LESSON: MOTHERBOARD ELEMENTS

Key concepts
Term / Definition /Concept
1.BIOS chip(Basic Input/Output System)
2.CPU socket (slot)
3.SIMM (Single In-lineMemory Module)
4.DIMM (Dual In-Line Memory Module)
5.Connector
6.IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics)
7.Power supply connector
8.Jumper
9.Motherboard chipset
10.North bridge chipset
11.South bridge chipset
12.Motherboard
13.CPU (CentralProcessing Unit)
14.Expansion Slots
Meaning
- is a chip which stores the program that starts up your computer and communicates between the
devices in your computer (such as your hard drive and graphics card) and the system.
- is the connector that interfaces between a computer's motherboard and the processor itself.
- an earlier printed circuit board that holds memory chips and plugs into a SIMM socket on the
motherboard.
- a printed circuit board that holds memory chips and plugs into a DIMM socket on the motherboard.
- any plug and socket that links two devices together.
- is a standard electronic interface used between a computer motherboard's data paths or bus and
the computer's disk storage devices.
- to connect the power supply to the motherboard.
- is a pair of prongs that are electrical contact points set into the computer motherboard. The jumper
acts as a switch by closing (or opening) an electrical circuit.
- a chipset consists of the chips and other components on the motherboard that allow different PC
components, including the processor, to communicate with each other.
- the north bridge is a controller which controls the flow of data between the CPU and RAM, and to
the AGP port.
- it looks after the transfer of data to and from the hard disk and all the other I/O devices, and passes
this data into the link channel which connects to the north bridge.
- main printed circuit board that connects all the major components of a computer.
- brain of the computer where most calculations take place.
- they allow the system to be expanded by the insertion of circuit boards, called expansion cards.
Expansion slots consist of connectors and metal traces that carry signals from the expansion card
to the rest of the computer, specifically the RAM and processor.

Popular Manufacturers:
1. Intel
2. ASUS
3. AOpen
4. ABIT
5. Biostar
6. Gigabyte
7. MSI

1.Chips
These are tiny electronic circuits which are crammed with transistors. The chips have various
functions. For example, there are: ROM chips, which store the BIOS and other programs. The ROM
BIOS chip contains a small collection of programs (software) which are permanently stored on the
motherboard, and which are used, for example, when the PC starts up. CMOS storage, which
contains user-defined data used by the setup program.

2.Sockets (slots)
These are holders, which have been soldered to the motherboard. The sockets are built to exactly match a card or a chip.
The idea of a socket is that you can install a component directly on the motherboard without needing special tools.
The component has to be pushed carefully and firmly into the socket, and will then hopefully stay there

3.Plugs, connectors and ports

The motherboard also contains a number of inputs and outputs, to which various equipment can be connected.
Most ports (also called I/O ports) can be seen where they end in a connector at the back of the PC. Often, the various
connectors are soldered onto the motherboard, so that the external components, like the keyboard, mouse, printer,
speakers, etc., can be connected directly to the motherboard.

The power connector which supplies the motherboard with power from the power supply. The power
supply is
connected to the motherboard via a multicolored cable and a large white plastic connector

Other connectors for the diskette drive, hard disk, CD-ROM drive, etc.

Jumpers which are used on some motherboards to configure voltage and various
operating speeds, etc.
A number of pins used to connect the reset button, LED for hard disk activity, built-in
speaker, etc.

4.The chip set

The two chips which make up the chipset are the South Bridge and North Bridge chips. They
share the work of managing the flow of data on the motherboard.
The north bridge is a controller which controls the flow of data between the CPU &
RAM, and to the AGP port. Since a lot of data traffic runs through the north bridge,
it is attached to a heat sink.
The south bridge looks after the transfer of data to and from the hard disk and all
the other I/O devices, and passes this data into the link channel which connects to
the north bridge.