NationMaster - Encyclopedia: PC motherboard

A motherboard is a printed circuit board used in a personal computer. It is also known as the mainboard and occasionally abbreviated to mobo or MB. The term mainboard is also used for the main circuit board in this and other electronic devices. ABIT KT7 PC motherboard, large version, 13 October 2003. ... ABIT KT7 PC motherboard, large version, 13 October 2003. ... A8N VM CSM, Asuss Flagship MicroATX motherboard An old Octek Jaguar V mainboard with an AMD 386DX-40 processor. ... Close-up photo of one side of a motherboard PCB, showing conductive traces, vias and solder points for through-hole components on the opposite side. ...

A typical motherboard provides attachment points for one or more of the following: CPU, graphics card, sound card, hard disk controller, memory (RAM), and external peripheral devices. The connectors for external peripherals are nearly always color coded according to the PC 99 specification. CPU redirects here. ... A graphics/video/display card/board/adapter is a computer component designed to convert the logical representation of visual information into a signal that can be used as input for a display medium. ... A sound card is a computer expansion card that can input and output sound under control of computer programs. ... Typical hard drives of the mid-1990s. ... The terms storage (U.K.) or memory (U.S.) refer to the parts of a digital computer that retain physical state (data) for some interval of time, possibly even after electrical power to the computer is turned off. ... Random-access memory (usually known by its acronym, RAM) is a type of data store used in computers that allows the stored data to be accessed in any order â€” that is, at random, not just in sequence. ... // General PC 99 was a specification for PCs jointly developed by Microsoft and Intel in 1998. ...

All of the basic circuitry and components required for a computer to function sit either directly on the motherboard or in an expansion slot of the motherboard or are connected with a cable. The most important component on a motherboard is the chipset. It often consists of two components or chips known as the Northbridge and Southbridge, though they may also be integrated into a single component. These chips determine, to an extent, the features and capabilities of the motherboard. A normal north/southbridge layout The northbridge is traditionally one of the two chips in the core logic chipset on a PC motherboard, the other being the Southbridge. ... The Southbridge is a chip that implements the â€˜slowerâ€™ capabilities of the motherboard in a northbridge/southbridge chipset computer architecture. ... A microprocessor (sometimes abbreviated ÂµP) is a digital electronic component with transistors on a single semiconductor integrated circuit (IC). ...

The remainder of this article discusses the state of the so-called "IBM compatible PC" motherboard in the early 2000s. It contains the chipset, which controls the operation of the CPU, the PCI, ISA, AGP, and PCI Express expansion slots, and (usually) the IDE/ATA controller as well. Most of the devices that can be attached to a motherboard are attached via one or more slots or sockets, although some modern motherboards support wireless devices using the IrDA, Bluetooth, or 802.11 (Wi-Fi) protocols. One of the first PCs from IBM - the IBM PC model 5150. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... 64-bit PCI expansion slots inside a Power Macintosh G4 The Peripheral Component Interconnect, or PCI Standard (in practice almost always shortened to PCI) specifies a computer bus for attaching peripheral devices to a computer motherboard. ... Industry Standard Architecture (in practice almost always shortened to ISA) is a computer bus standard for IBM compatible computers. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section can be improved by converting lengthy lists to text. ... PCI Express (formerly known as 3GIO for 3rd Generation I/O, not to be mistaken with PCI-X) is an implementation of the PCI computer bus that uses existing PCI programming concepts and communications standards, but bases it on a much faster serial communications system. ... The initials IRDA can refer to various things: In Information Technology and Communications, IrDA refers to Infrared Data Association, a standard for communication between devices (such as computers, PDAs and mobile phones) over short distances using infrared signals. ... Bluetooth logo Bluetooth is an industrial specification for wireless personal area networks (PANs), also known as IEEE 802. ... Wi-Fi (also WiFi, wifi, etc. ...

CPU sockets

There are different slots and sockets for CPUs, and it is necessary for a motherboard to have the appropriate slot or socket for the CPU. Newer sockets, those with a three digit number, are named after the number of pins they contain. Older ones are simply named in the order of their invention, usually with a single digit. Socket 370 processor socket The term CPU socket (or CPU slot) is widely used to describe the connector linking the motherboard to the CPU(s) in certain types of desktop and server computers, particularly those compatible with the Intel x86 architecture. ...

Sockets supporting Intel processors

Socket 6 was a 486-generation CPU socket, a slightly modified version of the commonplace Socket 3. ... The Intel DX4 is a clock-tripled 80486 microprocessor chip. ... Socket 7 is a physical and electrical specification for the x86 processor socket matching the pins on Pentium microprocessors manufactured by Intel, and compatibles made by Cyrix, AMD and others. ... Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC, SEHK: 4335), founded in 1968 as Integrated Electronics Corporation, is an American multinational corporation that is best known for designing and manufacturing microprocessors and specialized integrated circuits. ... Pentium logo, with MMX enhancement The Pentium is a fifth-generation x86 architecture microprocessor by Intel. ... Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. ... K6, Sonata in C for Keyboard and Violin was the sixth work by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart according to the Köchel catalogue. ... Socket 8 CPU socket was used exclusively with the Intel Pentium Pro and Pentium II OverDrive computer processors. ... Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC, SEHK: 4335), founded in 1968 as Integrated Electronics Corporation, is an American multinational corporation that is best known for designing and manufacturing microprocessors and specialized integrated circuits. ... Pentium Pro 256 KB Pentium Pro 512 KB Pentium Pro 1 MB Pentium Pro underside (256/512) Pentium II Overdrive The Pentium Pro is a sixth-generation x86 architecture microprocessor (P6 core) by Intel originally intended to replace the original Pentium in a full range of applications, but later reduced... Slot 1 refers to the physical and electrical specification for the connector used by some of Intels microprocessors, including the Celeron, Pentium II and the Pentium III. Slot 1 was a departure from the square ZIF PGA/SPGA sockets used for the Pentium and earlier processors. ... Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC, SEHK: 4335), founded in 1968 as Integrated Electronics Corporation, is an American multinational corporation that is best known for designing and manufacturing microprocessors and specialized integrated circuits. ... Pentium II â€“ front view The Pentium II is an x86 architecture microprocessor by Intel, introduced on May 7, 1997. ... Pentium III logo The Pentium III is an x86 (more precisely, an i686) architecture microprocessor by Intel, introduced on February 26, 1999. ... Slot 2 refers to the physical and electrical specification for the 330-lead edge-connector used by some of Intels microprocessors, including the Pentium II and Pentium III. Slot 2 is intended for use in high end multi-processor workstations and servers. ... Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC, SEHK: 4335), founded in 1968 as Integrated Electronics Corporation, is an American multinational corporation that is best known for designing and manufacturing microprocessors and specialized integrated circuits. ... Socket 370 is a common format of CPU socket first used by Intel for Celeron processors to replace the older Slot 1 CPU interface on personal computers. ... Celeron D logo as of 2006. ... Pentium III logo The Pentium III is an x86 (more precisely, an i686) architecture microprocessor by Intel, introduced on February 26, 1999. ... Socket 423 is a CPU socket that was used for the first Pentium 4 processors based on the Willamette core. ... Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC, SEHK: 4335), founded in 1968 as Integrated Electronics Corporation, is an American multinational corporation that is best known for designing and manufacturing microprocessors and specialized integrated circuits. ... New Intel Pentium 4 with Hyper Threading logo The Pentium 4 is a seventh-generation x86 architecture microprocessor produced by Intel and is their first all-new CPU design, called the NetBurst architecture, since the Pentium Pro of 1995. ... In computing, Socket 478 is a type of CPU socket used for Intels Pentium 4 and Celeron series CPUs. ... Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC, SEHK: 4335), founded in 1968 as Integrated Electronics Corporation, is an American multinational corporation that is best known for designing and manufacturing microprocessors and specialized integrated circuits. ... New Intel Pentium 4 with Hyper Threading logo The Pentium 4 is a seventh-generation x86 architecture microprocessor produced by Intel and is their first all-new CPU design, called the NetBurst architecture, since the Pentium Pro of 1995. ... Socket 479 is the socket for Intel pentium M, or mobile processors use. ... Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC, SEHK: 4335), founded in 1968 as Integrated Electronics Corporation, is an American multinational corporation that is best known for designing and manufacturing microprocessors and specialized integrated circuits. ... Introduced in March 2003, the Pentium M is an x86 architecture microprocessor designed and manufactured by Intel. ... Socket 603 is a motherboard socket for Intels Xeon processor. ... Socket 604 is a motherboard socket for Intels Xeon processor. ... Xeon logo The Xeon is Intels name for its server-class PC microprocessors intended for multiple-processor machines. ... Socket T, also known as LGA 775, is Intels latest CPU socket. ... Intels latest Socket for a processor is Socket T, or, LGA 775. ... The land grid array (LGA) is a physical interface for microprocessors of the Intel Pentium 4 family. ... Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC, SEHK: 4335), founded in 1968 as Integrated Electronics Corporation, is an American multinational corporation that is best known for designing and manufacturing microprocessors and specialized integrated circuits. ...

Sockets supporting AMD CPUs

Slot A refers to the physical and electrical specification for the edge-connector used by early versions of AMDs Athlon processor. ... Socket A (also known as Socket 462) is used for AMD flagship processors ranging from the Athlon K7 to the Athlon XP 3200+, and AMD budget processors including the Duron and Sempron. ... Socket 754 is a CPU socket originally developed by AMD to succeed its powerful Athlon XP platform (Socket 462, also referred to as Socket A). ... Socket 939 was introduced by AMD as an answer to Intels new platform for desktop products, Socket LGA775. ... Socket 940 is a 940-pin socket for 64-bit AMD server processors. ... The Socket AM2, previously known as Socket M2, is a CPU socket designed for AMD desktop processors, including the performance, mainstream and value segments. ...

Peripheral card slots

There are usually a number of expansion card slots to allow peripheral devices and cards to be inserted. Each slot is compatible with one or more industry bus standards. Commonly available buses include: PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect), PCI-X, AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port), and PCI Express. For an account of the words periphery and peripheral as they are used in biology, sociology, politics, computer hardware, and other fields, see the periphery disambiguation page. ... In computer architecture, a bus is a subsystem that transfers data or power between computer components inside a computer or between computers and typically is controlled by device driver software. ... 64-bit PCI expansion slots inside a Power Macintosh G4 The Peripheral Component Interconnect, or PCI Standard (in practice almost always shortened to PCI) specifies a computer bus for attaching peripheral devices to a computer motherboard. ... For other meanings of PCI, see PCI (disambiguation). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section can be improved by converting lengthy lists to text. ... PCI Express (formerly known as 3GIO for 3rd Generation I/O, not to be mistaken with PCI-X) is an implementation of the PCI computer bus that uses existing PCI programming concepts and communications standards, but bases it on a much faster serial communications system. ...

ISA was the original bus for connecting cards to a PC. Despite significant performance limitations, it was not superseded by the more advanced but incompatible MCA (Micro Channel Architecture) (IBM's proprietary solution which appeared in their PS/2 series of computers and a handful of other models) or the equally advanced and backward-compatible EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture) bus. It endured as a standard feature in PCs till the end of the 20th century, aided first by the brief dominance of the VESA (Video Electronic Standards Association) extension during the reign of the 486 and later by the need to accommodate the large number of existing ISA peripheral cards. The more recent PCI bus is the current industry standard, which initially was a high-speed supplement to ISA for high-bandwidth peripherals (notably graphics cards, network cards, and SCSI host adaptors), and gradually replaced ISA as a general-purpose bus. An AGP slot is a high speed, single-purpose port designed solely for connecting high performance graphics cards (which produce video output) to the monitor. Both AGP and PCI buses are marked for replacement by PCI Express, although this is unlikely to happen prior to 2006 because of the large established base of AGP/PCI motherboards and add-in cards. Graphics Card IBM XGA-2. ... International Business Machines Corporation (IBM, or colloquially, Big Blue) (NYSE: IBM) (incorporated June 15, 1911, in operation since 1888) is headquartered in Armonk, New York, USA. The company manufactures and sells computer hardware, software, and services. ... PS/2 can refer to: IBM Personal System/2, a series of post-PC computers sold by IBM starting in 1987. ... EISA means: Extended Industry Standard Architecture European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA Awards). ... The Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) is an international body, founded in the late 1980s by NEC Home Electronics and eight other video display adapter manufacturers. ... // Overview The exposed die of an Intel 80486DX2 microprocessor. ... SCSI stands for Small Computer System Interface, and is a standard interface and command set for transferring data between devices on both internal and external computer buses. ... Video is the technology of capturing, recording, processing, transmitting, and reconstructing moving pictures, typically using celluloid film, electronic signals, or digital media, primarily for viewing on television or computer monitors. ...

A typical motherboard of 1999 might have had one AGP slot, four PCI slots, and one (or two) ISA slots; since about 2002 the last ISA slots in new boards have been replaced with extra PCI slots. Sometimes an Advanced Communications Riser slot is used instead on less expensive motherboards. The Advanced Communications Riser, or ACR, is a form factor and technical specification for PC motherboard expansion slots. ...

As of 2001, most PCs also support Universal Serial Bus (USB) connections, and the controller and ports required for this are usually integrated onto the motherboard. An ethernet interface and a basic audio processor are now almost universally integrated into current motherboards as well. The USB (Type A and B) Connectors A USB Series â€œAâ€ plug Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a serial bus standard to interface devices. ... Ethernet is a large and diverse family of frame-based computer networking technologies for local area networks (LANs). ...

Temperature and reliability

Generally, motherboards are air cooled with heat sinks on the larger chips such as the northbridge and CPU, and they have monitored sockets for case fans. Newer motherboards have integrated temperature sensors to detect motherboard and CPU temperatures, which can be used by the BIOS or Operating system to regulate fan speed. The removal of waste thermal energy became a major concern for workstation PCs around 2000, with the problem becoming more severe over time as computer systems continued to consume more and more power. Phoenix AwardBIOS CMOS Setup utility on a standard PC BIOS, in computing, stands for Basic Input/Output System or Basic Integrated Operating System. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

A study of the German c't computer magazine c't 2003, vol. 21 pg. 216-221 found that some spurious computer crashes and general reliability issues ranging from screen image distortions to I/O read/write errors can surprisingly be attributed not to software or peripheral hardware but to aging PC motherboards.

Motherboard voltage regulation uses electrolytic capacitors. These capacitors exhibit aging effects which depend on the temperature of the parts, since their water based electrolytes slowly evaporate leading to capacity loss and motherboard malfunctions due to voltage instabilities. While most capacitors are rated for 2000 hours at 105 degrees Celsius (life formula [1]), their expected design life roughly doubles for every 10 degrees Celsius below this. At 45 degrees Celsius a lifetime of 15 years can be expected, which appears reasonable for a computer mainboard. In the past, many manufacturers delivered substandard capacitors, which would reduce this life expectancy figure. With inadequate case cooling this can become a serious problem. It is, however, possible to find and replace broken capacitors on PC mainboards. For more information on certain types of premature capacitor failure on PC motherboards, see capacitor plague. Electrolytic capacitors An electrolytic capacitor is a type of capacitor with a larger capacitance per unit volume than other types, making them valuable in relatively high-current and low-frequency electrical circuits. ... Capacitors: SMD ceramic at top left; SMD tantalum at bottom left; through-hole tantalum at top right; through-hole electrolytic at bottom right. ... An electrolyte is a substance that dissociates into free ions when dissolved (or molten), to produce an electrically conductive medium. ... now. ... Leaking Chhsi capacitors on a MSI 694D Pro motherboard. ...

Physical form factor

The motherboard fits into the computer case with screws or clips. There are many form factors, or sizes of motherboard. In general, it is necessary for the case, power supply, and motherboard to conform to the same standard in order for them to operate properly. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1800x1350, 79 KB) Summary Did it myself to view the different physical fom factors Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ...

Categories: IBM PC compatibles | Motherboard Industry Standard Architecture (in practice almost always shortened to ISA) is a computer bus standard for IBM compatibles. ... The AT form factor is the first modern form factor to be widely used. ... Industry Standard Architecture (in practice almost always shortened to ISA) is a bus standard for IBM compatibles introduced in 1984 that extends the XT bus architecture to 16 bits. ... The Baby AT is a computer motherboard form factor that is smaller than the older AT form factor. ... ATX form motherboards became increasingly popular because of their advantages over older AT motherboards. ... A microATX tower, borrowed from Newegg microATX (also known as ÂµATX) form factor is a small motherboard size of 9. ... LPX (Low Profile eXtension) was a loosely defined motherboard format (form factor) widely used in the 1990s. ... NLX is a form factor proposed by Intel and developed jointly with IBM, DEC, and other vendors for low profile, low cost, mass-marketed retail PCs. ... FlexATX is a PC motherboard form factor derived from ATX. It is the smallest of the ATX-based form factors. ... Mini-ITX is a motherboard form factor developed by VIA Technologies. ... Nano-ITX is a computer motherboard form factor first proposed by VIA Technologies of Taiwan in 2004, and implemented sometime in late 2005. ... BTX (for Balanced Technology Extended) is a form factor for PC motherboards, originally slated to be the replacement for the aging ATX motherboard form factor in late 2004 and early 2005. ... Motherboard form factor introduced by Intel in 1998, for its use at high-end, multiprocessor, multiple-hard-disks server and workstations. ... In ASCII, ETX is a short name for the End of Text control character (code 3). ... // PC/104 PC/104 (or PC104) is an embedded computer standard controlled by the PC/104 Consortium, that defines both a form factor and computer bus. ...