The Motherboard (MoBo)
Have you ever opened your computer case (that big box to which everything is connected)? It reveals a fascinating scene that looks like a cityscape you are flying high above. There are buildings and roads and fixtures and fittings, and they all seem to be attached to a big piece of (usually) green plastic. This is the motherboard of your computer. The easiest way to think of the motherboard is to see it as the skeleton of your computer. Just like in a human being, all the different parts of a computer are in some way attached to or connected to this backbone. Without it, your computer would simply be a collection of separate parts not working together.
Connected to the motherboard are a collection of chips. A chip is an electronic device that contains circuitry needed to perform the different functions of a computer. It consists of wires connected in ways so that specific jobs can be done. This circuitry is usually called an Integrated Circuit (IC). There are three main chips that you must be familiar with.
These are:
• The Central Processing Unit (CPU)
• Random Access Memory (RAM)
• Read Only Memory (ROM)
Read Only Memory
The second type of chip, which is soldered directly onto the motherboard, is the Read Only Memory (ROM) chip. These chips store information that is needed by the computer on a permanent basis such as the devices loaded on the computer.
BIOS and CMOS
One special ROM chip is the Basic Input and Output System (BIOS) chip. The chip stores information that is needed when the computer is switched on (booted) and controls how the computer switches on, what tasks are performed and helps the CPU control the other devices connected to the computer.
Slots on the Motherboard
There are slots on the motherboard which are used to connect smaller boards containing extra circuitry which adds functions to the computer. These can include; sound cards, graphics card and even internal modems and network cards. These additional cards are known as daughter boards or expansion cards. You should be familiar with the different types of slots present in a typical computer today.
These include:
Advanced Graphics Port (AGP),
Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA)
PCI express (PCIe).
Some older motherboards will also have older slots such as PCI Extended (PCIX). The reason why these older slots may still be included is for backwards compatibility. This means that you can still use your older cards on a newer computer, to save you money.
• AGP: This is a slighter smaller in length slot that is usually found in the centre of the motherboard.
PCIe: This is the main type of slot used to connect most cards to the motherboard.
• SATA: This is the main slot today used to connect storage devices (such as HDD) to the motherboard.
Random Access Memory
On the motherboard, there are at least three types of slots present. Each slot allows you to connect another board directly to the motherboard. One of the slots is used to connect the RAM to the MoBo.
Other Connections on the Motherboard
There are also connections for the Power Supply Unit (PSU) to connect to the motherboard. Other connections that can be found include:
• Universal Serial Bus (USB)
• the built in Audio ports
• the built-in graphics ports
• network interface port