Chapter 7: Motherboards Flashcards
AGP
Accelerated Graphics Port. A specialized version of PCI that connected directly to the Northbridge. Used specifically for video cards.
AT
predominant form factor through the mid 1990s, invented by IBM in the early 1980s. Was very large and is now obsolete. Only dedicated connector was a keyboard connector (round)
ATX
Successor to AT - includes many more ports built-in to the motherboard. Components re-arranged to provide better airflow and performance. 12 x 9.6 inches
burn-in failure
failure of a new system, usually within the first 30 days
catastrophic failure
a failure that will prevent the computer from starting at all
chipset
defines the type of processor and RAM the motherboard requires, as well as some of the built-in components
component failure
failure of a specific component on the motherboard
device driver
software support programs that allow devices to work
distended capacitors
failed capacitors that bulge out at the top
expansion bus
collection of slots and support chips, etc., that are designed to handle expansion devices
expansion bus crystal
drives expansion devices the same way the system crystal drives the CPU/motherboard
expansion slot
slots built in to the motherboard for adding expansion devices
FlexATX
Smaller version of microATX invented by Intel. 9 x 7.5 inches. No longer widely used.
form factor
determines the physical size of the motherboard, as well as the location of components and ports
ITX
Attempt by VIA to create a small form factor PC. Wasn’t successful, but spawned a number of variants.
microATX
Smaller version of ATX form factor that still uses all ATX connections. Most are 9.6 x 9.6 inches.
Mini-ITX
Largest of the 3 ITX form factors 6.7 x 6.7 inches.
Mini-PCI
Variant of PCI designed for notebooks. Designed for lower power and to lie flat.
motherboard
the component that all other components are directly or indirectly plugged in to
motherboard book
technician manual that comes with a specific motherboard that contains important information relevant to that motherboard
Nano-ITX
“Middle” sized of the ITX form factors. 4.7 x 4.7 inches.
PCIe
PCI Express. Uses point-to-point serial connection, which is much faster than parallel connection of older PCI variants.
PCI-X
PCI eXtended. Supported 32- and 64-bit devices. Ran in speeds up to 533 MHz. Wasn’t widely adopted.
PCI
Peripheral Component Interconnect. Introduced by Intel in the 1990s. Provides a way for expansion devices to connect to PCs. 32 bits wide, runs at 33 MHz.
Pico-ITX
Smallest of the ITX form factors. 3.8 x 2.8 inches.
printed circuit board (PCB)
copper etched onto a nonconductive material and then coated with epoxy for strength
riser card
plugs into a special slot on the motherboard to hold more expansion cards
standoffs
small connectors that hold the motherboard in place to the case
Super I/O chip
chip added to some motherboards that handles slower or legacy connections
traces
“wires” printed on the circuit board where electricity travels
transfer rate
The number of operations happening per second.
unsigned driver
drivers that haven’t been tested and certified by Microsoft for use with Windows
Windows Hardware Certification Program
drivers contain a digital signature that shows the driver was tested and certified to work by Microsoft
