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The PC build took a wrong turn due to USB 3.0 headers.

I recently started a new PC build, and while it's mostly been going okay, I've run into a couple of snags that I thought I'd share. These are the kinds of things that remind you that building a PC isn't always as simple as building with Legos, as I have said and some others might say. 

Check out the related YouTube video for more information. 


I made some... interesting choices. For example, I initially went with a ~90mm heatsink for the AMD Ryzen 9900x CPU due to size concerns around the socket and the depth of the case. I realized pretty quickly that a 120mm would probably be better, at least for keeping things quiet. The smaller one's good enough to get things up and running, though.

The start of showing the new PC build with the parts listed.

Close up showing of the CPU fan and heatsink.

Everything functions. So far. But then the big problem of my own making.


The USB 3.0 Header Issue

The biggest issue I encountered was with the USB 3.0 header for the case. I'm using a Fractal Design Focus G, which is a pretty budget-friendly case. Honestly, I'm not entirely sure if the problem is with the case or the motherboard itself.

The Fractal Design Focus G User Guide and the offending USB 3.0 connector.

I plugged in the USB 3.0 header, and it went in fine. My mistake was trying to remove it. This thing was really stuck into the motherboard's side port. The Fractal case connector has deep clips on both sides, and the amount of force required to get it out was ridiculous.

Close up of the front panel and damaged USB 3.0 connector cable.

I'm pretty sure the motherboard is okay, thankfully. This really highlights how some connectors, especially USB 3.0 headers, can have terrible designs and be of low quality.

I'm considering contacting Fractal to see if they'll send a replacement (Update: it worked out and they sent a replacement which I'll talk about in a future article)

My advice? If you're building a PC, be very careful with these USB 3.0 headers. If possible, plug it in once. Make sure your cable routing is perfect before that final connection. It might save you a lot of headache.

MSI x670e Gaming Wi-Fi motherboard. That is the USB port I initially connected the case to.

I initially used the side header with an MSI x670e Gaming Wi-Fi motherboard. The main reason I wanted to remove it in the first place was to swap it with another connector for better cable management and easier future access. I have a USB 3.0 UHS-II memory card reader that goes into one of the expansion bays of the case. 


The Cheap Noisy Fans

Besides the USB 3.0 header issue, I also discovered that one of my Thermalright fans sounds pretty terrible. 

The back 120mm fan set to exhaust. 

I'm going to swap it out, thankfully. I have a few extra 120mm and 140mm fans lying around. Hopefully, it's just a faulty unit of the multiple Thermalright fans I bought. 


Lessons Learned (Again?)

It's been about eight years since my last complete PC build from new parts. It's possible I had dealt with crappy USB 3 headers years ago, but issues like these are a good reminder that:


  • You tend to get what you pay for. The case was $35 on Black Friday. 
  • Cable management is an important consideration because sometimes having to move a cable might not be as easy as it should be. 
  • Sometimes, you get what you pay for (cheap case, maybe cheap connectors?).
  • Always try to have backup components for testing purposes, or be prepared to order and wait for replacements. Especially true for components that are not super expensive like fans. 

The old Intel i7-6700 CPU based build that is still going strong. I'm thinking of using it for photo processing and/or AI stuff. 

I've already installed Windows 11, and the RAM seems okay, but I'll be running MemTest86 on it just in case.

Anyways, that's the update for now. Just a word of caution about USB 3.0 headers and a reminder that even experienced PC builders can run into unexpected problems. 

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