THE NICE THING ABOUT STANDARDS IS THAT THERE ARE SO MANY OF THEMĪlthough Intel has defined a standard front-panel connector block and uses that standard for its own motherboards, few other motherboard makers adhere to that standard. It's often helpful to press gently against the edge of the template with the handle of a screwdriver or nut driver.
It should snap into place, although getting it to seat properly sometimes requires several attempts. When the I/O template is positioned properly, press gently along the edges to seat it in the cutout, as shown in Figure 4-15. Working from inside the case, align the bottom, right, and left edges of the I/O template with the matching case cutout. If the old motherboard is still good, put the old template with it for possible use later.Ĭompare the new I/O template with the back-panel I/O ports on the new motherboard to make sure they correspond. The best way to remove an I/O template without damaging it (or the case) is to use a screwdriver handle to press gently against the template from outside the case, while using your fingers to support the template from inside the case until the template snaps out. Unless the current template matches the port layout on the new motherboard, you'll need to remove the old template.
If so, use a brush and vacuum cleaner to remove that dirt before you proceed further.Įvery motherboard comes with a back-panel I/O template. Removing the motherboard may expose more dirt.