I'm assembling my first PC using a Fractal Design Core 1000 USB 3.0 case and a Lenovo IH61M motherboard that I bought second hand, while my PSU is new. I've run into a couple of problems that I could really use some help with.
First, I'm struggling with the connectors. For instance, the HD-Audio cable has a pin layout that looks like this:
OOOOO
OOO O
But when I try to connect it to the F_Audio slot on the motherboard, it has a different layout:
I I I I I I i (I - pin i - no pin)
I I I I I I I
This mismatch seems to apply to most of the connectors. Should I be looking to replace the case or the motherboard?
Secondly, I can't find an online manual for the motherboard. The only manual I managed to find is hosted on Scribd and is behind a paywall. This could be a result of its age, but I'm not sure. I would love some guidance on these issues!
1 Answer
It sounds like there might be a compatibility issue between your case and motherboard. The HD_AUDIO header is standardized for most cases and motherboards, but sometimes older boards have different connectors, like the AC'97. Since yours seems to be an older model, there might be proprietary elements at play. Have you checked if that Lenovo board is from a pre-built system? It could have non-standard connectors.
Also, if you're having trouble confirming this, you might want to upload some photos to an image hosting site like Imgur and share the links here for better assistance!

Yeah, the older motherboards can have some strange setups. You definitely should check if you've got the AC'97 header since that could be your issue. You might need a new motherboard if there are any special proprietary connections.