PARTS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE MOTHERBOARD
The
computer Motherboard or shortly MOBO is one of the most important part of the
Personal computer (PC).It is a hardware of the computer installed inside the
system unit(CPU).This MOBO hardware act as the main board or the central or
core assembly of the computer system unit. In other words inside of the CPU
case there are a lot of other hardware's connected to the MOBO, namely: Hard Disk Drive (HDD), CD/DVD ROM, USB
Card reader, FDD Drive, processor, RAM, LAN card, Wireless LAN card, USB
expansion board, VGA Card, and the Power Supply Unit (PSU).These are all
types of hardware's inside the system unit of the Personal Computer.
Computer
motherboard designed to take advantage of the most demand application of a
program. Just like the movie games as high innovative applications of computer
programming. As the form factor of motherboard as a series of versions of the
MOBO from AT, ATX, BTX, LPX, and NLPX. Compatible words being broadcast, that's
why it is the MOBO will synchronize the speed of processor, RAM, and Video Card
(VGA). Unlike only if the MOBO is built-in through the Input/output ports.
So,
let’s talk about the Motherboard parts and function to enable you to
familiarize the parts and function. This is the most practical approach of the
technician. (See the picture above).
1.
I/O ports- This is located in the
rear panel of the CPU, this use to connect the outside hardware or peripherals
of the computer.
• PS/2
ports- These are used to connect the mouse (green color) and the keyboard (purple
color)
• DB
25 female connector (printer port)-This is use to connect the impact
printer, one of that the DOT MATRIX printer, ex. the Epson LX 300 +
• DB
9 male connector (Serial or com1 port)-This use to connect a serial device
of the computer, such as the serial mouse and external modem.
• VGA
port (built-in)- This is use to interface the DB cord of the monitor screen
or to connect the monitor screen of the computer. The fastest video card
versions are based on the standard of the VGA slots, ex: the AGP and PCI’e card.
• USB
2.0 × 2 ports- These are the ports of the USB devices of the computer. Attached
externally of the system unit, one of that are the USB flash drives. As of now
the versions or speed of the USB are the 1.0 and 2.0 compatible.
• LAN
port- This called as Local Area Network of the computer. This is use to
connect the numbers of node or workstations (PC) to form a local area network
of the computer with in their area. Using type of communication media such as
the network switch and router.
• Audio
Port- This is use to connect the speaker, mike, and MIDI (Musical
Instrument Digital Interface) device of the computer.
2.
ATX Power connector(4 pin)- This is
use to connect the 4 pin of the power supply unit(PSU) .This is separate of the
20 or 24 pin of ATX power supply to provide DC voltage of computer processor.
3. Processor’s
ZIF Socket- Part of MOBO use to hold the processor or CPU chip (Zero
Insertion Force).The compatibility of the socket depends of the computer
processor type. Such as the AM2 socket of the AMD and the socket 775 of the
Intel company.
4.
Memory slot (DIMM) - This is called
as Dual Inline Memory Module, this is the slot of computer memory or what we
called RAM. The memory slot depends of the type of the memory. Such as the PC
133 SDRAM and PC 400 SDRAM-DDR 1.
5.
ATX Power connector (24 or 28 pin) -
A group of connector of the MOBO. This is separate of the 4 pin power
assignments. It provides a DC power output to the system board (SB) from the
output of the Power Supply Unit.
6.
Name of the Vendor- this is the
manufacturer name. This is important to know the manufacturer or vendor. So you
can download through the internet site the driver software of the MOBO.
7.
CMOS/BIOS BATTERY- In this part, the
CMOS/BIOS battery is hold, so that it can provide 3 volts direct
current/voltage to the CMOS IC. To preserve the BIOS settings of the computer. Such
as the time module, hardware information and settings/parameter, etc.
• CMOS-Complementary
Metal Oxide Semiconductor
• BIOS
- Basic Input/output system. Is a set of a program stored in CMOS IC, use
to preserve the BIOS configuration of the computer
• CMOS
BATTERY PART NUMBER- lithium dry cell CR 2032 3 volts.
8.
IDE connector (Intergrated Drive
Electronics)- This connector is use to connect the IDE cable of the
HDD(Hard Disk Drive) or CD/DVD ROM to the Mother Board IDE.
9.
Front panel connectors(F-Panel)- This
is use to connect the Power LED,HDD LED, Power Switch, and Reset switch of the
computer system unit(CPU).
10.
SATA connector-This is Serial
Advance Technology Attachment. The new standard of the IDE connection array of
the computer HDD (SATA HDD) to the motherboard system.
11.
CMOS/BIOS jumper- This is use to
disable the BIOS default setup. Such as to disabled the
supervisor password of
the BIOS.
• How to disable password before the
BIOS setup
• Turn off CPU
• Change jumper to clear
• Remove the CMOS battery
• Reinsert the BIOS battery
• Change jumper to normal
• Power up computer
• Press “del” or “F2” to enter BIOS
setup.
12.
USB connector (header) - This is use
to connect the USB port of the front panel USB 2.0 x 2 port.
13.
FDD connector- The connector of the
FDD cable through the system board. Normally
there are 34 pins out of it to
connect the 3.5” 1.44mb Floppy Disk Drive.
14.
PCI slots- a part of the computer
motherboard use to connect the I/O cards of the computer. Such as LAN card, WIFI
card, USB expansion card, and sound card.
15.
Motherboard Version number- here you
can get the version of the motherboard driver software. So that you can download
it exactly to the manufacturer website.
16.
CMOS/BIOS IC- This is the type of
BIOS IC being use by the computer MOBO.A set of a program being installed in
this IC to preserved the BIOS configuration settings of the computer. Such as
the speed of the CPU chip and RAM, etc.
17.
AMR slot- This is the AUDIO Modem
Riser. Being use to demodulate and modulate the analog audio of the computer.
18.
PCI express slot- A part of the
computer that hold the computer video card (VGA), the PCI’e card. The latest
and the fastest card being installed and most compatible with 3d and 4g gaming
of the computer. The old video card type is the AGP or Accelerated Graphic
Ports and
the standard of the PCI’e.
19.
North Bridge IC- Is a passion name
as being north of the PCI buses or the PCI slots of the MOBO. The true name of
the north bridge is MCI or Memory Controller Hub. Assigned to manage and
control the computer memory before the processing of the CPU chip.
20.
South Bridge IC- Is a passion name
as being south of the PCI buses or PCI slots. The true name of the south bridge
is I/O Controller HUB (ICH). It is a type of microchip task to control all the
Input and output devices of the computer. Such as the keyboard and mouse. And
the monitor screen of the computer that commonly found at the rear back of the
CPU or system unit.