A home computer user studies the computer and cries in frustration to you, ʺHow can I connect the ribbon cable if the connector on the motherboard does not have a pin 1.ʺ You look at the connector site on the motherboard and confirm the observation. You say, ʺIt looks like there is only a 40 there.ʺ From the items given, pick the most logical next step.
A) Remove the motherboard, turn it over, and look for a square solder joint at the connector site.
B) Replace the motherboard with one that has better documentation.
C) Turn the ribbon cable around so that the arrow on the ribbon cable is on the opposite end of the pin marked with a 40 and connect it to the motherboard.
D) Purchase the correct cable for use on the motherboard.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If the connector on the motherboard lacks a pin 1, then the ribbon cable may be connected in reverse orientation by simply flipping it over so that the arrow on the ribbon cable is on the other end of the pin marked with a 40. This aligns the wire positions correctly and ensures that the signals are sent to the corresponding pins on the motherboard. This is a common solution for connecting ribbon cables when the pin orientation is unclear or the connector lacks a pin 1. Option A is not necessary since the solution doesn't involve any modification to the motherboard. Option B is unnecessary and costly since many motherboards may not have better documentation. Option D may provide the right solution but is not the best one in this case because it requires finding and ordering the correct cable, which may take time and money.

A Home Computer User Studies the Computer and Cries in Frustration