When I took the CompTIA PenTest+ beta exam in late June, I had to switch out the editing PC
for the test PC.
The test PC had a clean install of Windows 10 that allowed the exam software to find the microphone and the webcam.
Since I had so many USB cables coming off the editing PC, I had to sort out which cables
were keyboard, mouse, and webcam.
I was also running out of USB ports in the back.
I'm going to install and troubleshoot the Orico USB 3.0 add-in card to add more ports
and reorganize my USB cables.
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Before we deep dive into today’s topic, a disclaimer that this video is not a paid a promotion.
I bought the Orico USB 3.0 add-in card with my own money.
Orico provided no compensation and/or editorial guidance for this video.
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Orico has several different models of their USB 3.0 add-in card.
I got the seven-port model because it had two features that I didn't want.
The two-, four- and five-port add-in cards have an internal header for two ports and a Molex power connector.
The seven-port add-in card didn't have an internal header, but it had a SATA power connector.
I got a 12" SATA extension cable since I didn't need the included Molex-to-SATA adapter cable.
Since I wanted the most USB ports, I didn't take into consideration the horizontal port layout
and the width of the PCIe slots for my case.
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When I booted up the editing PC with the installed USB add-in card, the BIOS halted on a VGA error.
Since I had an MSI Tomahawk X570 motherboard, I had to change the PCH Gen Switch from AUTO to PCIe Gen3.
That setting is in Advanced Mode, under Settings, Advanced, and PCI Subsystem Settings.
Since I had a PCIe Gen3 video card, I set it to PCIe Gen3.
With that setting changed, the PC booted up immediately.
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I had the USB add-in card installed in the top PCIe 1x slot that's below the GPU slot.
I wanted to the cables for the USB add-in card to be close to the other USB ports.
That was fine if I had the case laying on its side.
Once I put the case upright, the video card had a slight sag that it leaned over the USB add-in card.
When I booted up the PC, the top corner of the USB add-in card clipped the fan blades on the video card.
Since I didn't have an anti-sag bracket to prop up the video card, I dropped the USB add-in card
to bottom PCIe 1x slot.
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That's when I discovered that the Cougar MX330-G case has narrow PCIe slots.
All the horizontal USB ports were inaccessible for plugging in any cables.
There are several solutions for this problem.
Return the USB add-in card for one with vertical USB ports.
Get a new case with wide PCIe slots.
Or I can cut a wider slot with a rotary tool.
I have a TackLife rotary tool kit that cost $40 USD on Amazon.
I used the cutting blade to remove the bottom side of the bottom PCIe slot in ten minutes.
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With the Orico USB add-in card installed, I was able to divide my cable bundle into three smaller bundles.
The first bundle was keyboard, mouse, and webcam.
The second bundle had power, network, and video.
The third bundle had everything else that plugs into the USB add-in card.
That's it for today's show.
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Thank you for watching!
(♫ cinematic music ♫)