Internal 9 pin usb header to male usb 2 plug?

[Music Guy123]

Hi there,

I am very good at posting threads in the wrong place so, if this thread is in the wrong place, I apologise in advance.

Anyway, I have a mem card reader with a 9 pin internal usb header. I need to convert it to a normal male usb 2 plug but am just wondering what wires would lead to where! Here are some other images that could help! I can see that this may not be possible, I hope it isn't too much of a noob idea but I am sure someone here can help ! Anyway, here are the additional pics if they help at all!

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and

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Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[vierasniper]

So instead of of connecting into the prongs, you want to connect the prongs into something? is that about right?

 

[Music Guy123]

Firstly, thank you for replying, much appreciated. No, basically I have a men card reader and it has a 9 pin internal header, the USB ones. I am unable to plug it in internally for various reasons. Therefore, I am going to have to connect it using a normal USB 2 plug, like the ones you see on mice and keyboards. The problem is that the male plug has 4 connections, the internal one has 9. However, the connections are very similar ad you can see from the pics i gave. I need to remove the internal header and replace it with a normal plug. Problem is I don't know where the wires would go. Would using two USB male plugs work?

I hope this makes it clear, sorry for being confusing! Thank you very much for replying.

Music Guy

 

[CB]

Hi Music Guy
For what you are asking, the answer is technically yes. There is a workout to manipulate it, but a lot of thing to make sure first.

• How many pin are wired from your card reader? Mostly only four needed from two rows (the original pict might do). Unless your card reader use all 8 pins (one is blank)
• Are you familiar working with a multitester and soldering?
• Do you have any USB plug (mostly unavailable at PC store). Have to cut any unused USB extension cable.

If you are compeletely sure, I can provide you assistance. But bear in mind, any mistake on putting the cable on the wrong direction is definitely a disaster though it's only 4 pins, first to the card reader, and the main board USB regulator follows.

Actually Vierasniper have the point. If you manage to open the case and find any free USB header. You are out of any possible trouble.

Kevin.

 

[vierasniper]

Kevin is right, it can be done but its time consuming and you cant mess it up. so i looked up your motherboard, and this is on a laptop?

 

[Music Guy123]

Yes, I don't think I explained the situation very well, sorry! My friend has an old mem card reader that has a 9 pin usb header. I want to be able to connect it to my laptop, our home desktop and other laptops. I will find out how many pins are actually connected to wires for you guys. I am very familiar with soldering and can test stuff although I don't have a multitester. I do have a usb plug, well, several of them. Thank you both for your help so far, plus reppies are on the way!

 

[alphanumeric]

The motherboard header is actually two USB ports. You'll have to look at the cable on the card reader to see if it uses two ports.

This is the pinout for my motherboards USB header.

1 2 3 4 5
o o o o o
o o o o
6 7 8 9

1 = +5V
2 = Data -
3 = Data +
4 = Ground
5 = No Connection (used as a keyway)

6 = +5V
7 = Data -
8 = Data +
9 + Ground

As far as the cable goes: USB pinout and wiring @ pinouts.ru

 

[vierasniper]

The motherboard header is actually two USB ports. You'll have to look at the cable on the card reader to see if it uses two ports.

This is the pinout for my motherboards USB header.

1 2 3 4 5
o o o o o
o o o o
6 7 8 9

1 = +5V
2 = Data -
3 = Data +
4 = Ground
5 = No Connection (used as a keyway)

6 = +5V
7 = Data -
8 = Data +
9 + Ground

As far as the cable goes: USB pinout and wiring @ pinouts.ru

This is it right here, this is legit.

 

[bassfisher6522]

I found this so far...

Amazon.com: StarTech USB A to USB Motherboard 4-Pin Header F/F 2.0 Cable, 6" (USBMBADAPT): Electronics

 

[Music Guy123]

@alphanumeric, thank you very much. That is incredibly helpful. So I guess that I just use to male USB plugs then?

@bassfisher6522, thank you, the only problem is that only has a 4 pin header.

Overall, I guess I have to use two USB plugs then. Is that right? Thank you very much for all the help so far, it is much appreciated!

 

[alphanumeric]

Keep in mind that what I posted is the header on the motherboard, not the plug on the end of your cable. If you look at your plug from the back, where the wires go in, it should match up. If you look at it from the side with all the holes in it, it will be a mirror image. If your plug only has 4 wires in it, you only need one USB cable. If it has all 8 then you likely need to use two. You might get real lucky and just have to match the colors of the wires, Red, white, green, black. Unsolder them one at a time, swap wires, re-solder.

 

[Music Guy123]

Thank you very much, yes, I had thought about that it being a mirror! The ninth slot should help
me orientate it though. I have found that there are 8 cables. I don't think they are colour coded though. So looks like it is going to be two USB plugs then. Thank you very much for your help everyone, much appreciated!

 

[Music Guy123]

I have just got a reply from my friend, they are colour coded red, green, black an White. It shouldn't be too hard then! Now have got to fork out a pound to pay him for the card reader lol!

 

[CB]

Music Guy.
Sorry I just found my way back to this thread. But I see you are getting more than enough help here already.

Yes, mostly USB cable are color coded as you can see here,



But in making new connection, do not rely on it. You have to personally find the way to make sure you connect the right cable (instead of color) to the right pin at every step. More, to avoid losing the way, cut only one cable on every step also. Confirm it with available Ohmmeter (multimeter)
Here is the clue,



Do notice that the "ground" pin is close to the blank pin (on the 9 pin assembly). No 4 on the pict.

Hope it give you more ease to work it out

Kevin

 

[Music Guy123]

Thank you very much for that, the colour chart especially was very helpful. I am sure I will be fine, I know what each of the slots in the header are for so will probably check the colours and if they are right, will cut it 4 at a time, do one plug at a time. Thank you all again, I think I have got it now! When I complete it, will post again with pics! Thank you all very much.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

When you can go out and purchase a usb card reader for under 10.00usd I'm not sure this is much more than an opportunity to learn, but to me the one wrong move would have me wondering why I toasted a mobo for a card reader.
Iogear GFR209 12-in-1 Pocket Card ReaderWriter - USB, up to 480 Mbps, PCMAC Compatible at TigerDirect

 

[Music Guy123]

True but, I can get a 52in1 memory card reader for 1 UK pound. That is nothing! It is well worth the try imo! I don't think it will toast the mobo, infact, it will probs do me a favour lol!

 

[alphanumeric]

If you get the Data + and - back wards all that "should" happen is you get a "unrecognized USB device" or similar message. USB ports are overload protected but I still wouldn't want to test getting the +5V and Ground leads reversed. If you did I would expect the card reader to suffer the consequences not the motherboard. I'd still be careful, its been my experience that what you think should happen, and what actually does happen are often two different things.

 

[Music Guy123]

Haha, yeah, that is true. If the card reader does get damaged, hey, £1, not a great deal. If it works well...hooray. If it fails, I would have thought the worst thing that could happen is the USB contoller gets damaged do you think or would it damage the whole mobo? I guess if it does fry the mobo, at least it gives me an excuse to get a new lappy !

 

[alphanumeric]

Its hard to say what will get toasted if you botch the wiring job. I know if I was doing it I would want to be doubly sure I got it right before I plugged it in.