Assignment on Motherboard

Friday, January 14, 2011


            MDOTHERBOARD
A motherboard is the physical arrangement in a computer that contains the computer's basic circuitry and components. On the typical motherboard, the circuitry is imprinted or affixed to the surface of a firm planar surface and usually manufactured in a single step. The most common motherboard design in desktop computers today is the AT, based on the IBM AT motherboard. A more recent motherboard specification, ATX, improves on the AT design. In both the AT and ATX designs
A motherboard is the central printed circuit board (PCB) in many modern computers and holds many of the crucial components of the system, while providing connectors for other peripherals. The motherboard is sometimes alternatively known as the main board, system board, or, on Apple computers, the logic board. It is also sometimes casually shortened to mobo.
History :
Prior to the advent of the microprocessor, a computer was usually built in a card-cage case or mainframe with components connected by a backplane consisting of a set of slots themselves connected with wires; in very old designs the wires were discrete connections between card connector pins, but printed circuit boards soon became the standard practice. The Central Processing Unit, memory and peripherals were housed on individual printed circuit boards which plugged into the backplane.
During the late 1980s and 1990s, it became economical to move an increasing number of peripheral functions onto the motherboard (see below). In the late 1980s, motherboards began to include single ICs (called Super I/O chips) capable of supporting a set of low-speed peripherals: keyboard, mouse, floppy disk drive, serial ports, and parallel ports. As of the late 1990s, many personal computer motherboards supported a full range of audio, video, storage, and networking functions without the need for any expansion cards at all; higher-end systems for 3D gaming and computer graphics typically retained only the graphics card as a separate component.
The early pioneers of motherboard manufacturing were Michronics, Mylex, AMI, DTK, Hauppauge, Orchid Technology, Elitegroup, DFI, and a number of Taiwan-based manufacturers.
The most popular computers such as the Apple II and IBM PC had published schematic diagrams and other documentation which permitted rapid reverse-engineering and third-party replacement motherboards. Usually intended for building new computers compatible with the exemplars, many motherboards offered additional performance or other features and were used to upgrade the manufacturer's original equipment.
The term mainboard is archaically applied to devices with a single board and no additional expansions or capability. In modern terms this would include embedded systems and controlling boards in televisions, washing machines, etc. A motherboard specifically refers to a printed circuit with the capability to add/extend its performance.
Introduction To Motherboards :
The primary component of a computer is the motherboard (sometimes called the "mainboard"). The motherboard is the hub which is used to connect all of the computer's essential components. The most common motherboard architecture in the market today is ATX. ATX was introduced by Intel in 1995 and refers to the layout of the components and size of the actual PC's printed circuit board. Micro ATX (also known as mATX) is another commonly used main logic board that's designed with the ATX form factor. E-ATX, Baby ATX, uATX, BTX, DTX, ITX, mini ITX, and Pico ITX are other various motherboards ATX provides. In shopping for a motherboard, another key player in manufacturing is DFI. Established in 1981,DFI is a leading PC motherboard and embedded board manufacturer.Based out of Taiwan and headquartered in Hsi-Chih City, DFI is the ideal Wintel based platform provider for non-PC business as well as personal computer components. DFI has also built a market for gamers and enthusiast with their tweaking and over-clocking features on DFI's LANParty Series of motherboards.
As its name suggests, the motherboard acts as a "parent" board, which takes the form of a large printed circuit with connectors for expansion cards, memory modules, the processor, etc.
Overview :
              
A motherboard, like a backplane, provides the electrical connections by which the other components of the system communicate, but unlike a backplane, it also connects the central processing unit and hosts other subsystems and devices.
A typical desktop computer has its microprocessor, main memory, and other essential components connected to the motherboard. Other components such as external storage, controllers for video display and sound, and peripheral devices may be attached to the motherboard as plug-in cards or via cables, although in modern computers it is increasingly common to integrate some of these peripherals into the motherboard itself.
An important component of a motherboard is the microprocessor's supporting chipset, which provides the supporting interfaces between the CPU and the various buses and external components. This chipset determines, to an extent, the features and capabilities of the motherboard.
If you have normally avoided Intel original motherboards in your gaming rig, we don't blame you, as we shared a similar sentiment. Intel seemed to have taken notice (albeit after a long time) and have finally announced a refresh for their aging X58 platform.
The companies high end LGA1366 motherboard, the DX58SO "SmackOver" was released way back in November of 08 with the advent of the first Core i7 CPUs. The new motherboards, the DX58SO2 "SmackOver II" and its lite variant, the DX58OG. Theses boards come with the latest Rev. 13 X58 northbridge, all solid-state capacitors, support for the latest LGA1366 processor, USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s.
The DX58SO2 features six internal SATA 3Gb/s, two internal SATA 6 Gb/s and two eSATA 3Gb/s, two USB 3.0 ports, 8-channel HD audio and plenty of expansion slots that include three PCI-E 2.0 x16, two PCI-E x1 and one PCI. The lite version has the exact same PCB but with scaled down features. The VRM area has fewer phases, there are no eSATA ports and it features 6-channel audio instead of 8-channel. Both the boards will have new features like BIOS Vault Technology, Back-to-BIOS button, and a more efficient inter-phase load balancing mechanism.
Expect to see these boards at CES next week and availability should follow promptly. 
Since the motherboard is the heart of your PC, research and homework is always important so that the technology you seek can be designed just for you. Regardless of your technical savvy, choosing a motherboard never has to be a difficult task. The industry boasts an enormous variety of motherboard manufacturers, components and models. More still, each individual motherboard is compatible with either a specific Intel or AMD processor to move towards providing the technology for the personalized needs of every PC owner. Reading motherboard reviews and speaking with a knowledgeable professional about your specific requirements will also make your hunt for the perfect circuit board faster, efficient, and much less overwhelming.
A motherboard, also known as a logic board or system board, is the most important circuit board that makes up a complex electronic system, or, a modern computer. Motherboards have a basic purpose: to provide the electrical and logical connections for the other components to communicate. This is the reason motherboards are often referred to as logic boards. Logic boards basically contain all of the computer's "logic" circuitry (processor, RAM, etc.) of a PC.
Motherboards as a whole have common building blocks using a socket system. Many components such as CPU (also known as the processor), RAM, hard drives, and video cards are designed within this socket system. For example, a CPU socket determines what type of motherboard will be required for use. Intel LGA 775 and AMD Socket AM2 are just a few examples of the most common processor sockets in today's market. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) alongside Intel is leading the future in the production and advancement of micro processors. AMD and Intel have begun to explore new ways that other pieces of hardware—or accelerators—can be combined with traditional CPUs to increase the performance of software applications. They believe in developing these applications to allow taking full advantage of the new processing technology.
RAM, or Random Access Memory, is another component that utilizes slot architecture. Each individual motherboard supports a specific type of memory using slots integrated on the PCB, or, Printed Circuit Board. DDR2 for example, is a 240-Pin memory module and requires the specific designated motherboard to support it. SDRAM, DDR, DDR2, and DDR3 are other assorted slot types of RAM that have come about over the past few years.
One key feature when choosing a main board is the chipset. A chipset is composed of a Northbridge and Southbridge integrated to the PCB. The Northbridge is mainly used for the trafficking of data between the other components, mainly memory. The Southbridge determines what kind of features will be integrated into the system (i.e. Ethernet, audio, storage controller, etc). NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, VIA, and SIS are among the major manufacturers of chipsets that are found in each and every major motherboard.
Asus motherboard is another motherboard based company and one of the IT industry's leading manufacturers of computer hardware products and solutions. For the past four years ASUSTeK Computer Inc has sold more motherboards than every other manufacturer combined. Asus has made a name for themselves in the market for their unprecedented quality and service. Alongside Asus, other principle corporations in the motherboard industry are MSI, EVGA, Gigabyte, Abit, and Intel. Also leading the way in graphic card technology, EVGA makes its name in the market with their specialization in boards designed specifically for gaming and are leading the way with their motherboards preferred by even the biggest of PC enthusiasts. Gigabyte and MSI are also consistently creating new industry standards and advancements with their graphic cards. Each are setting hardware trends and breaking ground everyday that are truly encompassing the future of the motherboard business.
Modern motherboards include, at a minimum:
  • sockets (or slots) in which one or more microprocessors may be installed[3]
  • slots into which the system's main memory is to be installed (typically in the form of DIMM modules containing DRAM chips)
  • a chipset which forms an interface between the CPU's front-side bus, main memory, and peripheral buses
  • non-volatile memory chips (usually Flash ROM in modern motherboards) containing the system's firmware or BIOS
  • a clock generator which produces the system clock signal to synchronize the various components
  • slots for expansion cards (these interface to the system via the buses supported by the chipset)
  • power connectors, which receive electrical power from the computer power supply and distribute it to the CPU, chipset, main memory, and expansion cards.[4]
                  
The Octek Jaguar V motherboard from 1993.[5] This board has 6 ISA slots but few onboard peripherals, as evidenced by the lack of external connectors.
Additionally, nearly all motherboards include logic and connectors to support commonly used input devices, such as PS/2 connectors for a mouse and keyboard. Early personal computers such as the Apple II or IBM PC included only this minimal peripheral support on the motherboard. Occasionally video interface hardware was also integrated into the motherboard; for example, on the Apple II and rarely on IBM-compatible computers such as the IBM PC Jr. Additional peripherals such as disk controllers and serial ports were provided as expansion cards.
Given the high thermal design power of high-speed computer CPUs and components, modern motherboards nearly always include heat sinks and mounting points for fans to dissipate excess heat.

CPU Sockets :
Main article: CPU socket:
A CPU socket or slot is an electrical component that attaches to a printed circuit board (PCB) and is designed to house a CPU (also called a microprocessor). It is a special type of integrated circuit socket designed for very high pin counts. A CPU socket provides many functions, including a physical structure to support the CPU, support for a heat sink, facilitating replacement (as well as reducing cost), and most importantly, forming an electrical interface both with the CPU and the PCB. CPU sockets can most often be found in most desktop and server computers (laptops typically use surface mount CPUs), particularly those based on the Intel x86 architecture on the motherboard. A CPU socket type and motherboard chipset must support the CPU series and speed.
Integrated peripherals :
Block diagram of a modern motherboard, which supports many on-board peripheral functions as well as several expansion slots.
With the steadily declining costs and size of integrated circuits, it is now possible to include support for many peripherals on the motherboard. By combining many functions on one PCB, the physical size and total cost of the system may be reduced; highly integrated motherboards are thus especially popular in small form factor and budget computers.
For example, the ECS RS485M-M,[6] a typical modern budget motherboard for computers based on AMD processors, has on-board support for a very large range of peripherals:
Expansion cards to support all of these functions would have cost hundreds of dollars even a decade ago; however, as of April 2007[update] such highly integrated motherboards are available for as little as $30 in the USA.
Peripheral card slots :
A typical motherboard of 2009 will have a different number of connections depending on its standard.
A standard ATX motherboard will typically have one PCI-E 16x connection for a graphics card, two conventional PCI slots for various expansion cards, and one PCI-E 1x (which will eventually supersede PCI). A standard EATX motherboard will have one PCI-E 16x connection for a graphics card, and a varying number of PCI and PCI-E 1x slots. It can sometimes also have a PCI-E 4x slot. (This varies between brands and models.)
Some motherboards have two PCI-E 16x slots, to allow more than 2 monitors without special hardware, or use a special graphics technology called SLI (for Nvidia) and Crossfire (for ATI). These allow 2 graphics cards to be linked together, to allow better performance in intensive graphical computing tasks, such as gaming and video editing.
As of 2007, virtually all motherboards come with at least four USB ports on the rear, with at least 2 connections on the board internally for wiring additional front ports that may be built into the computer's case. Ethernet is also included. This is a standard networking cable for connecting the computer to a network or a modem. A sound chip is always included on the motherboard, to allow sound output without the need for any extra components. This allows computers to be far more multimedia-based than before. Some motherboards have their graphics chip built into the motherboard rather than needing a separate card. A separate card may still be used.
Temperature and reliability :
Motherboards are generally air cooled with heat sinks often mounted on larger chips, such as the Northbridge, in modern motherboards. If the motherboard is not cooled properly, it can cause the computer to crash. Passive cooling, or a single fan mounted on the power supply, was sufficient for many desktop computer CPUs until the late 1990s; since then, most have required CPU fans mounted on their heat sinks, due to rising clock speeds and power consumption. Most motherboards have connectors for additional case fans as well. Newer motherboards have integrated temperature sensors to detect motherboard and CPU temperatures, and controllable fan connectors which the BIOS or operating system can use to regulate fan speed. Some computers (which typically have high-performance microprocessors, large amounts of RAM, and high-performance video cards) use a water-cooling system instead of many fans.
Some small form factor computers and home theater PCs designed for quiet and energy-efficient operation boast fan-less designs. This typically requires the use of a low-power CPU, as well as careful layout of the motherboard and other components to allow for heat sink placement.
A 2003 study[7] found that some spurious computer crashes and general reliability issues, ranging from screen image distortions to I/O read/write errors, can be attributed not to software or peripheral hardware but to aging capacitors on PC motherboards. Ultimately this was shown to be the result of a faulty electrolyte formulation.[8]
For more information on premature capacitor failure on PC motherboards, see capacitor plague.
Motherboards use electrolytic capacitors to filter the DC power distributed around the board. These capacitors age at a temperature-dependent rate, as their water based electrolytes slowly evaporate. This can lead to loss of capacitance and subsequent motherboard malfunctions due to voltage instabilities. While most capacitors are rated for 2000 hours of operation at 105 °C,[9] their expected design life roughly doubles for every 10 °C below this. At 45 °C a lifetime of 15 years can be expected. This appears reasonable for a computer motherboard. However, many manufacturers have delivered substandard capacitors which significantly reduce life expectancy. Inadequate case cooling and elevated temperatures easily exacerbate this problem. It is possible, but tedious and time-consuming, to find and replace failed capacitors on PC motherboards.
Form factor :
Micro ATX Form Factor Motherboard :
Motherboards are produced in a variety of sizes and shapes called computer form factor, some of which are specific to individual computer manufacturers. However, the motherboards used in IBM-compatible to fit various case sizes. As of 2007[update], most desktop computer motherboards use one of these standard form factors—even those found in Macintosh and Sun computers, which have not traditionally been built from commodity components. The current desktop PC form factor of choice is ATX. A case's motherboard and PSU form factor must all match, though some smaller form factor motherboards of the same family will fit larger cases. For example, an ATX case will usually accommodate a microATX motherboard.
Laptop computers generally use highly integrated, miniaturized and customized motherboards. This is one of the reasons that laptop computers are difficult to upgrade and expensive to repair. Often the failure of one laptop component requires the replacement of the entire motherboard, which is usually more expensive than a desktop motherboard due to the large number of integrated components.
Bootstrapping using the BIOS :
Motherboards contain some non-volatile memory to initialize the system and load an operating system from some external peripheral device. Microcomputers such as the Apple II and IBM PC used ROM chips, mounted in sockets on the motherboard. At power-up, the central processor would load its program counter with the address of the boot ROM and start executing ROM instructions, displaying system information on the screen and running memory checks, which would in turn start loading memory from an external or peripheral device (disk drive). If none is available, then the computer can perform tasks from other memory stores or display an error message, depending on the model and design of the computer and version of the BIOS.
Most modern motherboard designs use a BIOS, stored in an EEPROM chip soldered or socketed to the motherboard, to bootstrap an operating system. When power is first applied to the motherboard, the BIOS firmware tests and configures memory, circuitry, and peripherals. This Power-On Self Test (POST) may include testing some of the following devices:

How Motherboards Work :

On recent motherboards, the BIOS may also patch the central processor microcode if the BIOS detects that the installed CPU is one in for which errata has been published. Many of the above devices can be stored with machine code instructions to load an operating system or program.
If you've ever taken the case off of a computer, you've seen the one piece of equipment that ties everything together -- the motherboard. A motherboard allows all the parts of your computer to receive power and communicate with one another.
­­­Motherboards have come a long way in the­ last twenty years. The first motherboards held very few actual components. The first IBM PC motherboard had only a processor and card slots. Users plugged components like floppy drive controllers and memory into the slots.
Today, motherboards typically boast a wide variety of built-in features, and they directly affect a computer's capabilities and potential for upgrades.
In this article, we'll look at the general components of a motherboard. Then, we'll closely examine five points that dramatically affect what a computer can do.
Characteristics :
There are several ways in which a motherboard can be characterised, in particular the following:
Motherboard Form Factor :
The term "form factor" is normally used to refer to the motherboard's geometry, dimensions, arrangement, and electrical requirements. In order to build motherboards which can be used in different brands of cases, a few standards have been developed:
·        AT baby/AT full format is a format used in the earliest 386 and 486 PCs. This format was replaced by the ATX format, which shape allowed for better air circulation and made it easier to access the components;
  • ATX: The ATX format is an upgrade to Baby-AT. It was intended to improve ease of use. The connection device on an ATX motherboard is designed to make plugging in peripherals as easy as possible (for example, the IDE connectors are located beside the disks.) What's more, motherboard components are arranged in parallel, so as to improve heat removal.
·        ATX standard: The ATX standard format is traditionally 305x244 mm. It includes an AGP connector and 6 PCI connectors.
·        micro-ATX: The microATX format is an upgrade to ATX, which has the same primary advantages in a smaller format (244x244 mm), with a lower cost. Micro-ATX includes an AGP connector and 3 PCI connectors.
·        Flex-ATX: FlexATX is an expansion of microATX which offers manufacturers greater flexibility when designing their computers. It includes an AGP connector and 2 PCI connectors.
·        mini-ATX: miniATX is a compact alternative to the format microATX (284x208 mm), and includes an AGP connector and 4 PCI connectors instead of 3 that come with microATX. It is mainly intended for mini-PCs (barebone computers).
  • BTX: The BTX format (Balanced Technology eXtended), supported by Intel, is a format designed to improve upon the arrangement of components, so as to optimise air circulation, acoustics, and heat dissipation. The various connectors (memory slots, expansion slots) are aligned in parallel, in the direction in which air circulates. Additionally, the microprocessor is located in the front end of the case, by the air intake, where the air is freshest. The BTX power cord is the same as with ATX power supplies. The BTX standard defines three formats:
·        BTX standard, with standard dimensions of 325x267 mm;
·        micro-BTX, with small dimensions (264x267 mm);
·        pico-BTX, with much smaller dimensions (203x267 mm).
  • ITX: The ITX format (Information Technology eXtended), supported by Via, is an extremely compact format designed for miniature configurations such as mini-PC. There are two major ITX formats:
·        mini-ITX, with small dimensions (170x170 mm) and a PCI slot;
·        nano-ITX, with extremely small dimensions (120x120 mm) and a miniPCI slot. For this reason, the choice of the motherboard (and its form factor) depends on which case is chosen. The table below summarises the characteristics of the various form factors.
Form factor
Dimensions
Slots
ATX
305 mm x 244 mm
AGP / 6 PCI
microATX
244 mm x 244 mm
AGP / 3 PCI
FlexATX
229 mm x 191 mm
AGP / 2 PCI
Mini ATX
284 mm x 208 mm
AGP / 4 PCI
Mini ITX
170 mm x 170 mm
1 PCI
Nano ITX
120 mm x 120 mm
1 MiniPCI
BTX
325 mm x 267 mm
7
microBTX
264 mm x 267 mm
4
picoBTX
203 mm x 267 mm
1

Integrated Components :
The motherboard includes some on-board components, meaning that they are integrated into its printed circuitry:
  • The chipset, a circuit which controls the majority of resources (including the bus interface with the processor, cache memory and random-access memory, expansion cards, etc.)
  • The CMOS clock and battery,
  • The BIOS,
  • The system bus and the expansion bus.


What's more, recent motherboards generally include a number of onboard multimedia and networking devices which can be disabled:
  • integrated network card;
  • integrated graphics card;
  • integrated sound card;
  • upgraded hard drive controllers.

The chipset :
The chipset is an electronic circuit whose job is to coordinate data transfers between the various components of the computer (including the processor and memory). As the chipset is integrated into the motherboard, it is important to choose a motherboard which includes a recent chipset, in order to maximise the computer's upgradeability.
Some chipsets may include a graphics or audio chip, which means that it is not necessary to install a graphics card or sound card. However, it is sometimes advised to disable them (whenever possible) in the BIOS setup and to install high-quality expansion cards in the appropriate slots.
The CMOS clock and battery :
The real time clock (or RTC for short) is a circuit which synchronises system signals. It is made from a crystal which, as it vibrates, gives off pulses (called timer ticks) in order to keep the system elements running on the same time. The timer frequency (expressed in MHz) the number of times the crystal vibrates each second, i.e. the number of timer ticks per second. The higher the frequency, the more information the system can process.
When the computer is turned off, the power supply stops providing electricity to the motherboard. When the computer is turned on again, the system is still on the right time. An electronic circuit, called the CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxyde Semiconductor, sometimes called the BIOS CMOS), saves some system information, such as the time, the system date, and a few essential system settings.
The CMOS is kept powered by a battery (a button battery), or a battery located on the motherboard. Information on the hardware installed in the computer (such as the number of tracks or sectors on each hard drive) are stored in the CMOS. As the CMOS is a form of slow storage, certain systems sometimes recopy the CMOS's content into the RAM (fast storage); the term "memory shadow" is used to describe this process of copying the data into RAM.
The "complementary metal-oxide semiconductor" is a transistor manufacturing technology, the latest in a long line which includes the TTL ("Transistor-transistor-logic"), the TTLS (TTL Schottky) (faster), or the NMOS (negative channel) and PMOS (positive channel).
The CMOS allows many complementary channels to run on a single chip. Compared with TTL or TTLS, CMOS is much slower, but it consumes far less energy, which is why it is used in computer clocks, which run on batteries. The term CMOS is sometimes incorrectly used to refer to computer clocks.
When the system time keeps getting reset, or the clock runs late, all that is usually necessary is to change the battery.



The BIOS :
The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is the basic program used as an interface between the operating system and the motherboard. The BIOS is stored in ROM (read-only memory, which can not be rewritten), so it uses data contained within the CMOS to find out what the system's hardware configuration is.
The BIOS can be configured using an interface (named the BIOS setup), which can be accessed when the computer is booting just be pressing a key (usually the DEL key. In reality, the BIOS setup is only used as an interface for configuration; the data is stored in the CMOS. For more information, check your motherboard's manual.)
The processor Socket :
The processor (also called the microprocessor) is the computer's brain. It runs programs using a set of instructions. The processor is characterised by its frequency, the rate at which it executes instructions. This means that an 800 MHz processor can carry out 800 million operations per second.
The motherboard has a slot (sometimes several, for multi-processor motherboards) into which the processor is inserted, called the processor socket or slot.
  • Slot: A rectangular connector into which the processor is mounted vertically.
  • Socket: In addition to being the general term, it also refers more specifically to a square-shaped connector with many small connectors into which the processor is directly inserted.
Within these two large families, there are different versions used, depending on the type of processor. Whatever slot or socket is used, it is essential that the processor be inserted gently, so that none of its pins are bent (it has hundreds of them). To make inserting them easier, a concept called ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) has been created. ZIF sockets have a small lever, which, when lifted, allows the processor to be inserted without applying any pressure, and when lowered, it holds the processor in place.
The processor generally includes some sort of foolproof device, in the form of a notched corner or coloured markings, which must be aligned with the corresponding markings on the socket.
Since the processor releases heat, it is necessary to dissipate it, to keep the circuits from melting. This is why it is generally mounted atop a heat sink (sometimes called a cooler or radiator), which is made of a metal which conducts heat well (copper or aluminium) in order to increase the microprocessor's heat transfer surface. The heat sink includes a base in contact with the processor and fins in order to increase the heat transfer surface. A fan generally accompanies the cooler in order to improve air circulation around it and to improve the heat transfer. The unit also includes a fan which vents hot air from the case and let fresh air come in from outside.
RAM Connectors :
RAM (Random Access Memory) is used to store data while the computer is running; however, its contents are wiped out as soon as the computer is switched off or restarted, as opposed to mass storage devices such as hard drives, which keep information safe even while turned off. This is why RAM is called "volatile."
Why, then, is RAM used at all, when hard drives cost less per byte stored? The answer is that RAM is extremely fast when compared to mass storage devices like hard drives. It has a response time on the order of a few dozen nanoseconds (about 70 for DRAM, 60 for EDO RAM, and 10 for SDRAM; as little as 6 ns for DDR SDRAM) as opposed to a few milliseconds for a hard drive.
RAM comes in the form of modules which plug into motherboard connectors.
Expansion Slots :
Expansion slots are compartments into which expansion cards can be inserted. These are cards which give the computer new features or increased performance. There are several types of slots:
  • ISA slots (Industry Standard Architecture): For inserting ISA slots. The slowest ones are 16-bit.
  • VLB slots (Vesa Local Bus): Bus formerly used for installing graphics cards.
  • PCI slot (Peripheral Component InterConnect): used for connecting PCI cards, which are much faster than ISA cards and run on 32 bits
  • AGP slot (Accelerated Graphic Port): A fast port for a graphics card.
  • PCI Express slot (Peripheral Component InterConnect Express): Faster bus architecture than AGP and PCI buses.
  • AMR slot (Audio Modem Riser): This type of slot is used for connecting mini-cards to PCs which are built for it.


                      

The input-output connectors :
The motherboard has a certain number of input/output sockets found on the rear panel.
          

Most motherboards have the following connectors:
  • A serial port, for connecting old peripherals;
  • A parallel port, mainly for connecting old printers;
  •  A USB ports (1.1, low-speed, or 2.0, high-speed), for connecting more recent peripherals;
  • RJ45 connector (called LAN or ethernet port) used for connecting the computer to a network. It corresponds to a network card integrated into the motherboard;
  • VGA connector (called SUB-D15), for connecting a monitor. This connector interfaces with the built-in graphics card;
  • Audio plugs (Line-In, Line-Out and microphone), for connecting sound speakers or a hi-fi system, as well as a microphone. This connector interfaces with the built-in sound card;
·         Important Motherboard Facts:
·         Motherboards, cases and power supplies all come in different sizes called form factors. All three must be compatible to work properly together.
·         Motherboards vary greatly in respect to the types of components they support. For example, each motherboard supports a single type of CPU and a short list of memory types. Additionally, some video cards, hard drives and other peripherals may not be compatible. The motherboard manufacturer should provide clear guidance on component compatibilities.
The motherboard is mounted inside the computer case and is securely attached via small screws through pre-drilled holes. All of the components in a computer connect to the motherboard in one way or another.
  • Expansion Cards: Motherboards usually contain a number of slots for internal peripheral cards like video cards and sound cards to connect to.
  • Back Panel Connectors: The back panel connectors extend out the back of the case for connection to external peripherals.
  • CPU & Memory Sockets: The CPU and memory connect directly to the motherboard via the CPU socket connector and memory slots.
  • Storage Drive Connectors: Storage devices are connected via cables to the motherboard. There are special connectors for floppy drives, optical drives and hard drives.

·         Choosing the right motherboard :

The motherboard is the basic component of the computer: Depending on this choice the resulting choice of the processor (CPU), the type of memory (RAM) and extension ports: number of graphics ports, number of connections sata for hard drives and optical drives,
The fundamental component of the motherboard is the chipset:  it determines which CPU can work on this motherboard (they must be compatible socket), it also determines the type of managed RAM (DDR2, DDR3 or DDR2 / DDR3) To choose a motherboard, you must pay attention to two main points: Compatibility with other components of the PC: To be perfectly compatible, they should be part of the same generation, and sometimes even from the same manufacturer. A new generation processor will not run on a motherboard too old, even with a BIOS update. Scalability of the connection: To assemble a computer capable of evolving and paste to future technological progress, the scalability of the connector of your motherboard is crucial. To her you must connect the new elements: it must supports. To add elements, the main ports in sufficient numbers (USB) and types (e-SATA, FireWire, HDMI ,...). Of course, what you want to make your PC is critical that your needs will not be the same for a PC dedicated to the simple office and surfing the web for PC gamers that video games turn 3D.

Duo motherboard / processor Without harmony between these 2 elements, not good performance. In short, do not invest in a high performance processor (quad-core type) if your motherboard (and especially its chipset) is unable to rotate. It is advisable to choose a motherboard chipset with the same brand as your processor, but not required. AMD or Intel, the war of the two brands and raged processor motherboards are compatible with a brand: thus, first choose your CPU. Since the release of Core 2 Duo in the summer of 2006, Intel dominates the CPU market in terms of performance, but also in terms over-clocking (for those interested), that it is the Dual Cores and Quad Cores. They are all in socket LGA-775. However, some AMD CPU may be interesting from a performance / price, as the old Athlon X2 6000 + and 6400 +, or new Phenom II, whose performances are also Intel CPUs.m They are generally socket AM2/AM2 + and some socket AM3. Choice of chipset Once the CPU choosed, the chipset of choice arises. If we opt for an Intel CPU, there are motherboards with Intel chipset and others with an nVidia chipset. What is the difference between these 2 brands?

  • Intel chipsets are planned for the Crossfire, a technique that is to combine 2 graphics cards ATI.
    • The most common early 2009 are the P45 and X48.
    • The P45 supports CrossFire in the right conditions, the X48 allows CrossFire without restriction.
    • They are also very good for overclocking, they rise in frequency, especially at P45, engraved in 65nm (instead of 90 nm), but the FSB: RAM is done by discrete values (not continuous).
  • NVidia chipsets are provided for SLI, which is to combine 2 graphics cards from nVidia.
    • They are a bit worse in overclocking, because they heat much, but the FSB: RAM can be adjusted continuously.
    • The most common early 2009 are the 750i SLI, the 780i and 790i LI SLI.
    • The 750i SLI SLI provides the correct conditions in the 780i and 790i allow 3way-SLI without restriction.
  • Similarly, if one chooses an AMD CPU, a choice must be for the chipset: AMD or nVidia?
  • AMD chipsets are planned for the Crossfire.
    • The 2 most interesting chipsets from AMD currently in socket AM2 + is the 790FX and 790GX:
Posted by Unknown at 2:18 PM
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