11/6/2016

FreeComputerMotherboardTutorial
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ComputerMotherboardTutorial
Thistutorialdiscussesthevariousmotherboardcomponentsandfeatures.
Forinformationoninstallingamotherboard,readthistutorial.
Themotherboard(moboforshort)isthemostimportantpartofacomputer
andisthemaincircuitboard.Everythingconnectsdirectlyorindirectlytoit.

BIOSChip
Battery
FormFactor
TypeofProcessorTheySupport
Chipset
TypeofBus&BusSpeed
ExpansionSlots
MemorySlots

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Tobecomefamiliarwithmotherboards,youneedtoknowandunderstand
theirparts.PCmotherboardcomponentsdifferdependingonthe
manufacturerandmodel.However,allhavethefollowingprimaryfeatures:

BIOSChip:
EverymotherboardhasaBIOS(BasicInputOutputSystem).Thischipcontainsasmallamountofcodethat
isresponsibleforbootingupyoursystem.ItreadstheCMOSsettings,performsthePOST(PowerOnSelf
Test),checksfordevices,andthenreadsthemasterbootrecordontheharddrivesotheoperatingsystem
canload.PhoenixTechnologiesandAmericanMegatrendsarethetwomainBIOSmakers.
Battery:
EverymotherboardhasabatterytomaintainthetimeandCMOSsettingsafterthepoweristurnedoff.Most
aresmall,round,flatandfitintoasocket.

FormFactor:
Theformfactorreferstoamotherboard'sdimensionsandlayoutofitscomponents.Theprimarystandard
todayissometypeofATXformfactor,developedfromtheobsoleteAT.ATXandmicroATX(mATX)arestillthe
mostpopular,butthereareotherssuchasExtendedATX(EATX,whichisslightlybiggerthanthestandard
ATX)andminiATX(smallerthanATXbutbiggerthanmATX).VIAdevelopedtheminiITXfactor,whichis
smallerthananyoftheaforementioned.
SmallmotherboardswerebasicallydesignedforlowcostPCsbutstillimplementthelatesttechnology.Amain
disadvantage,though,istheyhavefewerexpansionslotsthantheirlargercounterparts.
FormFactor

Size

ATX(Standard) 9.6"x12"
microATX

9.6"x9.6"

ExtendedATX

13"x12"

MiniATX

8.2"x11.2"

MiniITX

6.7"x6.7"

TypeOfProcessorSupport:
EverymotherboardsupportseitheranAMDoranIntelprocessor(calledthecentralprocessingunitorCPU).
Theyarenotinterchangeable.IfamotherboardrequiresanAMDprocessor,itcannotuseanIntel,andvice
versa.Youdon'thavetofigureoutwhichCPUmatchesaparticularboard.You'realwaystoldthetypeofCPU
thatamotherboarduses.
Chipset:
ThechipsetiseitheronechiporapairofchipsthatallowscommunicationbetweentheCPUandother
components.Iftherearetwochipsoneiscalledthenorthbridgeandtheothersouthbridge.
Thenorthbridgeconnectsdirectlytotheprocessorthroughthefrontsidebusandletsittalktothememory,
AGP,andPCIExpresscontrollers.Thesouthbridgeconnectstotheprocessorindirectlyviathenorthbridge
andcontrolsslowerdevicessuchastheharddrive,USB,audio,video,LAN,andPCI.Ifthereisonechip,then
everythingiscontrolledbythatchip.

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11/6/2016

FreeComputerMotherboardTutorial

Themotherboardisuselesswithoutachipset.UnliketheCPU,itisintegratedintothemotherboard,soit
can'tberemoved.Whenanewprocessorisdeveloped,anewchipsethastoalsobedevelopedto
accommodateitstechnology.ThetwomainmanufacturersarenVIDIAandIntel.
Bus&BusSpeed:
Inelectronics,youcanthinkofabusasanelectronichighwayonwhichdatatravels.Withcomputersthere
hastobeacommunicationhighwaybetweentheCPUandotherparts.AMDmotherboardsuse
HyperTransporttechnologyfordatatransportandIntel'sCorei7processorbasedsystemsuseQuickPath
Interconnect.Butbeforethesetherewas/isthefrontsidebus.
OncurrentIntelcomputersnotusingtheCorei7processor,thefrontsidebusisstillusedasthedatapath
thatconnectstheprocessortothenorthbridgeandothercomponents.Whenshoppingforacomputerora
motherboardyou'realmostcertaintoseethespeedlistedassomethinglike"1333MHz".Thisisthefront
sidebusspeed,alsoknownasthemotherboardspeed.ItishowfastdatatravelsbetweentheCPUand
memoryandismeasuredinmegahertz(MHz).Thisspeedisobtainedbyusingaquartzcrystalonthe
motherboard.Whenanelectricalcurrentpassesthroughit,itvibrates.Thesevibrations,orpulses,occur
millionsoftimespersecond.Thisiswhat'sknownastheclockspeed.
HyperTransportandQuickPathInterconnectmeasurespeedinGT/s(Gigatransfers/sec)andsometimesMT/s
(Megatransfers/sec).Thisisnottheactualbusspeedbuthowmanytransfers,oroperationspersecond.
Dataissentontherisingandfallingedgesofaclockcycle,resultingintwotransferspercycle.Soifthebus
speedis1500MHz(1.5GHz)thatmeansthereare1500millionrisingandfallingedgeseverysecond.
Multiplythatby2,andyouget3000MT/s(3.2GT/s).HyperTransportandQuickPathareexplainedinalittle
moredetailontheCPUpage.Busspeedisoneoftheprimaryfactorsthathasanimpactonacomputer's
performance.
AlthoughfrontsidebustechnologynolongerexistsonanycurrentAMDmotherboards,someretailersstill
usethetermtodescribeHyperTransport.
ExpansionSlots:
Allcomputersnowadayscomewithaudio,video,andother
featuresbuiltrightintothemotherboard.Ifyoudon'twantto
usethese,expansionslotsgiveyoutheflexibilitytochooseand
haveyourownaudio,video,orothercardinstalled.Thenumber
ofslotsvariesaccordingtothemanufacturerandmodel.The
boardonthelefthas2PCIslots(white)and2PCIExpressSlots
(Black).
UnderstandingPCmotherboardcomponentscangreatlyhelpyou,
butchoosingoneisstillsometimesaconfusingordeal.Afterall,
therearesomanymanufacturers.Butonemainthingto
rememberisthatsincemotherboardssupporteitheranIntelorAMDCPU,pickingamotherboardand
processorgohandinhand,sothinkaboutwhichprocessoryouwantfirst.However,thisinitselfopens
anothercanofwormsbecausethere'sanongoingdebateaboutwhichCPUisbetter.Itseemstoneverend.
AndeachCPUmanufacturerproducesvariousmodelstoaddtotheconfusion.Thebestthingtodoisread
reviewsofdifferentmotherboardsandthelatestprocessors.Somemainmotherboardmanufacturersare:
ASUS
Biostar
EVGA
Gigabyte
MSI(MicroStarInternational)
Howtoinstallamotherboard

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