it right. Try again. The port side of the box should now be facing the cable side of the case, and the cable from the box you are holding is what you have to route next.
5) Snake the box cable up through the hole in the left side of the same 3.5" bay, and you will see it just makes it to the USB 3.0 multi pin connector on the motherboard. Once routed, plug the box cable into the motherboard in the provided USB 3.0 connector, and then shut the tray clip.
6) Now remove the other cover of the HAF X, and route your long blue cables the best way you can to leave the slack in the cable slack cover at the bottom of the case. For me, it worked to initially route ALL case cables to the lower most opening in the motherboard tray, and then feed cables through where needed. Same with the blue USB 3.0 cables. Once routed simply plug them in to the ports, replace both covers, and you now have working USB 3.0 ports on the HAF X (assuming you have the controller enabled in the BIOS.)
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