Motherboard+components

back Motherboard Components

Motherboard

The motherboard is the main printed circuit board and contains the buses, or electrical pathways, found in a computer. These buses

allow data to travel between the various components that comprise a computer. Figure 1 shows a variety of motherboards. A

motherboard is also known as the system board, the backplane, or the main board. The motherboard includes the following

components:



Expansion slots

Expansion slots are used to install adapter cards on the motherboard. The type of adapter card connector must go with the expansion

slot. There are different types of expansion slots such as:

Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) :

This is older technology and is rarely used. It is an 8-bit or 16-bit expansion slot.

Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA)

Is a 32-bit expansion slot. It is also older technology and is seldom used.

Microchannel Architecture (MCA)

Is an IBM-proprietary 32-bit expansion slot. This is also older technology and is rarely used.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">is a 32-bit or 64-bit expansion slot. PCI is the standard slot presently used in most computers.



<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Advanced Graphics Port (AGP)

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">is a 32-bit expansion slot. AGP is made for video adapters.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">PCI-Express

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">PCI-Express is a serial bus expansion slot. PCI-Express is backward well-matched with PCI parallel slot. PCI-Express has x1, x4, x8, and x16 slots.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Chipest

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">An important set of components on the motherboard is the chipset. The chipset is composed of various integrated circuits attached to the motherboard that control how system hardware interacts with the CPU and motherboard. The CPU is installed into a slot or socket on the motherboard. The socket on the motherboard determines the type of CPU that can be installed.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">The chipset of a motherboard allows the CPU to communicate and interact with the other components of the computer, and to exchange data with system memory, or ﻿RAM, hard disk drives, video cards, and other output devices. The chipset establishes how much memory can be added to a motherboard. The chipset also determines the type of connectors on the motherboard.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Most chipsets are divided into two distinct components, Northbridge and Southbridge. What each component does varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. In general, the Northbridge controls access to the RAM, video card, and the speeds at which the CPU can communicate with them. The video card is sometimes integrated into the Northbridge. AMD and Intel have chips that integrate the memory controller onto the CPU die, which improves performance and power consumption. The Southbridge, in most cases, allows the CPU to communicate with the hard drives, sound card, USB ports, and other I/O port s.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">CPU socket

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">The CPU socket slot is the connector that interfaces between the motherboard and the processor itself. Most CPU sockets and processors in use today are built around the pin grid array (PGA) architecture, in which the pins on the underside of the processor are inserted into the socket. Slot-based processors are cartridge-shaped and fit into a slot that looks similar to an expansion slot.



<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Internal Connectors

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">IDE – Integrated Drive Electronics, also called Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA) is an early drive controller interface that connects computers and hard disk drives. It uses a 40-pin connector.



<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">EIDE – Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics, also called ATA-2, is an updated version of the IDE drive controller interface. EIDE supports hard drives larger than 512 MB, enables Direct Memory Access (DMA) for speed, and uses the AT Attachment Packet Interface (ATAPI) to accommodate optical drives and tape drives on the EIDE bus. An EIDE interface uses a 40-pin connector.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">PATA – Parallel ATA is an absolute interface standard for connection of storage devices such as hard disks, solid-state drives and CD-ROM drives in computers.



<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">SATA – Serial ATA refers is a computer bus interface for connecting hard disk drives. It was made to change the older ATS standard.



<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">SCSI – Small Computer System Interface is a drive controller interface that can connect up to 15 drives. SCSI can connect both internal and external drives. An SCSI interface uses a 50-pin, 68-pin, or 80-pin connector.



<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Peripheral port and external connectors:

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Serial Ports and Cables

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">A serial port can be either a DB-9 or a DB-25 male connector. Serial ports transmit one bit of data at a time. A Serial cable must be

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">used when connecting a serial device, such as a modem or printer. It has a maximum length of 50 feet (15.2 m).



<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">USB Ports and Cables

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a standard interface that connects peripheral devices to a computer. It was initially designed to replace serial and parallel connections. USB devices are hot-swappable, which means that users can connect and disconnect the devices when the computer is powered on. USB connections can be found on computers, cameras, printers, scanners, storage devices, and many other electronic devices. A USB hub is used to connect multiple USB devices. A single USB port in a computer can support up to 127 separate devices with the use of multiple USB hubs. Some devices can also be powered through the USB port, without the need for an external power source.



<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">FireWire Ports and Cables

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">FireWire is a high-speed, hot-swappable interface that connects peripheral devices to a computer. A single FireWire port in a computer can support up to 63 devices. Some devices can also be powered through the FireWire port, eliminating the need for an external power source. FireWire uses the IEEE 1394 standard and is also known as i.Link. The IEEE 1394a standard supports data rates up to 400 Mbps and cable lengths up to 15 feet (4.5 m). This standard uses a 6-pin connector or a 4-pin connector. The IEEE 1394b standard supports data rates in excess of 800 Mbps and uses a 9-pin connector.



<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Parallel Ports and Cables

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">A parallel port on a computer is a standard Type A DB-25 female connector. The parallel connector on a printer is a standard Type B 36-pin Centronics connector. Some newer printers may use a Type C high-density 36-pin connector. Parallel ports can transmit 8 bits of data at one time and use the IEEE 1284 standard. To connect a parallel device, such as a printer, a parallel cable must be used. A parallel cable has a maximum length of 15 feet (4.5 m).



<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Network Ports and Cables

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">A network port, also known as an RJ-45 port, connects a computer to a network. The connection speed depends on the type of network port. Standard Ethernet can transmit up to 10 Mbps, Fast Ethernet can transmit up to 100 Mbps, and Gigabit Ethernet can <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">transmit up to 1000 Mbps. The maximum length of network cable is 328 feet (100 m). <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">



<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">PS/2 Ports

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">A PS/2 port connects a keyboard or a mouse to a computer. The PS/2 port is a 6-pin mini-DIN female connector. The connectors for <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">the keyboard and mouse are often colored differently. If the ports are not color-coded, look for a small figure of a mouse or keyboard next to each port.



<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Audio Ports <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">An audio port connects audio devices to the computer. The following audio ports are commonly used: <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">• Line In – Connects to an external source, such as a stereo system <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">• Microphone – Connects to a microphone <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">• Line Out – Connects to speakers or headphones <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">• Gameport/MIDI – Connects to a joystick or MIDI-interfaced device.



<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Video Ports and Connectors

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">A video port connects a monitor cable to a computer. There are several video port and connector types:



<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Video Graphics Array (VGA) – VGA has a 3-row 15-pin female connector and provides analog output to a monitor.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Digital Visual Interface (DVI) – DVI has a 24-pin female connector or a 29-pin female connector and provides a compressed digital output to a monitor.DVI-I provides both analog and digital signals. DVI-D provides digital signals only.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMi) – HDMi has a 19-pin connector and provides digital video and digital audio signals.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">S-Video – S-Video has a 4-pin connector and provides analog video signals.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Component/RGB – RGB has three shielded cables (red, green, blue) with RCA jacks and provides analog video signals.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">BIOS Chip

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">BIOS is an acronym which stands for basic input output system. The BIOS chip is an essential part of a PC. It has many important functions which mostly relate to booting the computer.The BIOS chip starts up the computer, loads basic drivers, loads the operating system, checks hardware systems, and loads other BIOS programs on the computer.



<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">CEMOS

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">CMOS is a kind of random access memory (RAM). Random access memory is volatile memory, which means it does not remain stored if the power is turned off. However, the CMOS requires very little power. That small on-board battery is all it needs to maintain the hardware settings for your PC for years even though the power to the PC itself is off. CMOS chips pass information to the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) when the computer is turned on (called bootup). CMOS stores information such as boot order (the order the computer looks for information, such as A drive first, C drive second, and so on), real-time system clock, calendar settings, hardware passwords, hard drive configuration settings, and the installed memory (RAM). Essentially the CMOS chip stores data for the BIOS so that a computer can boot up properly.



<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Summary


 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">The motherboard is the main board which connects the components together and supply power to some parts.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">It contains of many components such as: expansion slots, bios chip, chipset, sockets, internal and external connectors and CEMOS.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">Each of the components has specific function or role in operating the computer .For instance, the expansion slots used to installed adapter cards in to increase the functionality of the computer while the chipset allow the communication to happen between CPU and other components.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Resources:

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">[]

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 90%;">CISCO Networking Academy Program Website