LESSON 1-4: MOTHERBOARDS, PROCESSORS AND RAM Flashcards
Motherboards
The spine of a computer is the motherboard Main board, system board, or
Mobo
Most important component in the computer because it connects all the
other components together.
5 Motherboard Form Factors
STANDARD ATX (12x9) MICRO ATX (9.6x9.6) MINI ITX (6.9x6.9) NANO ITX (4.7x4.7) PICO ITX (3.9x2.8)
BUS Architecture
Data and information is transported on a motherboard, via the bus
Bus is a path through which a device sends its data so it can communicate
with the CPU and/or other devices.
A bus can be Serial (1 wire) or
Parallel, a group of wires
working in unison that carry
data from one place to another
Bus Speeds (Frequency)
Hertz - one cycle per second (Hz)
● Megahertz - one million cycles per second = 1,000,000 (MHz)
● Gigahertz - one billion cycles per second = 1,000,000,000 (GHz)
● Bus path size (width) allows for either 32 or 64bits to pass through at a
time, which means for every clock cycle a computer will send either 32 or
64 bits of data
Chipset
The Northbridge - In charge of the connection to high data transfer devices
such as PCI Express video cards and the RAM. Known as MCH (Memory
Controller Hub)
● The Southbridge - In charge of the connection to all the secondary controllers:
USB, SATA, Firewire, etc. Known as ICH (I/O Controller Hub)
BIOS
Basic Input Output system is first thing that runs when you boot a PC
● Job: Identify, test, and initialize components of the system.It then points to the operating system
so that the OS can load up and take over. → Bootstrapping
● Resides on EEPROM chip - Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM. This means you can
modify settings and fully update the BIOS by erasing it and rewriting it → Flashing
CMOS
Complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) stores the contents of the BIOS’s
findings. I.e. type and speed of the processor
● When a computer is on CMOS is powered by the power supply - However, it is volatile and if it is
not receiving power it loses stored content.
Lithium Battery
Powers the CMOS when the computer is shut off.
Accessing and Configuring the BIOS
Accessing the BIOS must be done before O/S boots
● BIOS Setup Utility - You can configure:
● Time and Date
● Boot Device Priority/BIOS Boot Order: Enables user to select which media will be booted: hard drive, CDROM,
floppy, USB, and such.
● Passwords: User (authenticates a user before it enables the O/S) and supervisor (Authenticates a user to the
BIOS)
● Power Management: Select if power management is running and which type is used.
● Wake-ON-LAN (WOL) - Enables user to wake up computer remotely by sending data to it through the network
adapter.
● Monitoring: Monitors items in the BIOS - Processor temperature, voltage.If you forget a supervisor password, it
can be reset by removing the lit battery. You may also need to remove the CMOS jumper .
BIOS Review
BIOS -Resides on EEPROM Chip Identifies and test components -CMOS Stores BIOS content -Lithium Battery Powers CMOS when computer is off
The POST
Stands for Power-on self test (POST)
● First step in bootstrapping
● Piece of code that the BIOS runs to find out what type of
processor is on the motherboard and verifies the amount
of RAM.
Prevent a Computer from booting Successfully
Boot Device Priority Setting - Controls which device the
BIOS will load the operating system from.
● Usually, this is set to hard drive first.
● If you boot a PC and see a black screen with a white
blinking underscore on the top left, the issue could be
the boot order
● I.e. if you change the first item in boot sequence to USB
drive and leave a USB flash drive in system.
Drive Technologies
Two types of drive technologies that have connectors on
your motherboards are SATA - Serial ATA and IDE (PATA
Parallel ATA).
● What do these interfaces connect to? Hard Drives, Solid
State Drives (SSDs) and CD/DVD drives
Expansion Slots
Most visible part of the motherboard
● Allows a computer hardware expansion card to be
connected. I.e, if you want to install a new video card,
you’d purchase a video expansion card and install that
card into the compatible expansion slot.
PCI
PCI - Peripheral Component Interconnect bus allows for
connections to modems, video, sound, and network
adapters. Connects exclusively to southbridge. 32/64 bit
bus width (refers to size and how much data can be
transferred)
AGP
Accelerated Graphics Port - For video. Connects
directly to the northbridge.
PCIe
Reigning king of expansion slots. High speed
serial replacement of older parallel PCI. Sends and
receives data within lanes. These lanes are full duplex,
meaning they can send and receive data simultaneously.
Amount of lanes is indicated by x#. I.e. PCIex16 (by 16)
*Replacing AGP & PCI.
AMR/CNR
Intel’s audio/modem riser expansion slot for
sound cards or modems. CNR was sucessor. Not common in
today’s mobos.
PCMCIA
Personal Computer Memory Card International
Association - Not actually expansion slot it’s an
organization that develops the PC Card technology in
laptops.
Six Step Troubleshooting Process
- Identify Problem:
- Questions the user
- Identify changes made to computer
- Review Documentation - Establish a theory of probable cause - Question the
obvious
- Start with most probable cause - Test the theory to determine cause
- If your theory is incorrect - back to the drawing board! - Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem and
implement the solution
5.Verify Full System Functionality and if
Applicable Implement
Preventative Measures
- What can you do to prevent the
issue or problem from happening
again. - Document Findings, Actions, and Outcomes
Reasons for Motherboard Failure
Faulty of loose Cables, BIOS issues, ESD/Electrical
Issues, Component Failures, or Defective Motherboard
● Symptoms:
- Everything powers on but you can’t see a live screen
- Computer turns on for just a few seconds then turns off-
- Some peripherals work others don’t
- System shuts off randomly
CPU
Referred to as the “brain” of the computer
● You may hear the CPU referred to as a microprocessor
since CPU’s are much smaller than they were 50 years ago!
● Often most-expensive component in the computer
● MAIN FUNCTION: to execute instructions or programs
● Speed is measured in Hertz
CPU Technology
The CPU must be compatible with your motherboard in a
number of ways:
- Speed (clock rate) of CPU and if mobo can support it.
Clock rate refers to speed of a component.
- Does CPU fit in socket?
- 64-bit vs 32-bit
- multi-core or single core
Sockets
- PGA: Pin Grid Array Sockets. Pins covering majority of
underside. Locked in place by retaining arm. Older. - LGA: Land Grid Array Sockets. Use lands that stick out
and touch the CPU’s contact points. Newer.
LGA 775 (Intel Socket)
Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Quad, Xeon, Pentium, Celeron; 940 AMD socket; Opteron, Athlon 64 FX AMD CPUs
LGA 1155 (Intel Socket)
Core i7, i5, i3, Xeon, Pentium, Celeron, AM2 AMD Socket;
Athlon 64 X2, Athlon 64 AMD CPUs
LGA 1156 (Intel Socket)
Core i7, i5, i3, Xeon, Pentium, Celeron; AM2+, Phenom II, Phenom, Athlon X2, Athlon 64 AMD CPUs
LGA 1366 (Intel Socket)
Core i7, Xeon; AM3, AM3+, FMI, F AMD Sockets; Phenom II, Sempron, Athlon II, FX, Llano, Opteron AMD CPUs
CPU Cache
High speed memory (SRAM - Static Random Access Memory)
located directly on or in the CPU
● Limited in storage
Cache Levels
Level 1 - Built into CPU and gives fast access to the most
frequently used data. First level access by CPU and
usually found in small amounts
Level 2 - Built on the CPU (on-die) - Accessed 2nd and
provides CPU with less frequently used data. L2 feeds L1
cache.
Level 3 - Largest capacity of the 3 and has the most
latency; therefore is the slowest. If CPU can;t find info
it needs it moves from L1→ L2 → L3
Multicore Technologies
Intel’s Hyper-Threading - enables a single CPU to accept
and calculate two independent sets of instructions
simultaneously, simulating two CPUs. Designed to compete
with true multi-CPU systems.
● Multicore CPUs physically contain two or more actual
processor cores, in one CPU package. Can have 2,4,6, or
even 8 cores!
- Allows for more efficient processing of data.
Cooling Methods
-Heat Sink Uses conduction to direct heat away from the CPU and out through fins. -Thermal Compund Fills tiny imperfections with T.C to create flat surface area, which helps dissipate heat. -Fan Case fans are used to get the heat out of the case. -Liquid Cooling Water cooling kits can be used to cool CPU, chipset, hard drives, video cards, and more!
RAM (Random Access Memory)
● Main memory that the CPU uses to store or receive data
● RAM is typically cleared when computer is powered off - To store data permanently it needs to be written onto the hard drive which tends to be slower and less efficient
Ram is VOLATILE
● VOLATILE = Loses content if it loses power
● BUT not all RAM is volatile.
● Today’s RAM is a set of integrated circuits (ICs) that work at high speeds.
Memory Controller Chip
We already discussed chipsets, Northbridge and Southbridge functionality and bus architecture. ● The memory controller is part of a chipset that helps the CPU store and receive data to/from RAM. ● It does this by moving the data along the address bus, which connects the memory controller to RAM
SRAM (Static Random Access Memory)
● Does not need to be refreshed ● Found in cache memory in CPUs ● Soldered directly to a PCB - Printed circuit board. I.e. Motherboard OR integrated directly to chip ● You will not replace SRAM! ● Smaller quantities and faster
DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory)
● Does need to be periodically refreshed: Act of reading data on memory and immediately rewriting to same area ● Slower than SRAN ● Volatile Sticks or DIMMs of DRAM are installed on mobo ● Can exist on adapter cards ● You will replace and troubleshoot DRAM
SDRAM (Synchronous DRAM)
Syncs to base clock of mobo (system bus speed)
● SDRAM Clock rates: 66MHz, 100MHz, and 133 MHz
● SDRAM sticks referred to as PC66, PC100, etc
● Design = 168 pin DIMM
● Old!
DDR
184 Pins
● Synchronized to base clock of mobo as well
● All types of DDR RAM run at 2.5 Volts
PLEASE REFER TO TABLE IN LESSON 3 SLIDE 8
DDR2
Decreases voltage to 1.8 V and increases speed
● 240 pins - faster signaling
PLEASE REFER TO TABLE IN LESSON 3 SIDE 10
DDR3
Lower power consumption and higher levels of performance, 1.2-1.5 V, 240 pins
PLEASE REFER TO TABLE IN LESSON 3 SLIDE 11
Single Channel
Original RAM architecture. 64-bit bus (or data channel) between the memory and
the memory controller. One or more sticks of RAM can be installed on the motherboard but they
share the same channel.
Dual Channel
Doubles the data. Two 64-bit channels are employed together resulting in a 128-bit
bus.
To use dual channel architecture you need to install two identical (for best performance) sticks of
RAM into the matching colour in each channel.
Motherboard will have colour coded matching banks.
Triple Channel
Three memory modules at the same time - 192-bit bus
● Less common
● Three channels of 2 different colour memory slots
● Bank of Ram would include channel A DIMM 0, B DIMM 0, and C DIMM 0
● Limited to Intel Core i7-900 series processors and the LGA 1366 socket
Single Sided Memory Modules
Single modules with a single bank of chips. Memory module could have chips on
both physical sides or only on one side - It is known as single sided because the computer can address all the
chips at once.
Double Sided Memory Modules
Memory modules have their chips divided into two “sides” known as banks.
● Only one side can be seen by the computer at once.
RAM Parity
When memory stores an extra bit (parity bit) used for error detection. So mem module can store 9 bits instead of 8 bits for every byte of data. Required for data integrity. ● Non-Parity RAM - No extra bit
ECC
Error Correction Code in RAM - Can detect and correct errors. Additional information needs to be stored, and
more resources are used. Slowest type of RAM and most expensive. Usually identified with an E. I.e. PC3-10600E
Memory Latency
Happens when a memory controller tries to access data from a memory module. Slight delay
(measured in nanoseconds)
Power Supply
Feeds the motherboard, hard drives, optical drives, and any other
devices inside a computer with power! AND converts AC current to DC current.
AC (Alternating Current)
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