I recently put a system together for a friend using among other components an Intel VC-820 motherboard. Although this particular motherboard has two available integrated USB ports in the rear, it does not offer any type of additional connections for USB ports on the motherboard itself. The case I used also has two USB ports on the front and are wired internally for such. My question: Is there some sort of add-on, perhaps a pci card or such to enable the two 'dead' USB ports on the front of the PC case? He doesn't necessarily need the type of PCI card that adds two or more USB ports to the back. Just something to enable the front ports. (For Digital Cameras, etc.) Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I don't think such a thing exists, but you could probably retrofit a PCI USB card if you really want to. I would probably just go with a powered hub, it would be cheaper and give him more ports....

Take a look at this (http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?DEPA=&submit=Go&description=soyo+usb+internal) (second on the list). If you look at the pictures, it comes with a USB PCI card that offers only internal USB connectors. And two of them!

If your friend's case has both front USB ports on one internal cable connector, then a cheaper USB PCI card would do (about $10-15 on Newegg) as they offer both external and internal USB ports for cheaper (just one internal connector, tho).

Thanks so much for the quick replies. I had initially suggested a 4-port USB hub to this guy, and your suggestions not only reinforced what I had originally told him, but also offered an alternate method to add ports to the front of the unit. This place is the greatest!
photogr4

saphalline,

I stand (or actually sit) corrected...:eek: :eek:

photogr4,

I am glad my suggestion seems to have been helpful even though I was wrong....:rolleyes: :p

even though I was wrong....:rolleyes: :p Not wrong, Budfred, you just needed a BIOS update! :D :p