Computer System
Hardware
Motherboard Components
Computer Engineering Level 1
Objective 101.02
Copyright ExplorNet™
Motherboard Components
Objective 101.02
Form Factors
Memory and Bus Slots
Course Weight: 4%*
*4% of the A+ exam questions come from this section; however, more than 4% of
class time may be spent covering this most fundamental objective.
Motherboard Components
Objective 101.02
Explain motherboard
components, types and
features
Essential Question:
What are the
differences in the
various types of PC
motherboards?
Motherboard Components
Objective 101.02
Explain motherboard components, types and features.
In this objective, we will learn:
How to classify power supplies types
and characteristics.
Motherboard Components
Objective 101.02
Explain motherboard components, types and features.
Form Factors
•ATX/BTX
•Micro ATX
•NLX
A photo of a
microATX
motherboard with
an AMD Athlon
2.10 Ghz
processor in a
Socket 462 slot. It
has a VIA VT8235
Chipset. It has
bad capacitors.
microATX
Motherboards
Now let’s look at some pictures of
motherboards.
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/computerhardware-pictures.htm
Activities
Open the following documents


Worksheet – Motherboard Form Factors
Handout – Motherboard Form Factors
Activities
Now Open the following documents

Activity 1 – Motherboard Form Factors under
Objective 101.02
Activities
Then let’s work on vocabulary.


Look up the terms
Email to me when complete.
Things on the
MotherBoard
Objective 101.02
MotherBoard
 Interfaces – another word for connects
 Everything inside and outside of a computer
interfaces with the MB.
 The Circuitry makes up the main circuit board
including all the chips and lots installed on the
board.
 Solder – how the permanent individual pieces
connect to the MB.
MotherBoard
 Motherboard components – the pieces
soldered to the MB
 Traces – what connects each soldered piece to
one another.
 Busses – traces work together to make up
groups of electronic circuits between
components.
 Bus architectures – carry data throughout the
system (Ex AGP, PCI, PCIe, etc)
MotherBoard Components
 CPU Sockets



Integrated – physically part of the MB
CPUs must be matched by shape and voltage
Zero Insertion Force (ZIF) sockets
 Designed with a lever for ease of installation

Three types
 Slot
 Pin grid array (PGA)
 Land grid array (LGR)
MotherBoard Components
Pin grid
array
(PGA)
Slot
Land grid array
(LGR)
MotherBoard Components
Objective 101.02
Explain motherboard components, types and features.
Memory Slots
•RIMM
•SIMM
•SODIMM
•DIMM
DIMM
 DIMM - Dual inline memory module – RAM
modules. (memory)
 SIMM – single inline memory module – no
longer produced.
Hard Drive, Optical Drive, and Floppy
Drive Controllers
Motherboard Components
Objective 101.02
Explain motherboard components, types and features.
PATA
• IDE
• EIDE
SATA, eSATA
PATA
 Parallel Advanced Technology
Attachment (PATA) is an IDE (Integrated
Drive Electronics) standard for connecting
storage devices like hard drives and optical
drives to the motherboard.
 PATA generally refers to the types of cables
and connections that follow this standard.
PATA (continued)
 PATA cables are long, flat cables with 40pin connectors (in a 20x2 matrix) on either
side of the cable. One end plugs into a port
on the motherboard,
usually labeled IDE, and
the other into the back of a
storage device like a hard
drive.
PATA (continued)
 PATA cables come in 40-wire or 80-wire designs.
 Most modern storage devices require the use of
the more capable 80-wire PATA cable to meet
certain speed requirements.
 Both types of PATA cables have 40-pins
 The connectors on an 80-wire PATA cable will be
black, gray and blue while the connectors on a 40wire cable will only be black.
EIDE
 EIDE (Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics)
 A new version of IDE which is 3-4 times faster
than the older version
 Sometimes called Fast ATA or Fast IDE
 Supports speeds up to 8.4 gb
 Has replaced some SCSI due to lower cost
SATA
 Serial Advanced
Technology Attachment
 reduced cable-bulk and
cost
 hot swapping
 faster data transfer
eSATA
 Up to 6 times faster
than USB 2.0 or 1394
 Robust and userfriendly external
connection
 High performance, costeffective expansion
storage
 Up to 2 meter shielded
cables and connectors
Motherboard Components
Objective 101.02
Explain motherboard components, types and features..
I/O interfaces
•Sound & Video
•USB 1.1 & 2.0
•Serial & Parallel
•IEEE 1394 / Firewire
•NIC & Modem
•PS/2
Expansion Slots
Objective 101.02
Explain motherboard components, types and features.
Bus Slots
•
•
•
•
•
•
PCI
AGP
PCIe
AMR
CNR
PCMCIA
PCI Slots
 Peripheral Component
Interconnect
 32-Bit PCI boards can be
used in 64-bit slots.
 Standard PCI is 32 bit
and operates at 33 MHz
AGP Slot
 Accelerated Graphics
Port
 a high-speed point-topoint channel for
attaching a video card
 primarily to assist in the
acceleration of 3D
computer graphics.
 Since 2004, AGP has
been slowly phased out
in favor of PCI Express
PCIe
PCIe
 Speeds up the data
flow.
 Uses serial technology
which links data lines in
series. This enables data
to travel along different
pathways depending on
where the signal
coming in from.
AMR
 Audio/Modem Riser is a
specification developed
by Intel
 Analog I/O audio
functions of modem
which converts back and
forth from analog to
digital
 The small board is called a
riser because it rises
above the motherboard
rather than laying flatly
on it
CNR
 Communications and
Network Riser
 The CNR slot is located
on the side of the
motherboard, near the
last PCI slot.
PCMCIA
 Personal Computer
Memory Card
International
Association
 Used in laptops
Activities
 Now Open the following documents


Worksheet – Motherboard Components under
Objective 101.02
You will need to use the Motherboard
Components handout.
Chipsets
 Integrated Circuits (IC)

Northbridge IC Chip Set
 controls high speed communication
between


CPU and RAM
AGP and PCIe expansion devices
Chipsets
 Integrated Circuit

Southbridge IC Chip Set
 controls communication





Floppy drives,
hard drives
Optical drives
Parallel, serial, keyboard and mouse ports
CMOS
Activities
Now Open the following documents:


Worksheet – Chipsets under Objective 101.02
You will need to use the Chipsets handout
Activities
Now open and work on the following
activity:

Motherboard ID Exercise #1
Activities
Now open and work on the following
activity:

Motherboard ID Exercise #2
Motherboard Components
Objective 101.02
Explain motherboard components, types and features.
BIOS / CMOS / Firmware
• POST
• CMOS battery
Activities
Now open and work on the following
activity:

Backplane ID Exercise
Motherboard Components
Objective 101.02
Explain motherboard components, types and features.
Processor Sockets
Bus Architecture
Contrast RAID (levels 0, 1, 5)
Chipsets
Riser Card / Daughterboard