MOTHER BOARD

1. A+ Guide to Managing
and Maintaining Your PC
Fifth Edition
Chapter 5
The Motherboard

2. 2A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
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

3. 3A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Motherboards
 House the CPU
 Allow devices to communicate with it and
each other
 Most popular: AT and ATX
 ATX
• More power-management features
• Support faster systems
• Easier to install
 Selection of motherboard determines
capabilities and limitations of the system

4. 4A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Typical AT Motherboard

5. 5A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Typical ATX Motherboard

6. 6A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Motherboard Components
 CPU and accompanying chip set
 ROM BIOS
 RAM
 Buses and expansion slots
 Components used to change hardware
configuration settings
 Jumpers
 DIP switches
 CMOS configuration chip

7. 7A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Basic Components of a CPU
 Input/output (I/O) unit
 Arithmetic logic unit(s) (ALU)
 Control unit

8. 8A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
How the CPU Works

9. 9A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Attributes Used to Rate CPUs
 Processor core speed (measured in gigahertz)
 Word size and data path
 Efficiency/special functionality of
programming code
 System bus speeds the processor supports

10. 10A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Attributes Used to Rate CPUs
(continued)
 Amount of memory included with the CPU
(internal and external cache)
 Type of RAM, motherboard, and chip set the
processor supports
 Multiprocessor ability

11. 11A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
The Pentiums
 Two ALUs (a true multiprocessor)
 64-bit external path size and two 32-bit
internal paths (one for each ALU)
 Terminology
 Bus speed
 Processor speed
 Multiplier
 Memory cache

12. 12A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Memory Cache

13. 13A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Pentium III

14. 14A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Pentium 4

15. 15A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
AMD Processors (continued)

16. 16A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
VIA C3 Processor

17. 17A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
64-Bit Processors
 Intel Itaniums
 AMD 64-bit processors

18. 18A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
The Itanium 2 Processor

19. 19A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
AMD 64-Bit Processors

20. 20A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
CPU Heat Sinks and Cooling
Fans

21. 21A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Combination Heat Sink and
Cooling Fan

22. 22A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
CPU Package Types
 SECC
 SECC2
 SEP
 PPGA
 PGA
 OOI/OLGA
 FC-PGA
 FC-PGA2
 PAC
 CPGA
 OPGA
 μPGA

23. 23A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
CPU Slots and Sockets
 Motherboard and processor must match
 Slots 1 and 2 are proprietary Intel slots
 Slot A and Socket A are proprietary AMD
connectors

24. 24A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
CPU Slots and Sockets
(continued)

25. 25A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
CPU Slots and Sockets
(continued)

26. 26A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
CPU Voltage Requirements

27. 27A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
CPU Voltage Regulator
 Dual-voltage CPUs
 Single-voltage CPUs
 Voltage regulator module (VRM) controls
amount of voltage to the CPU

28. 28A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
CPU Voltage Regulator
(continued)

29. 29A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Accelerated Hub Architecture

30. 30A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Configuring and Updating ROM
BIOS
 Update BIOS only if you’re having a problem
with your motherboard or there’s a new feature
you want to use
 Flash ROM BIOS upgrades for most BIOS
manufacturers can be downloaded from
www.unicore.com

31. 31A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Buses and Expansion Slots
 Buses evolved around data path and speed
 Local bus (system) and expansion bus (ISA)
 Buses carry electrical power, control signals,
memory addresses, and data
 On-board ports, connectors, and riser slots

32. 32A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Bus Connections

33. 33A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
On-Board Ports, Connectors,
and Riser Slots

34. 34A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Hardware Configuration
 Setup data stored by DIP switches
 Setup data stored by jumpers
 Setup data stored in CMOS memory

35. 35A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Setup Data Stored by DIP
Switches

36. 36A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Setup Data Stored by Jumpers

37. 37A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Setup Data Stored by Jumpers
(continued)

38. 38A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Setup Data Stored in CMOS
Memory
 Also called real-time clock/nonvolatile RAM
(RTC/NVRAM) chip
 Retains data even when computer is turned off
 Setup cannot be changed unintentionally, but
disk drive must be working before you can
change the setup

39. 39A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
CMOS Setup Main Menu

40. 40A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
CMOS Setup Power Menu

41. 41A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
CMOS Setup Boot Menu

42. 42A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
CMOS Setup Exit Menu

43. 43A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Battery Power to CMOS
Memory
 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)

44. 44A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
CMOS
 Setting startup passwords in CMOS
 Categories of CMOS settings
 Standard
 BIOS Features Menu
 Advanced Chip Set Setup
 Power Management Menu
 IDE HDD Auto-detect
 Hardware Device Settings

45. 45A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Protecting Documentation and
Configuration Settings
 Keep up-to-date written records of CMOS
settings, hardware and software installed, and
network settings
 Keep well-labeled documentation in a safe
place
 Can also save and restore CMOS settings
using third-party utility software

46. 46A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Building a Computer
1. Verify that you have all parts you plan to install
2. Prepare computer case
3. Install drives
4. Determine proper configuration settings for
motherboard
5. Set jumpers or switches on motherboard
6. Install CPU and CPU cooler

47. 47A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Building a Computer (continued)
7. Install RAM
8. Install motherboard and attach cabling
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

48. 48A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Building a Computer (continued)
13. If booting from a floppy disk, insert a bootable
setup disk
14. Observe POST
15. Prepare hard drive for the OS
16. Reboot system and run ScanDisk on drive C
17. Connect mouse

49. 49A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Building a Computer (continued)
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

50. 50A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Installing the Motherboard
 Prepare motherboard to go in case
 Set jumpers
 Add CPU, fan, and heat sink
• Installing a Pentium II in Slot 1
• Installing a Pentium 4 in Socket 478

51. 51A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Setting the Jumpers

52. 52A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Setting the Jumpers (continued)

53. 53A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Installing a Pentium II in Slot 1

54. 54A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Installing a Pentium II in Slot 1
(continued)

55. 55A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Installing a Pentium II in Slot 1
(continued)

56. 56A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Installing a Pentium II in Slot 1
(continued)

57. 57A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Installing a Pentium 4 in
Socket 478

58. 58A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Installing a Pentium 4 in
Socket 478 (continued)

59. 59A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Installing Motherboard in Case
1. Install faceplate
2. Install standoffs
3. Attach motherboard inside case with screws
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)

60. 60A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Installing the Faceplate

61. 61A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Installing the Faceplate (continued)

62. 62A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Standoffs and Screwholes

63. 63A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Wire Connectors

64. 64A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Troubleshooting the
Motherboard and CPU
 Look for clues from POST
 Reports errors as beep codes
 Cautiously substitute good hardware
components for those you suspect are bad

65. 65A+ Guide to Managing and Maintaining Your PC, Fifth Edition
Summary
 Types of motherboards
 Motherboard components
 Building a computer
 Installing the motherboard
 Troubleshooting the motherboard and CPU