MOTHERBOARD

AND ITS COMPONENTS

Deepak Kumar Yadav | 11813705 | August 31, 2018

Motherboard
A motherboard (sometimes alternatively known as
the mainboard, system board, baseboard, planar
board or logic board, or colloquially, a mobo) is the
main printed circuit board (PCB) found in general
purpose microcomputers and other expandable
systems. It holds and allows communication between
many of the crucial electronic components of a
system, such as the central processing unit (CPU)
and memory, and provides connectors for
other peripherals. Unlike a backplane, a motherboard
usually contains significant sub-systems such as the
central processor, the chipset's input/output and
memory controllers, interface connectors, and other
components integrated for general purpose use and
applications.
Motherboard specifically refers to a PCB with
expansion capability and as the name suggests, this
board is often referred to as the "mother" of all
components attached to it, which often
include peripherals, interface cards, and daughter cards: sound cards, video
cards, network cards, hard drives, or other forms of persistent storage; TV tuner cards,
cards providing extra USB or FireWire slots and a variety of other custom components.
Similarly, the term mainboard is applied to devices with a single board and no additional
expansions or capability, such as controlling boards in laser printers, televisions,
washing machines and other embedded systems with limited expansion abilities.

History
Prior to the invention of the microprocessor, a digital computer consisted of multiple
printed circuit boards in a card-cage case with components connected by a backplane,
a set of interconnected sockets. In very old designs, copper wires were the discrete
connections between card connector pins, but printed circuit boards soon became the
standard practice. The Central Processing Unit (CPU), memory, and peripherals were
housed on individual printed circuit boards, which were plugged into the backplane. The
ubiquitous S-100 bus of the 1970s is an example of this type of backplane system.

Design
A motherboard provides the electrical connections by which the other components of
the system communicate. Unlike a backplane, it also contains 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; in modern microcomputers it is increasingly common to integrate
some of these peripherals into the motherboard itself.

How big is a Motherboard?

Form Factor is the term given to the shape
and size of a motherboard. Generally, all
types of motherboards are designed
according to predefined specifications
creating a similarity between the
motherboards manufactured by different
companies. However, the size may differ
to a small extent from brand to brand.
ATX, developed by Intel, is the most
widely used configuration specification for
desktop motherboards which is
implemented by almost all the major
manufacturers. MiniPC is a form factor
specification given for small sized
computers like the Apple Mac Mini and
Intel NUC. These machines are used for
basic computing needs like web surfing, word processing, video playback, etc. Though,
the advancement in technology has made these machines more than an internet surfing
device.
The most popular computers of the 1980s such as the Apple II and IBM PC had
published schematic diagrams and other documentation which permitted
rapid 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.
CPU Sockets
A CPU socket (central processing unit) 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 on the motherboard can most
often be found in most desktop and server
computers (laptops typically use surface mount CPUs), particularly those based on
the Intel x86architecture. A CPU socket type and motherboard chipset must support the
CPU series and speed.

Components of Motherboard
1) Input/output Ports
Generally, input and output ports are placed at
the very side (back) of computer chassis. In
particular, the I/O ports is built to connect the
monitor, speakers, a microphone, an Ethernet
networking cable and multiple USB devices. At
the same time, sometimes you can see the
connection with the legacy devices. For
example, parallel ports which work with the older
printers.
2) BIOS:
BIOS is the short form of “Basic Input
Output System.” BIOS is the components
of Motherboard, and it is positioned as the
Integrated Chip. Important to realize,
BIOS contains all the information and
settings of the motherboard, and you can
update or modify the setting from the
BIOS mode.
All motherboards include a small block of
Read Only Memory (ROM) which is
separate from the main system memory used for loading and running software.
On PCs, the BIOS contains all the code required to control the keyboard, display
screen, disk drives, serial communications, and a number of miscellaneous
functions.
The system BIOS is a ROM chip on the motherboard used during the startup
routine (boot process) to check out the system and prepare to run the hardware.
The BIOS is stored on a ROM chip because ROM retains information even when
no power is being supplied to the computer.

3. CPU Socket
CPU socket helps to install the processor
into the Motherboard. That means the
CPU connects to the socket for
connecting to the motherboard. On the
bottom of the motherboard, the socket
carries hundreds of metal connectors for
the metal pins or balls. It helps to supply
the power to the processor. At the same
time, it transports the data among the
other parts/components of the computer.
You can’t update the computer’s
processor without being the same socket
types.
i) Socket7: This types of old 321 pin socket supports the older versions of processor
including Intel Pentium 1/2/MMX, AMD k5/K6, and Cyrix M2.

ii) Socket370: This types of 370 pin socket supports the older versions of processors
including Celeron processors and Pentium-3 processors.

iii) Socket 775: This types of 775 pin socket supports the older versions of processors
including Intel dual-core, C2D, P-4 and Xeon processors.

iv) Socket 1156: It is one of the latest sockets of 1156 on the motherboard components
which supports Intel i-3, i-5, and i-7 processors.

v) Socket 1366: This is the most updated socket of 1366, and it can be used for any
types of latest processors including i-7 900 processors.

4. RAM (Memory) Slots

For installing RAM modules, a motherboard may have more than one slots, and it
is positioned near the CPU socket. In general, RAM is most needed parts of the
motherboard and it refers to Random Access Memory. It is the temporary
memory of the computer, but it helps to run the applications and opening the
files. Particularly, if the processors have a large amount of RAM, it can operate
the computer more smoothly and surely it helps to increase the performance of
the computer.
i) SIMM slots: SIMM is the short form of “Single In-line Memory Module.” This types of
slots can be found in older motherboards, up to 486-boards. Important to realize, SIMM
slots supports only 32-bit bus.

ii) DIMM slots: DIMM is the short form of “Double Inline Memory Module.” It is the most
updated, well-configured and latest RAM slots and it can run simultaneously with a 64-
bit bus. Another key point, the RAM slots which is used on the Laptop motherboard is
known as SO-DIMM.

5. Expansion Card Slots

When you need to add new
components to the motherboard
or if you want to update any
parts of the motherboard, a
motherboard’s expansion card
slots allow you do that. An
expansion card slots help to add
external devices to display. For
example, a video card needs to
connect to the monitor to display
the video or 3D or rendering the
graphics. Here, expansion card
slots can do it. For this reason, it
is positioned on the line of the
back side of the motherboard.

i) ISA slots: There slots of the expansion card slots are the oldest slots on the
motherboard. The display and sound card were installed in this card slots and it was
positioned on the AT board. It was in a 16-bit bus and identified by black color. ISA is
the short form of “Industry Standard Architecture”

ii) PCI Slots: PCI Slots is the short form of “Peripheral Component Interconnect.” It is
the most familiar and latest components of the motherboard and it is used to install add-
on card on the motherboard. The PCI Slots supports the high-speed 64-bit bus.
 iii) PCI Express: PCI Express which
supports the full-duplex serial bus and it is
also known as PCIe. It is one of the fastest
and most uses components ad place add-
on card on the motherboard.

iv) AGP slot: AGP which is the short form

of “Accelerated graphics port”. It is used to
install the latest graphics card. For
installing high-end gaming display cards it
can be run on both PCIe and AGP. At the
same time, it can be run on the 32-bit bus.

6. Storage Device Connectors

A computer needs some other types of
storage devices to store the data or
performing efficiently including hard
drives, optical drives, and floppy drives.
As it needs to connect to the
motherboard, here has the cable which
is compatible with the motherboard to
transfer the data. In the motherboard,
you will find at least two storage device
connectors to fulfill the needs of
storage components on the computer.

7. Power Connectors
A Motherboard needs the power to keep
running and it gets the power from SMPS.
There are connectors to keep the process
going on.

i) AT connector: It is one of the connectors

which is found on the oldest motherboard and it
has 2 number of 6 pin male connectors to make
the supplying process.

ii) ATX connector: These types of the connector

is found on the latest forms of the motherboard. It
consists 20 or 24 pin female connectors and it is considered as the latest power
connectors.

8. IDE connector
IDE is the short form of “Integrated Drive
Electronics” and it is used to connect the
disk drives including floppy disk drives and
HDD (Hard Disk Drives). Here you will
find 40-pin male connector that connects
HDD. At the same time, the 34-pin male
connector that connects the FDD.

9. SATA connector
SATA is the abbreviation of “Serial Advanced Technology Attachment.”
Important to realize, it is the latest connectors with 7-pin interface. It is used to
connect the SATA hard disks or optical drives. It is faster and better than the
IDE Connector.

10. Co-Processor
One of vital parts or components of the motherboard is Co-Processors. It is used
to perform mathematical calculations and computer graphics with the main
processors.
11. Cabinet connections
It is the place where the motherboard is installed. It contains many buttons to
connect the cabinet with the motherboard. Mostly used cabinet connectors
are Power Switch, Reset Switch, Front USB, Front Audio, Power indicator(LED)
and HDD LED.

Some other parts/Components of Motherboard and their Functions:

When working the motherboard, you will find some other parts or components
on the motherboard. As we are describing all the parts of Motherboard, We
should also know these components of the motherboard too. Let’s take a look at
the name, use, and functions.

Chipset-North Bridge (CNB): It is an integrated circuit with two chipsets and performs
some particular task.

Fire wire header (IEEE 1394): It is the serial bus which is used to transfer digital and
audio data.

PS/2 Connectors: It is the very common connects and all the motherboard contains
two of it’s for connecting the keyboard and mouse.

USB (Universal Serial Bus) Port: USB port is located on every motherboard for
connecting external devices or storages including pen drive or audio jack.

Parallel or (LPT) Port: The port helps to connect the scanners and printers.

Game Port: The port is used to connect all the gaming devices, for example, a joystick.

Sound Card Connectors: For connecting audio devices including speakers or

headphone this sound card connectors are used.

Display Connector: It helps to connect the monitor to the motherboard.

COM (Communication) Port: This device has been built to connect different devices
including mouse, modem.