SpcCdr

I thought I would share a mod I just did!
Premise:
For anyone that might want to utilize the Readyboost Feature, but, doesn't want to tie up one of their precious front/top case USB ports or have their BoostDrive hanging out of their rear I/O panel.

I guess you could just internally add a standard USB to External PCI slot USB! but, why have that flopping around all fuggly inside your Baby?
With this relatively simple mod, you can make it neat and tidy!

Tools/supplies
1 PCI slot USB connector (Doesn't everyone have at least one of these laying around?!)
razor blade/ very sharp knife/ fine serration "steak knife"- Ginsu®
soldering iron/ solder
shrink tube (various sizes) (Color of choice) (I used what I had handy; plain-Ol' Black)
Heat Gun


OK, lets get started:
Piccs are pretty self explanatory;

Vanilla PCI slot USB port


Mine came with an el cheapo plastic housing which held the two halves together with clips, If yours is "Nice" you may need to "saw" it in half. (Steak knife)
Remove the housing, and, also clip off the "I/O Shield"



Now Carefully separate the two wires by cutting down the middle



Now, Very Carefully slice down the length of the cable you want to work on, and remove the outer plastic. DO NOT mess with the woven metal sheathing yet!
[Edit] Next few Piccys came out fuzzy- even on Macro

You should have something like



Jot down the wiring sequence( It helps to reference the sheathing/wire "wired" to "pin 5")
Note the clipped off I/O shield



Now de-solder & clean your Terminals!



Now, cut your wire(s) to desired length. ( I wanted mine to come out from the USB header, drop directly down towards the edge of the MoBo and then bend 90° to mount along the edge.




Now, it's time for your shrink tube, (Notice I cut two pieces of the skinniest inner tube- to allow my 90° bend. Cut your pieces as you
want them!)




Now, strip and prep your wires and resolder them to your USB port.



Remember the "5th wire" intertwined with the weave sheathing- Make sure this is properly insulated and separated away from any possible contact with the other 4 wires.


Almost there Kids
Something like:

Now slide your shrinky into place (sounds naughty)

Using your Heat Gun- shrink them down one at a time.
(A Hair dryer will work in an emergency), -or for you single guys with no access to hair products -use your Ray Gun/ LASER Crossbow/ Light Sabre etc.
Or, your Soldering Iron will work too!
Just don't actually touch your shrinky with it.



Finished

Installed (temporarily- I'm waiting on my next MoBo build to do a "Hard Mount"
Flash

No Flash "Bling"


That's All Folks!

If you feel like it, it is just as easy/ easier to work with the "Header Block" end.
I tried both.
Same methodology

Just use your trusty/rusty Razor blade to slide under the retention "flap"of each pin- gently lift the flap and extract the pins from the "Header Block"; remove the pins from your wires (de-solder); Trim your wires to length, re-attach (solder) your pins, re-insert them into your block.
Sorted

I would strongly suggest you shrink wrap your USB port end anyway ; as it will be sort of "Naked" and could get into some dodgy business...
Your decision as to which end you want to play with.

Cheers All

My first Guide

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13 3 @ 7 l 3 13 0 y

pretty neat mod for anyone running vista with 1GB of RAM or less.
rep+

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Crazy9000

Yeah that is quite in-deph. I've been thinking about doing this for kicks, I'll be sure to refer to this if I do

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dr4gon

Cool trick. Could've just used the external vanilla USB port and just stick it somewhere inside and just hide it

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SpcCdr

Yeah, I mentioned that first off, but, that's not modding
Cheers

__________________
Not directed at Me Just Some Good Advice from CD!
CyberDruid; "..leave the trolling, swearing, baiting, flaming and emo-ing to MySpace or some other more suitable Forum like the NAMBLA chatrooms."

1st Shuttle Launch '08- Atlantis Lift off! Pictures; Endeavour Night Launch Watch Real Spacetech on NASA TV
The Bartender Paradox; "We've hardly begun looking for life on Mars.. less than a square kilometer so far...
This is like looking at your bathroom sink and declaring all of North America to be white, hard, and occasionally wet."

Cuinnton

Cool thats clean. I wounder if you can create your conection right on the motherbored. So your motherboared has its own internal USB port designed just for ready boost.

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SpcCdr

Eh?!?

ReadyBoost works on any USB port (on-board or external)
The Bollocks about running it is tying up an external port!

Just plug a qualified FlashDrive into any Hi-speed USB port-and you're good to go!

If it's internal- Bonus!
Not just for Vista with low RAM

You can actually do ReadyBoost under XP

Many-many Guides can be found online:
Just Google "ReadyBoost on XP"

First 1 found
etc.
etc..
etc...

Cheers

__________________
Not directed at Me Just Some Good Advice from CD!
CyberDruid; "..leave the trolling, swearing, baiting, flaming and emo-ing to MySpace or some other more suitable Forum like the NAMBLA chatrooms."

1st Shuttle Launch '08- Atlantis Lift off! Pictures; Endeavour Night Launch Watch Real Spacetech on NASA TV
The Bartender Paradox; "We've hardly begun looking for life on Mars.. less than a square kilometer so far...
This is like looking at your bathroom sink and declaring all of North America to be white, hard, and occasionally wet."