All about Computer Motherboards

 
 

 

Pictured:  a computer motherboard

 
 
 
 

The Motherboard is the main part of a computer. It connects all your peripherals together. When purchasing a motherboard make sure it comes with a manual as you will need this to configure it. The manual will tell you how to set up the jumpers or dip switches on the Motherboard so that it knows what type of CPU you have installed.

A Jumper is a set of pins that jut out from your Motherboard they are normally labeled j1, j2 etc. They are set on by placing a little rubber cap over two of the pins. If the manual tells you you need j1 on for a certain type of processor, then put a cap on j1. There are now some new Motherboards that are called "Jumperless" these are configured at startup in the BIOS. Also some motherboards can auto detect the voltage of the CPU so that is one thing you may or may not have to set up. The other thing you have to tell the board is CPU Speed and this is done with jumpers via a "multiplier" which is a number that when multiplied by the Bus speed to equal the CPU speed. Lets say you have a 900MHz CPU and the motherboard is a 100MHz bus, you would set the Motherboard bus speed to 100MHz and then set the multiplier to a setting of 9.0. Some manuals will show you examples of what jumpers to set up based on the most common CPUs.

What mother board you buy depends on the CPU you want the most common types today are Socket A motherboards for AMD Athlons and Durons, Socket 370 motherboards for Intel Pentium IIIs and Celerons and Socket 478 for the new Pentium 4 all these boards will be ATX. The short lived fad of the cartridge style CPU is now being fazed out, these boards were known as Slot 1 and Slot A.
 

 
  Introduction
  The computer case
  The motherboard
  CPU Guide
  Installing the CPU
  Memory Guide
  Installing the Memory
  Hard Disk Guide
  CD and DVD Drive Guide
  Installing a Hard Disk or CD Drive
  Video Card Guide
 

More of this Article

Introduction
The computer case
The motherboard
CPU Guide
Installing the CPU
Memory Guide
Installing the Memory
Hard Disk Guide
CD and DVD Drive Guide
Installing CD or Hard Drive
Video Card Guide
 
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A  Digital Calculating Machine was invented by Charles Babbage in 1823. 102 years before the transistor was invented.

 

The information presented here is for a guide only. If at all you doubt your technical abilities
do not attempt to perform the procedures documented here. We will not be held responsible
for any damage to your equipment or injury to yourself.
 

 

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