- PC HARDWARE -
To get to the `nitty-gritty' details of motherboard components, click on one of the above page links. To get an `overview' of motherboards, scroll down to the rest of the stuff on this opening page.
What you see below is a typical Pentium ATX motherboard with component identification and a view of the port connections appearing at the back of your PC.
This page is an `overview' of the "motherboard" (examples shown above and below) which, in your PC, is where everything starts and stops. For more detail on the most critical components installed on a motherboard, go to "CPU's", "BIOS", "RAM", "Controllers", and "Plug In Cards".
THE MOTHERBOARD: The "Motherboard" (that supplies a `home’ for all the PC `children’) is attached to the bottom (or side in a ‘tower’ cabinet) of the base unit and contains the `CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT', the computer `CLOCK', the `BIOS' chip, real memory `CACHE’, disk controller adapters, data `REGISTERS', `READ ONLY' and `RANDOM ACCESS' MEMORY, the `DIRECT MEMORY ACCESS' chip, and `EXPANSION SLOTS' (multi-connector female plugs). In my experience, I have found the fastest, most reliable motherboard manufacturers are "Intel" and "Asus" - but that doesn't mean that a lot of competitors products aren't good also (such as the "Shuttle-Spacewalker"). The big things to watch for if you are purchasing a motherboard is to make sure it has an "Intel" chipset, it has enough PCI slots to accommodate all of your plug-in cards, and that it is UDMA100 compatible (which will run 7,200 RPM hard drives). The following discussions tell you more about your motherboard components.
a. The "Central Processing Unit" (CPU) chip (CPU's) which is comprised of the "Arithmetic/Logic Unit" (ALU) and the "Control Unit" (CU). The CPU is the brain of your system - and it's primary function is to convert data to information. The ALU (left side of your brain) contains logic circuits which, through a process of elimination, reach conclusions - and has arithmetic circuits that act like a very fast, very powerful calculator. The CU functions like the nerve center of your brain and puts the CPU in touch with all parts of the PC. This small chip made of sand (silicon) does most of the hard work.
b. The computer "Clock" (also part of the CPU chip) which does not tell time - it generates a very high frequency signal (millions of cycles per second) that provides the CPU with a modulation media and carries data from the CPU over "busses" (microscopic electronic circuits) to all parts of the computer. There is also, however, a “realtime clock” that does tell time and is powered by your computers internal battery. "Clocks" on today's PC's run at 133 MHz (plus) and PC systems must be configured so the CPU clock matches up with the motherboard clock (CPU clock settings being configured either by jumpers on your motherboard - or BIOS `plug-and-play' settings).
c. The BIOS (Basic Input-Output System) chip contains your "Read Only Memory" (ROM) `System Configuration’ information (what kind of processor is installed, how much RAM do you have, what size is your hard drive, what ports are active, etc. etc.). Another term for this chip is CMOS (Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor). Next to your CPU, this is probably the most important chip on your motherboard because if the information on it is incorrect, your system won't start up. This memory is maintained by your computer battery and is not volatile (unless your battery dies).
d. Real memory “Cache” chips that add from 256K to 8MB of really fast additional thinking space for your PC. It is a bit hard to describe the exact effect of cache on your overall system performance - but believe me, it is very critical.
e. The "Disk Controller Adapters" which are used to connect your hard drive, CD ROM, floppy disk & ZIP drives (secondary memory) to the motherboard. I talk more about secondary memory under Real Memory - but I want to point out here that your CD ROM and floppy drive exist, primarily, to "INSTALL" programs onto your Hard Drives - and, to you, your hard drive is the most important thing in your computer because it contains ALL OF YOUR STUFF!! I know people who have gone into heart arrest because their hard drive crashed - and they lost all the data on their PC.
f. The "Random Access Memory" (RAM) Real Memory chips that contain the information that communicates with the CPU and hard drive and makes things happen. These chips are also called "Primary Memory" and, based on the number and capacity of the chips that are installed, can provide almost unlimited `real time' access to the Central Processor and hard drive. `RAM’ is your PC’s `thinking space' - and the more the better. RAM contains no information when your computer is turned off, but, like you when you wake up in the morning, turning on your PC fires up it's CPU and RAM and makes them recall all the data from your hard drive needed to do the job at hand (like taking a shower!) and, as you progress through the day and meet new demands, other programs stored on your hard drive are recalled and let you get on with the business at hand.
g. The "Direct Memory Access" (DMA) chip that helps your computer `go find' information in Secondary Memory (your Disk drives) and copy (or "load”) it into Primary Memory (more micro-chips).
h. "Registers" that store and forward data being sent to different parts of the `system'.
i. "Expansion Slots" (ISA, PCI, AGP, and infrared) that appear at the back of your PC and allow the connection of other computer hardware to the motherboard.
j. The "Video Driver Card" that is necessary for the operation of your monitor - and the card must match the type of monitor (EGA, VGA, SVGA, etc.) you are using.
k. The "keyboard" connector on the back of the motherboard. There are two different types of keyboard connectors - a "standard" connector and a "PS-2" connector. If you buy a new keyboard, be sure you get one with the right kind of connector (or it won't plug in!).
l. Other important things connected to the motherboard are your power and environment tools like the fan and power supply (part of your PC case), switches, etc.