In any type of computer, motherboard is the main component, which holds many vital parts of the ideas and provides connections to other peripherals. It acts as a communication highway. Each part of the computer ideas communicates to each other straight through the motherboard. The objective of the motherboard is provide a communication channel to all other peripherals and parts of the computer system.
Brief History Of Motherboard
In the earlier times when computer was first invented, the device used to be built in a frame or a case with parts related straight through a backplane. The backplane comprised a set of slots interconnected straight through wires. After the arrival of printed circuit boards, the central processing unit, read only memory, random access memory, peripherals were mounted on the Pcbs. As time passed by in the 1970s and 1980s, more and more numbers of components started getting housed on the motherboard due to thrifty reasons. In the 1990s, the motherboards became capable of performing video, audio, networking and graphics functions.
Overview Of Motherboard
Generally a computer motherboard has microprocessor, main memory and other vital components, mounted on it. Other parts like video and sound controllers, external warehouse and peripheral devices are related to motherboards straight through plug-in cards. In the latest motherboards, all these components are mounted directly.
Motherboard Chipset
One of the most prominent component of motherboard is chipset. It controls the data flow straight through the data bus of the motherboard. Channelizing the data to the accurate component is the original objective of the chipset.
Motherboard Components
The motherboard contains connectors for all components. Expansion slots for Pci, Isa, Agp, Dimm and external connections for serial and parallel ports, Usb ports, sound card, keyboard and mouse are mounted on it.
Keyboard & Mouse Connectors
All computers have keyboard ports related to the motherboard. Two most commonly used connector types are Din and At. Nowadays mini Din Ps/2types of connectors are replacing St types of connectors. Ps/2 style sockets could be used with At types by using a converter. Usb connectors are also found in some Pcs.
Parallel Port
Parallel ports are used by printers. On parallel port, many wires are used for carrying data signals. A 25 pin female Db connector is used in parallel port. Motherboards directly hold parallel ports straight through direct relationship or dongle.
Central Processing Unit
The component is also known as Cpu. It controls all operations that are performed inside a computer. Cpus are basically large scale integrated circuits in rectangular small packages with many connecting pins. Cpu consists of mainly two components, namely Arithmetic Logical Unit(Alu) and control Unit(Cu). Alu performs arithmetic and logical operations and Cu fetches instructions from memory and execute them.
Universal Serial Bus
Universal Serial Bus or Usb is an industry proper relationship for Pc. The speed of Usb 3.0, the latest proper of Usb, is 5 Gbits/second.
Basic Input yield System- Read Only Memory(Bios Rom)
The Bios Rom chip, which is a permanent memory, contains the software program which performs the basic operations when the computer is switched on. When the computer is powered up, the microprocessor searches for basic diagnostic data in Bios Rom., such as, how much memory is available, either all peripherals are working properly, if an external drive is connected, etc. When diagnostic data is found to be Ok, then only the computer starts its operation.
Random access Memory (Ram)
Ram is a temporary memory. It is used to store data when computer is powered up. Once the computer is switched off, this memory id erased.
Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (Eeprom)
Eeprom is erasable programmable read only memory. It is inherent to read from and write to this type of memory. Once the computer is switched off, data stored in Eeprom is retained.
Slots
Generally two types of slots are available on motherboard, namely Agp slots and Pci slots. Agp slots are used for graphics cards, while devices like modems, network cards and sound cards use Pci slots.
Ide Connector
This connector is used for connecting hard disks, Cd and Dvd.
Floppy Connector
The computer's floppy drive is related straight through this connector.
Pc Support
Since motherboard contains so many components, any defective component could make the computer nonfunctional. Many online network hold providers are rendering round the clock hold for motherboards. In case the user faces any question related to motherboard, immediately the help of Pc hold providers should be sought to mitigate the problem.