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220-1201 Practice Question: During a hardware installation, a technician…
During a hardware installation, a technician needs to connect the front panel USB 3.0 ports of a new case to the motherboard. The motherboard has a 20-pin USB 3.0 header. Which cable from the case should be connected to this header?
⚠ Common exam trap
220-1201 often tests whether candidates can match front-panel connector pin counts and labels to the correct motherboard headers, exploiting confusion between similar-looking 9-pin, 10-pin, and 20-pin connectors.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
A 20-pin (19-pin) USB 3.0 cable
The motherboard's 20-pin USB 3.0 header (often described as 19-pin because one pin is keyed/blocked) is designed to connect to the case's front-panel USB 3.0 cable, which terminates in a matching 20-pin (19-pin) connector. This is the standard internal USB 3.0 front-panel header defined by the Intel specification.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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A 9-pin USB 2.0 cable
Why it's wrong here
A 9-pin USB 2.0 cable is designed to connect to a motherboard's internal USB 2.0 header, which typically provides two USB 2.0 ports. This header uses a 2x5 pin configuration (with one pin often blocked for keying), making it physically incompatible with the larger 20-pin (19-pin) USB 3.0 header. Attempting to force this connection would likely damage both the cable and the motherboard header due to the significant difference in pin count and layout.
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A 4-pin power LED cable
Why it's wrong here
A 4-pin power LED cable is specifically for connecting the system's power indicator light from the front panel to the motherboard's dedicated front panel header. This cable carries low-voltage electrical signals to illuminate an LED, not high-speed data. Its small, distinct connector and pinout are entirely different from any USB data header, rendering it unsuitable for establishing a USB data connection.
- ✗
A 10-pin audio cable
Why it's wrong here
A 10-pin audio cable, typically conforming to HD Audio or AC'97 standards, is used to connect the front panel headphone and microphone jacks to the motherboard's internal audio header. This header provides analog audio signals and ground connections, which are fundamentally different in purpose and electrical characteristics from the digital data and power lines required for a USB connection. The connector type and pin arrangement are also distinct, preventing any cross-compatibility.
- ✓
A 20-pin (19-pin) USB 3.0 cable
Why this is correct
The 20-pin (often referred to as 19-pin due to a blocked keying pin) USB 3.0 cable is the correct and standard connector for interfacing front panel USB 3.0 ports with the motherboard. This cable provides the necessary SuperSpeed data lines (up to 5 Gbps) and power connections. Its specific physical design and pinout ensure proper electrical communication and mechanical fit with the motherboard's internal USB 3.0 header, enabling full functionality for connected USB 3.0 devices.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
RAM Installation and Dual-Channel Configuration
Key term
Motherboard
The main circuit board inside a computer that connects all components so they can communicate with each other and receive power.
Key term
Universal Serial Bus
A Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a standard interface that allows you to connect devices like keyboards, mice, storage drives, and printers to a computer for data transfer and power delivery.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
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