1.1 Motherboard

Question 1

Motherboard

Answer 1

Connects important components
Connects components via busses
Platform to coordinate interactions between components

Question 2

Chipsets

Answer 2

Set of chips to connect components

Question 3

Controller hardware + Ex)

Answer 3

Circuitry responsible for managing specific hardware parts
Ex)
Direct memory access allows components to access memory without CPU

Question 4

Northbridge (name, components, functions)

Answer 4

Memory controller hub
Components:
- CPU
- RAM
- Graphics card
- South Bridge
Functions:
- memory controller
- PCI Express controller
- AGP Bus controller
- Interface with SB

Question 5

Southbridge (Names, functions, components)

Answer 5

I/O controller hub
Functions:
- controls i/o devices
- controls onboards devices
Devices:
- Bios
- CMOS
- ROM
- USB ports
- Storage ports

Question 6

Front Side bus (FSB) (Function, 3 parts)

Answer 6

Connects CPU and rest of hardware via chipset (northbridge)
Address bus:
- transfers the physical address of the instruction between CPU and RAM
Data bus
- transfers the instruction between CPU and RAM
Control bus
- Carried commands between CPU and Ram (ex read or write signals

Question 7

Hypertransport bus

Answer 7

Improvement on FSB

CPU can transmit and receive data at the same time

Question 8

Platform controller hub

Answer 8

I/O functions rearranged between CPU, PCH