CHAPTER ONE: INSTALLING MOTHERBOARDS AND CONNECTORS

Question 1

What are peripheral devices?

Answer 1

The parts you interact with, like the keyboard, mouse, and monitor, are called peripheral devices.

Question 2

What is inside a chassis or system case?

Answer 2

The important, delicate parts like the motherboard, CPU (Central Processing Unit), and power supply are inside a protective box called the system case or chassis.

Question 3

What is a tower case?

Answer 3

Most PCs use a tower case, which stands upright like a small box. You can open the case by sliding off a side panel, usually secured by screws or clips. Inside, there are cooling fans to prevent overheating, and the power supply unit (PSU) has a built-in fan to keep air moving. If there are open slots on the back, they should be covered with blanking plates to avoid dust and overheating.

Question 4

What are ports and cables?

Answer 4

A port is simply a place where you plug things into your computer. A cable is the thing that connects your device to that port.

Some ports are specialized (like a graphics port for your monitor), while others can handle multiple devices (like USB ports). The ports are usually found on the front and back of your computer and can be built into the motherboard or added with an expansion card (a small circuit board that adds extra features).

Question 5

What is a connector?

Answer 5

A connector is the part of a cable that fits into a port. Different types of connectors exist for different types of ports, but they are designed to fit only one way to prevent mistakes (keying).

Question 6

What is binary data?

Answer 6

Computers work with binary data, which means everything is made up of tiny units called bits (short for “binary digits”). A bit can be 0 or 1, like a light switch that is either off or on.

Question 7

What is a byte?

Answer 7

A byte is a group of eight bits. When you see terms like kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), or gigabytes (GB), they are just bigger chunks of data.

Kb/s (Kilobits per second) = 1,000 bits per second
MB/s (Megabytes per second) = 1,000,000 bytes per second
Gb/s (Gigabits per second) = 1,000,000,000 bits per second

Question 8

What is a USB?

Answer 8

A Universal Serial Bus (USB) is the most common way to connect devices like keyboards, mice, printers, and flash drives.

Question 9

What are USB host controller?

Answer 9

A USB host controller is the part of your computer that manages USB devices. A single controller can handle multiple USB ports, and your computer usually has several controllers to allow more devices without slowing things down.

In theory, one USB controller could handle 127 devices, but in reality, PCs have multiple controllers to share the workload.

Question 10

What are the four types of USB

Answer 10

Type A → The most familiar USB plug.
- Flat and rectangular.
- Used to connect to computers, chargers, and some accessories.
- Always plug it in with the USB symbol facing up (unless it’s a weird port).

Type B → A chunkier connector for big devices.
- Square with a slanted top.
- You’ll see this on printers and some external hard drives.

Type B Mini → A smaller version for older gadgets.
- Used on early digital cameras, but it’s pretty rare today.

Type B Micro → The next evolution of small USBs.
- Flat and thin.
- Used on older smartphones, tablets, and other small gadgets.

Question 11

How far can USB reach?

Answer 11

1. Low Speed, its cable can be up to 3 meters (about 10 feet).
2. Full Speed or High Speed, the cable can be up to 5 meters (about 16 feet).
3. SuperSpeed USB (used for things like fast external hard drives), the official max length isn’t set, but 3 meters is a safe bet.

Question 12

what Two things affect video quality?

Answer 12

1. Resolution → How many pixels (tiny dots) make up the picture.
   - 1920×1200 = HD (High-Definition)
   - 3840×2160 = 4K Ultra HD
2. Refresh Rate → How fast the image updates (measured in Hz or frames per second).
   - Higher Hz = Smoother motion.

Question 13

What is HDMI?

Answer 13

High-Definition Multimedia Interface. The most common video cable for TVs, gaming consoles, and Blu-ray players. It carries both video and audio in one cable (no extra sound cable needed).

• 4K and 8K resolutions.
• Gaming features (adjusts refresh rate to match the game).
• Content protection (stops people from illegally copying movies).

Question 14

What are the three sixe HDMI cables?

Answer 14

Full-size (Type A) → TVs, game consoles.
Mini (Type C) → Some laptops, cameras.
Micro (Type D) → Tiny devices.

Question 15

What are DisplayPort’s (DP)?

Answer 15

Similar to HDMI but made for computers.
No royalty fees (so companies don’t have to pay extra to use it). Can carry video, audio, and copy protection, just like HDMI.

Question 16

What are the two types of DisplayPort’s?

Answer 16

Full-size DP++ → Standard size.
MiniDP/mDP → A smaller version (looks like Thunderbolt).

Question 17

What are thunderbolt cables?

Answer 17

Used on Macs and some Windows PCs
- It can work like USB, HDMI, or DisplayPort all in one.
- Versions 1 and 2 use Mini DisplayPort (MiniDP) connectors, so a Thunderbolt port can connect to a DisplayPort screen with an adapter.
- Thunderbolt 2 can transfer data up to 20 Gbps (super fast).
- It supports daisy-chaining (you can connect multiple monitors through a single port).

Question 18

What are lightining cables?

Answer 18

Apple’s Exclusive Port
- Found only on iPhones and iPads (replaced by USB-C on newer iPhones).
- Reversible (plugs in either way, unlike older USBs).
- To connect to a PC, you need a Lightning-to-USB A or Lightning-to-USB C cable.

Question 19

What are SATA Hard drive cables?

Answer 19

SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) is just a fancy name for the cables inside your computer that connect storage devices like hard drives and solid-state drives (SSDs). These cables are pretty small, only about 1 meter (39 inches) long, and they have 7-pin connectors at the end.

These cables only transfer data between the storage device and the computer. They do NOT provide power to the hard drive. To actually power the hard drive, you need a separate 15-pin SATA power connector, which comes from the power supply inside your computer.

Question 20

What are Molex power connectors?

Answer 20

SATA power cables are great for new devices, but older storage devices use something called a Molex connector instead. Molex connectors are usually white or clear plastic with 4 pins inside.
The different wire colors tell you how much electricity they carry:

• Red wire = 5 volts (VDC)
• Yellow wire = 12 volts (VDC)
• Black wires = ground (no voltage, just completes the circuit)

Question 21

What is an eSATA?

Answer 21

Normally, SATA cables only work inside the computer. But if you want to connect an external hard drive, you need a special version called eSATA (External SATA).
eSATA cables are longer (up to 2 meters or 78 inches) so they can reach devices outside the computer. You cannot use a regular SATA cable for an external hard drive. You must use an eSATA cable.

Question 22

What is the motherboard?

Answer 22

The motherboard is like the central hub that connects everything inside your computer. It makes sure the CPU, RAM, storage, and all other components can talk to each other.

Question 23

How the motherboard connects everything?

Answer 23

1. Data moves between components using bus interfaces (think of these as highways for data inside your computer).
2. The system clock keeps everything running at the right speed, like a metronome.
3. Clock speeds are measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz)—higher numbers mean faster performance.
4. Different parts of the motherboard may run at different speeds, thanks to clock multipliers.

Question 24

Who are the two biggest motherboard manufacturers?

Answer 24

Intel and AMD

Question 25

Electrical safety

Answer 25

Always unplug the computer before opening it. After unplugging, hold the power button for a few seconds—this drains any leftover electricity inside the components. Never open the power supply—it has high voltage that can be dangerous.

Question 26

What is ESD?

Answer 26

Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) – AKA Static Electricity Can Kill Your Computer. If you build up static electricity (from your clothes, carpet, or just touching things), you could accidentally fry sensitive parts inside your computer. Components like the CPU, RAM, adapter cards, and motherboard are very sensitive to static electricity.

Question 27

How to avoid ESD?

Answer 27

- Handle components by the edges, not by touching the circuits. - Use an anti-static wrist strap (a special band that grounds you and prevents static buildup). - Work on a non-carpeted surface and avoid touching metal parts inside the computer unless necessary.

Question 28

What are CPU sockets?

Answer 28

The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the brain of your computer—it does all the thinking. Motherboards come with a CPU socket, which is a specific slot where the CPU fits. Since technology changes quickly, a motherboard will only work with certain CPUs. Once the CPU is in place, it gets covered by a heat sink and fan to keep it from overheating.

Question 29

What is the Chipset on the Motherboard?

Answer 29

The chipset on the motherboard helps the CPU talk to everything else (memory, storage, USB ports, etc.). The chipset is built into the motherboard, so you can’t upgrade it—if you need new features, you may have to replace the whole motherboard.

Question 30

What is RAM?

Answer 30

RAM (Random-Access Memory) is the short-term memory of your computer. It holds information that the CPU needs while working—like when you open an app, play a game, or edit a document. RAM is volatile, meaning when you turn off your PC, everything in RAM disappears.

Question 31

What are DIMMs?

Answer 31

RAM sticks are called DIMMs (Dual Inline Memory Modules) and fit into special DIMM slots on the motherboard. These slots are usually color-coded and labeled so you know what type of RAM your motherboard supports. RAM has different versions, like DDR3, DDR4, and DDR5—they aren’t interchangeable, so you have to use the right kind for your motherboard

Question 32

What are the two types of fixed disks?

Answer 32

HDD (Hard Disk Drive) – Older, slower, uses spinning disks. SSD (Solid State Drive) – Newer, much faster, no moving parts.

Question 33

How Storage Connects to the Motherboard

Answer 33

Most storage devices connect using SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) ports on the motherboard. To connect a drive, you need two cables: 1. Data cable (connects to the motherboard). 2. Power cable (connects to the power supply).

Question 34

What is M.2?

Answer 34

The Tiny, Super-Fast Storage Slot. Instead of using cables, M.2 SSDs plug directly into the motherboard. M.2 drives are thin, fast, and come in different sizes (42mm, 60mm, 80mm, 110mm). No separate power cable is needed—M.2 drives get power directly from the motherboard.

Question 35

What are expansion slots?

Answer 35

Your motherboard has expansion slots where you can plug in extra hardware. - Graphics cards (for gaming and video editing). - Sound cards (for high-quality audio). - Network cards (for faster or wireless internet).\ These expansion slots allow you to upgrade your computer without replacing the motherboard.

Question 36

What is PCle?

Answer 36

Peripheral Component Interconnect Express Think of PCIe like a high-speed freeway where different parts of your computer (like graphics cards and Wi-Fi adapters) have their own lanes. This lets them send and receive information directly to and from the CPU (your computer's brain) without waiting in line.

Question 37

What is point-to-point serial communication?

Answer 37

Each device gets a direct connection instead of sharing a single path with others.

Question 38

What are links and lanes?

Answer 38

A link is a connection between two devices, and it can have one or more lanes to speed up data transfer.

Question 39

What are GT/s?

Answer 39

(Giga Transfers per Second) → Think of this like a speed limit, the higher the number, the faster data moves.

Question 40

What is throughput (GB/s)?

Answer 40

Throughput (GB/s) → This is the actual speed your computer achieves after some natural loss in transfer.

Question 41

What is PCI?

Answer 41

Peripheral Component Interconnect Before PCIe, we had PCI, which was like an older, slower road with traffic signals. It’s still around in some computers for compatibility, but it’s mostly outdated. PCIe is software-compatible with PCI → You can have a motherboard with both PCI and PCIe slots, but you cannot put a PCI card into a PCIe slot or vice versa.

Question 42

What is AXT?

Answer 42

ATX (Advanced Technology Extended) – The Big Standard - The ATX motherboard is the most common type, used in standard desktop PCs. - Size: 12 inches x 9.6 inches (305 mm x 244 mm) - It has up to seven expansion slots for things like graphics and network cards.

Question 43

What is micro-AXT?

Answer 43

Micro-ATX (mATX) – A Smaller Version - A more compact version of ATX. - Size: 9.6 inches x 9.6 inches (244 mm x 244 mm) - Has up to four expansion slots instead of seven.

Question 44

What is mini-ITX?

Answer 44

Mini-ITX (Information Technology Extended) – The Tiny One - Used for small PCs and home servers. - Size: 6.7 inches x 6.7 inches (170 mm x 170 mm) - Usually has only one expansion slot. - Can fit in bigger ATX cases if needed. - There are also even smaller versions like Nano-ITX, Pico-ITX, and Mobile-ITX, but these are for tiny embedded systems (like smart TVs or industrial devices), not regular PCs.

Question 45

Installing a Motherboard

Answer 45

The motherboard is screwed into the case using standoffs—little spacers that keep it from touching the metal case and shorting out. Here’s how it’s done: 1. Read the manual → Different motherboards have different setups. Some have tiny metal clips (jumpers) that need adjusting. 2. Align the board → Match the ports (USB, audio, video) with the case cutout. 3. Install standoffs → These are like little feet that hold the motherboard in place. DO NOT install extra ones where there are no matching holes! 4. (Optional) Install CPU & RAM first → This makes it easier before the board is in the case. 5. Screw the board in → Tighten it firmly but not too much, or you might crack it. 6. Install other parts → This includes power cables, hard drives, and any extra cards like graphics or sound cards.

Question 46

What are motherboard headers?

Answer 46

Headers (Little Plug Spots for Case Buttons & Lights) 1. Power button → This is a soft switch, meaning it tells the system to shut down properly instead of just cutting power. (Holding it down forces shutdown.) 2. HDD activity light → A small LED that blinks when the hard drive is working. 3. Audio ports → Where you plug in headphones, speakers, and microphones. 4. USB ports → Internal USB 2.0 uses 9-pin headers; USB 3.0 uses a bigger 2x10-pin header for faster speeds.

Question 47

What are power connectors?

Answer 47

P1 Power Connector → The main 24-pin connector that powers the whole motherboard. Fan connectors → These come in two types: 1. 3-pin fans → Adjust speed by changing the voltage. 2. 4-pin fans (PWM fans) → Use a blue wire for precise speed control.

Question 48

What are expansion cards?

Answer 48

These are small circuit boards that plug into slots on your motherboard (like adding extra toppings to your pizza). The slots they go into are called PCIe or PCI slots.

Question 49

What are different type of expansion card?

Answer 49

Video Cards (Graphics Cards) – These help display images, videos, and games smoothly. Capture Cards – Used to record video from another device (like a game console or camera). Sound Cards – Improves audio quality for music, gaming, or recording. Network Interface Cards (NICs) – Helps your computer connect to the internet or other networks.

Question 50

What is a video card?

Answer 50

A video card (or graphics adapter) is responsible for showing images on your monitor or projector. If you’re gaming, editing videos, or working with 3D graphics, a good video card makes everything look smoother and better.

Question 51

Key parts of a video card

Answer 51

1. Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) – This is like the “brain” of the graphics card. It processes images and effects for games, videos, and apps. A good GPU produces a higher frame rate (meaning smoother movement on-screen). 2. Graphics Memory (VRAM) – This is special memory that stores textures and images before they appear on your screen. - High-end cards have up to 12GB of GDDR RAM (super-fast memory just for graphics). - Mid-range cards have about 4–6GB (good for most gamers and video editors). - Low-end cards share memory with your computer’s RAM (not ideal for gaming). 3. Video Ports – These are the connectors where you plug in your monitor. Common types are: - HDMI – Found on TVs and modern monitors. - DisplayPort – High-performance port used on gaming and professional monitors. - Thunderbolt – Used for high-speed data transfer and display connections.

Question 52

What are sound cards?

Answer 52

A sound card improves the sound coming from your computer. If you listen to music, watch movies, or play games, a good sound card makes everything sound richer.

Question 53

What are audio jacks?

Answer 53

Speakers or headphones connect to the sound card via audio jacks (usually 3.5mm jacks, the small round plugs).

Question 54

What are NIC?

Answer 54

Network Interface Cards (NICs) – How Your PC Talks to the Internet Most computers already have a built-in Ethernet (wired internet) port. But if you need Wi-Fi, you might need a Wi-Fi adapter (which is another expansion card).

Question 55

What are two legacy cables?

Answer 55

DVI (Digital Visual Interface) VGA (Video Graphics Array)

Question 56

What are DVIs?

Answer 56

DVI (Digital Visual Interface) - Supports both analog (old tech) and digital (newer tech) video. - Used a lot after 1999, but is now mostly outdated. - Different types of DVI cables have different pin layouts.

Question 57

What are VGAs?

Answer 57

VGA (Video Graphics Array) - The old standard for PC video connections. - Used on CRTs (big bulky monitors) and some early flat screens. - Can support HD resolution (1920x1080) if the cable quality is good. - Has a 15-pin D-shaped connector with screws to hold it in place.

Question 58

What is a SCSI?

Answer 58

(Small Computer System Interface) – The Old-School Hard Drive Connector Before USB and Thunderbolt, computers used SCSI (pronounced "scuzzy") to connect hard drives, scanners, and printers. - It used parallel data transmission (meaning it sent multiple bits at once). - A SCSI host bus adapter (HBA) could control multiple devices. - Almost never used today except in old servers.

Question 59

What are IDEs?

Answer 59

(Integrated Drive Electronics) – The Grandpa of Hard Drive Connections. Before SATA, computers used IDE (also called PATA) to connect hard drives and CD/DVD drives. - Used wide ribbon cables with up to three connectors. - Devices were labeled as Primary (Master) and Secondary (Slave) (old terminology, now replaced by modern settings). - The cables had a red stripe to show which way to connect them.

Question 60

What is a serial port?

Answer 60

A serial port is an old-school way of connecting devices to a computer. Instead of sending data in big chunks, it sends information one tiny piece (bit) at a time through a single wire. Think of it like sending a letter one word at a time instead of the whole message at once. To make sure the data gets there correctly, serial ports use start bits, stop bits, and parity bits—kind of like punctuation in a sentence. These help the receiving device understand when the data starts, when it ends, and whether it got messed up along the way.

Question 61

What are adapter cables?

Answer 61

They help bridge the gap between different types of cables and ports.

Question 62

Types of adapter cables?

Answer 62

Video Adapters: These change one kind of video signal into another. For example: - HDMI to VGA (HDMI is the common modern video cable; VGA is an older blue plug.) - HDMI to DisplayPort (used for high-quality video and gaming monitors.) - HDMI to DVI (another type of video connector.) USB Adapters: These help change one USB connector type into another. - Example: USB-C to USB-A (Newer laptops use USB-C, but many devices still use the old USB-A.) There are also USB hubs, which give you more USB ports when your computer doesn’t have enough. USB to Other Stuff: Some USB adapters let you connect to other types of ports, like: - USB to Lightning (Apple’s iPhone charger.) - USB to HDMI (for connecting a USB device to a monitor or TV.)

Question 63

What are active and passive adapters?

Answer 63

Active adapters have tiny circuits inside that convert the signal from one type to another. Passive adapters just change the physical shape of the connector but don’t mess with the signal.