The Computer Motherboard
Printed Circuit Board (PCB)
PCB stands for Printed Circuit Board.
A Motherboard is the main printed circuit
board in a computer. A Motherboard is called the mainboard, system board,
baseboard, circuit board, logic board, or planar board. It is a PCB
with expandable capacity. It is the main board of all the elements
attached to it, so it is called the mother. The motherboard is the connectivity
point that is the backbone of a computer's central communications.
All components, peripherals, and other
additional components connect through the expansion slots.
A Motherboard has many significant
electronic components. As the central processing unit (CPU), RAM, memory, and
all other computer hardware. A Motherboard allows all these components to
communicate with each other. A Motherboard also provides connectors for other
peripherals. A Motherboard consists of several subsystems, such as the central
processor, input, output, memory controller, interface connector, and other
components.
A Motherboard consists of peripherals,
interface cards. It also includes sound cards, video cards, network cards, and
hard drives. It also has TV tuner cards, cards that provide additional USB or FireWire slots, and other custom components.
When choosing the right Computer
Motherboard, you need to have an idea about some components. Like, what is the
nature of your work? What kind of processor can you use? How much RAM does it
have?
The Function of Motherboards
A Motherboard is a connecter to connect all
the parts in the computer together. These include CPUs, memory, hard drives,
optical drives, video cards, sound cards, other ports, and expansion cards. So
it is called the mother of the computer as well as the backbone of the
computer.
How to fit a Motherboard into the case?
A Motherboard is fitted inside the case and
securely attached to the pre-drill hole by small screws. A Motherboard has
ports for connecting all internal components. It provides a single socket for
the CPU, while one or more slots are available for memory. Motherboards provide
ports for connecting optical drives via floppy drives, hard drives, and ribbon
cables. There is a port designed for power supply.
There are peripheral card slots, video
cards, sound cards, and other expansion cards connected to the motherboard.
There are also several ports for connecting monitors, printers, mice,
keyboards, speakers, and network cables. The motherboard also has USB ports,
which allow for compatible device plug-in or plug-out.
Motherboard Components and their Functions
Numerous key components are essential for
functioning the computer connected to the motherboard. They are processor,
memory, and expansion slots. The motherboard connects directly or indirectly to
each part of the PC. The Motherboard in the PC affects the speed and expansion
capability of the computer system.
Below is information about some parts of the
motherboard and their function.
Motherboard and its Components
Processor
Known as a microprocessor or processor, the
CPU is the brain of the computer. It is responsible for bringing, decoding,
executing program instructions, and performing mathematical and logical
calculations.
The processor chip can identify by the type
and manufacturer of the processor. This information about the chip can found on
the same chip. Intel 386, Advanced Micro Device (AMD) 386, Syrinx 486, Pentium
MMX, Intel Core 2 Duo, or iCore 7 are some examples of the chips.
Memory
Random-access memory, or RAM, usually refers
to computer chips that temporarily store dynamic data. It helps to enhance the
performance of the computer while working.
Random-access memory is unstable, which
means it loses content when power is off.
It is different from non-volatile memory, such as hard disk and flash
memory, which does not require an energy source to retain data.
After shutting down the computer properly,
the data transfer to permanent storage on the hard drive or flash drive. At the
next boot-up, RAM starts recovering with the program loaded automatically at
startup. It is the booting process. Later, users can open other files and
programs loaded with memory.
BIOS
BIOS is the basic input-output system. BIOS
is a read-only memory containing low-level software that controls the system
hardware and acts as an interface between the operating system and the
hardware. The BIOS is the link between hardware and software in a computer.
All motherboards have a small block of
read-only memory (ROM). It is different from the main system memory used to
load and run the software. On a PC, BIOS has all the code needed to control
keyboards, display screens, disk drives, serial communications, and countless
functions.
ROM chips are on the motherboard used during
the startup routine (boot process) to check the BIOS system and run hardware.
BIOS is stored on the ROM chip because the ROM retains information even when the
computer has no power.
CMOS Battery
Motherboards also have a small separate
block of memory made from CMOS RAM chips. It keeps the current flowing through
the battery even when the PC's electrical current is off. It prevents
configuration when the PC turns on.
CMOS requires very little energy to operate
the equipment. CMOS RAM is used to store primary information about the
configuration of the PC.
Cache Memory
Cache memory is a small block of high-speed
memory (RAM) that improves the performance by pre-loading (relatively slow) the
main memory and sending it to the processor on demand.
Most CPUs have internal cache memory (built
into the processor) It is level 1 or primary cache memory. It may complement
the external cache memory fitted to the motherboard. It is a level 2 or
secondary cache memory.
Bus
The bus is the part of the circuit that
connects from one part of the motherboard to another. The measurement of the
bus speed is MHz. Specifies how much data can be transported by bus at a time.
Good quality buses can handle more data at once.
Expansion Buses
Extended CPUT is an input-path of peripheral
devices, and it's a series of motherboard slots.
PC Travel is just a general increase in PC
and hardware platforms. Only data, memory address, power, and control signal
the others are just ISA and agency combinations.
Extension Buses can increase the capacity of
a PC by allowing users to add features that are not in their computer to the
expansion slot via an adapter card slot.
Chipsets
A chipset is a group of short circuits that
combine the flow of data to the main components. These key components include
the CPU, main memory, secondary cache, and device in the bus. A chipset
controls data flow to and from hard disks and other devices connected to the
IDE channel.
There are two types of Chipsets.
Northbridge and Southbridge
Northbridge is also called a memory
controller. It is in charge of controlling the transfer between the processor
and the RAM. It is sometimes called GMCH for the Graphic and Memory Controller
Hub.
Southbridge is also called input-output
controller or extension controller gradually handles communications between
peripherals.
Switches
DIP means Dual In-line Packages are small
electronic switches found on circuit boards. That can be turned on or off just
like electronic switches. So care must be taken while cleaning near the DIP
switch because they are small.
Jumpers
Jumper pins on the motherboard are tiny
little pins. A jumper cap or bridge can use to attach the jumper pin. When the
bridge connects to any two pins by a shorting link, it completes the circuit
and obtains a specific configuration.
Jumper caps are metal bridges that block
electrical current. The jumper has a plastic plug that fits through two pairs
of pins. Sometimes jumpers are used to configure the expansion board. You can
change the parameters of the board by placing the jumper plugs on different
sets of pins.
Jumpers can add or remove to change the
function or performance of the PC component. A group of jumpers is sometimes
called a jumper block.
Expansion Slots and Connectors
There are expansion slot hardware options on
your motherboard to add additional components. Extended slots, number of
connectors, and sorting are significant for a computer in the future.
Features of Motherboards
Motherboards come with the following
features.
Motherboards support a wide variety of
components.
Motherboards support one type of CPU and a
few types of memory.
Video cards, hard disks, and sound cards
must be compatible with the motherboard to function correctly.
Motherboard cases and power supplies must be
compatible.
Types of Motherboards
Motherboards come in a variety of sizes,
known as form factors.
ATX is the most common motherboard form
factor. There are different types of ATX. Micro-ATX is refer to as ATX, mini-ATX,
FlexATX, EATX, WATX, nano-ATX, pico-ATX, or mobile ATX.
ITX is a small form factor, which comes in
mini-ITX, Nano-ITX, and pico-ITX sizes.
3. Some motherboards, such as the NLX and
LPX form components had a riser board attached to a smaller motherboard. The
adapters fit into the slot on the riser board instead of the motherboard slot
Popular Manufacturers of the Motherboard
Intel
ASUS
AOpen
ABIT
Biostar
Gigabyte
MSI