In this video from ITFreeTraining I will look at the basic parts of a motherboard. Understanding the different parts of a motherboard is important for passing the CompTIA exam and also essential when troubleshooting motherboards.
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Motherboard Parts
0:13 The best way to start learning about motherboards is to have a look at one. Motherboards need to meet the same standards and so will be designed in similar ways. For this video I will look at a Gigabyte motherboard. By knowing what to look for, you will be able to look at any motherboard and be able to identify where certain components are. If you have trouble finding them, the motherboard manual will usually have a diagram showing where all the components are. The diagram will make it easier to find components on the motherboard.
CPU Socket
0:44 First, I will look at the CPU socket. The CPU socket has changed over the years, but it should be easy to spot. It is a large square shape. The CPU socket is keyed so the CPU will only go in one way. You will find in modern computers just about everything is keyed nowadays to prevent a plug or component being plugged in incorrectly.
In later videos I will look at putting a computer together, including putting the CPU in. Essentially, the CPU goes into the socket without any force and once in place the lever is moved, locking the CPU into place.
Expansion Slots
1:22 Next, I will look at the expansion slots. The expansion slots, as the name suggests, allows the computer functionality to be expanded. Anything from a video card, sound card, RAID cards and network cards to name a few, can be plugged in an expansion slot.
The slots are color coded and keyed. Keying essentially means that only the one connector can be put into the one slot or plug. It is like not being able to put a square peg into a round hole. In the case of expansion slots, the keying prevents the card being installed the wrong way or into the wrong slot. For example, PCI and ISA are keyed differently, so only a card of that type will go into a slot of that type.
Manufacturers of motherboards are free to use whatever color they want for each expansion slot. There is no common standard. You will generally find that similar slots will be the same color. In the case of this motherboard, blue is for PCI express by 16. The small white slots are for PCI express by one and the longer white slot is for PCI. The ‘by’ in the name refers to the number of lanes or lines of traffic going to each expansion slot.
In some cases, the same types of slots may be different colors for other reasons. For example, I have seen motherboards where a PCI express by 4 slots are a certain color and the PCI express by 16 are a different color. With this motherboard, you can see that the locking clip is different on PCI express slots. On this motherboard, this indicates the top one is ‘by 16’ and the next one is ‘by 4’. Motherboard manufacturers are free to design the motherboard any way they want, use any locking clip they wish and any color. When you start looking at a motherboard, look for these little subtle things, as placing a video card in the wrong slot may mean it will underperform if it works at all.
IO Area
3:20 Next, I am going to look at the IO area. This is usually at the back of the computer and is used to connect devices and peripherals to the computer. For example, USB, audio and network. In the older days of computing, there was only a few standard connections that were found on all computers. For example, keyboard, serial and parallel connections.
As computers developed, the number of connections required increased and different motherboards supported different features. For example, one motherboard may support a speaker mic plug only, while another may have six plugs for surround sound.
For this reason, it is impossible for computer case manufacturers to support every configuration, so an area on the motherboard is dedicated to connectors. The motherboard manufacturer is then free to use this space as they see fit, but they will need to supply their own custom IO/Shield.
Description to long for RU-vid. Please see the following link for the rest of the description. itfreetraining.com/ap/1b20
References
“The Official CompTIA A+ Core Study Guide (Exam 220-1001)” Chapter 3 Position 5474-5661“CompTIA A+ Certification Exam Guide Tenth Edition” pages 214-215
Credits
Trainer: Austin Mason ITFreeTraining.com
Voice Talent: HP Lewis hplewis.com
5 авг 2024
