Chapter 4 The Motherboard You Will Learn… • About the types of motherboards • About components on the motherboard • A basic procedure for building a computer • How to install a motherboard • How to troubleshoot a motherboard Purpose of Motherboard • Houses the CPU • Allows all devices to communicate with the CPU and with each other Types of Motherboards ATX and AT Motherboards Main Components on a Motherboard • • • • • • CPU and chip set System clock ROM BIOS CMOS configuration chip and its battery RAM RAM cache (optional) • • • • System bus with expansion slots Jumpers and DIP switches Ports that are directly on the board Power supply connections Field Replaceable Units (FRUs) • CPU • ROM BIOS chip • CMOS battery • RAM • RAM cache An AT Motherboard An ATX Motherboard Components Determined by Motherboard Selection • • • • • • Types and speeds of CPU Chip set on the board (already installed) Memory cache and size Types/number of expansion slots: ISA, PCI, AGP Type of memory, including what kind and how much SRAM and DRAM (SIMMs, DIMMs, or RIMMs) Maximum amount of memory you can install; incremental amounts by which you can upgrade continued… Components Determined by Motherboard Selection • • • • • • Type of case you can use ROM BIOS (already installed) Type of keyboard connector Presence/absence of proprietary video and/or proprietary local bus slots Presence/absence of IDE adapters and SCSI controller Presence/absence of COM ports, LPT ports, and mouse port Approaches to Selecting a Motherboard 1. 2. 3. Provides most room for expansion Suits needs of current configuration Meets present needs with moderate room for expansion When Selecting a Motherboard • Designed so long expansion cards don’t get in • • • • the way of CPU or other devices? Support CPU you plan to use? What type of BIOS does it use? What bus speeds and type memory does it support; how much memory can it hold? Does it use many embedded devices? continued… When Selecting a Motherboard • Does it fit the case? • Does it support your legacy cards? • What is the warranty? • Extensive user-friendly documentation? • How much support does manufacturer supply? Motherboard Manufacturers The System Clock • Keeps beat for motherboard activities • Frequency measured in megahertz (MHz) • Wait state Occurs when CPU must wait for another component CPU and Chip Set • IBM and IBM-compatible computers use a microprocessor chip made by Intel or AMD, and to a lesser degree by Cyrix Attributes Used to Rate CPUs • • • • • Speed (in gigahertz) Efficiency of programming code Number of transistors Number of registers Word size • • • • • Data path Maximum number of memory addresses Amount of memory included Multiprocessing abilities Special functionality The Pentium and Its Competitors • Pentium processor A true multiprocessor (has two ALUs) 64-bit external path size and two 32-bit internal paths (one for each ALU) CPU Terminology • Bus speed • • • Frequency/speed at which data moves on a bus Only the fastest bus connects directly to CPU Processor speed Speed at which CPU operates internally The multiplier System bus speed x multiplier = processor speed Memory cache Small amount of RAM that is fast and does not need refreshing Can hold data as long as power is available Memory Cache on the CPU • Internal cache, primary cache, or Level 1 cache Included on the CPU die • External cache, secondary cache, or Level 2 cache Outside CPU microchip Memory Cache on the CPU The Pentium III The Pentium 4 Advanced Pentium Competitors The Cyrix III The AMD Athlon Intel Itanium: The Next-Generation Processor • Intel’s first 64-bit processor for • • microcomputers Designed for high-end enterprise servers Uses a new instruction set called the EPIC (explicitly parallel instruction computing) architecture Intel Itanium Processors CPU Heat Sinks & Cooling Fans • Heat sinks • Cooling fans • Used by older CPUs to pull heat away from the CPU Clip-on device that mounts on top of the CPU Keep temperatures below the Intel maximum limit of 185 degrees F/85 degrees C Exotic options: refrigeration, peltiers, water coolers Heat Sinks and Cooling Fans CPU Cooling Fan CPU Package Types • • • • • SECC (Single Edge Contact Cartridge) SECC2 (Single Edge Contact Cartridge, version 2) SEP (Single Edge Processor) PPGA (Plastic Pin Grid Array) PGA (Pin Grid Array) • • • • OOI/OLGA (Organic Land Grid Array) FC-PGA (Flip Chip Pin Grid Array) FC-PGA2 (Flip Chip Pin Grid Array 2) PAC (Pin Array Cartridge) Plastic Pin Grid Array CPU Slots and Sockets • Physical connections used to connect CPU to • • • motherboard Motherboard and processor must match Slots 1 and 2 are proprietary Intel slots Slot A and Socket A are proprietary AMD connectors Sockets and Slots Used by CPUs continued… Sockets and Slots Used by CPUs CPU Slots and Sockets • Earlier CPU sockets Pin grid array (PGA) sockets Staggered pin grid array (SPGA) Low insertion force (LIF) sockets • Current CPU sockets Zero insertion force (ZIF) sockets; small lever on side of socket lifts CPU up and out of socket CPU Slots and Sockets CPU Voltage Regulator • Controls the amount of voltage to the CPU • Dual-voltage CPUs and single-voltage CPUs The Chip Set • Set of chips on system board that collectively • controls memory cache, external buses, and some peripherals Intel dominates the market Most compatible with Pentium family of CPUs Investment in R&D has led to other developments (eg, PCI bus, universal serial bus, AGP, and Accelerated Hub Architecture) Intel Chip Sets • “E” chipset family • Intel i800 Series • Orion • Natoma • Triton III • Triton II • Triton I Accelerated Hub Architecture Chip Set Manufacturers ROM BIOS • One ROM chip on motherboard contains BIOS • • BIOS manages startup process (startup BIOS) and basic I/O functions (system BIOS) Most devices are not supported by system BIOS, but by device drivers Flash ROM (erasable programmable read-only memory or EEPROM) allows ROM BIOS to be upgraded without changing ROM chip BIOS Manufacturers Sample Web Site for Flash ROM BIOS Upgrades Buses and Expansion Slots • • • • • • PCs have four or five buses, each with different speeds, access methods, and protocols Buses evolved around data path and speed So many buses because single speed is not practical Buses carry electrical power, control signals, memory addresses, and data On-board ports (eg, keyboard port and mouse port) Expansion slots can be located on motherboard; sometimes stacked vertically on a second board Buses Listed by Throughput Relationship of CPU Speed to Bus Speed • Overall performance is better when multiplier • is small Change speed of a computer by: Changing speed of system bus, or Changing multiplier that determines speed of CPU How CPU and Bus Speeds Are Controlled • Hardware Configuration Tells CPU what hardware components are present and how they can interface with the CPU • How much memory is available Which power management features are present Whether disk drives, hard drives, modems, serial ports are connected Provided on motherboard in three ways DIP switches Jumpers CMOS Setup Data Stored by DIP Switches Setup Data Stored by Jumpers Setup Data Stored by Jumpers Setup Data on a CMOS Chip • Also called real-time clock/nonvolatile RAM • • • (RTC/NVRAM) chip Retains data even when computer is turned off Requires very little electricity to hold data Setup cannot be changed unintentionally, but disk drive must be working before you can change the setup Changing CMOS Using Setup Changing CMOS Using Setup Changing CMOS Using Setup Changing CMOS Using Setup Changing CMOS Using Setup Battery Power to CMOS Chip Battery Power to CMOS Chip • Types of CMOS batteries 3.6V lithium battery with a four-pin connector; connects with a Velcro strip 4.5V alkaline battery with a four-pin connector; connects with a Velcro strip 3.6V barrel-style battery with a two-pin connector; soldered on 3V lithium coin-cell battery (most common) Coin-Cell CMOS Battery CMOS • • Setting startup passwords in CMOS Categories of CMOS settings Standard CMOS setup Advanced CMOS setup (aka BIOS Features setup) Advanced Chip Set Setup Power Menu (aka Power Management) IDE HDD Auto-detect Hardware Device Settings (on “jumperless” motherboards only) Protecting Documentation and Configuration Settings • Keep written record of CMOS settings, records • • of hardware and software installed, and network settings Keep well-labeled documentation in a safe place Saving and restoring CMOS settings using a third-party utility software Building a Computer 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Verify that you have all parts you plan to install Prepare computer case Install drives Determine proper configuration settings for motherboard Set jumpers or switches on motherboard Install CPU and CPU cooler Install RAM Install motherboard and attach cabling continued… Building a Computer 9. Install video card 10. Plug computer into power source; attach monitor and keyboard 11. Boot system and enter CMOS setup 12. Make sure settings are set to the default 13. If booting from a floppy disk, insert a bootable setup disk 14. Observe POST 15. Prepare hard drive for the OS continued… Building a Computer 16. Reboot the system and run ScanDisk on drive C 17. Connect mouse 18. Install the OS from CD or floppy 19. Change boot order in CMOS 20. Check for conflicts with system resources 21. Install any other expansion cards, and/or drives 22. Verify that all is operating properly; make final OS and/or CMOS adjustments Installing a Motherboard • Prepare motherboard to go into the case Set jumpers Add CPU, fan, and heat sink • Install motherboard in the case Adding CPU, Fan, and Heat Sink Adding CPU, Fan, and Heat Sink Adding CPU, Fan, and Heat Sink Adding CPU, Fan, and Heat Sink Adding CPU, Fan, and Heat Sink Installing the Motherboard in the Case 1. Install faceplate 2. Install standoffs 3. Place motherboard inside case and use screws to attach it to the case 4. Connect power cord from power supply to P1 power connection on motherboard 5. Connect wire leads from front panel of case to motherboard (reset switch, HDD LED, speaker, power LED, remote switch) Installing the Faceplate Installing the Faceplate Standoffs and Screwholes Wire Connectors Wire Connectors Completing the Installation • Install drives and other components • Turn on system and make sure everything is • connected properly Set configuration data and create rescue desk of settings Troubleshooting the Motherboard • Look for clues from POST Reports errors as beep codes • Cautiously substitute good hardware components for those you suspect are bad Information about Beep Codes Chapter Summary • How the components of a computer work in • harmony and with accuracy The motherboard Central site of computer logic circuitry Location of most important microchip in the computer, the CPU