All about the motherboard. Motherboard: what, why and why? Determining the motherboard model using Windows

A personal computer (PC) consists of many nodes that transmit information to each other, process it and exchange it with the user. Each node performs its own highly specialized function. Most of these components are located in one structurally complete element - the motherboard. Let's try to figure out why a motherboard is needed.

This board, also called the system board, “motherboard”, etc. is the basis of any PC. It is sometimes called MB - English abbreviation, derived from the word “motherboard”, motherboard.

Another decoding of the abbreviation MB is “mainboard”, main board. And it is truly the main one, since all PC elements are connected to it either directly or through standard cables.

In most system units, the board is located vertically. It is screwed to one of its walls.

Concept of motherboard and its functions

From the point of view regular user The motherboard is a rectangular product made of fiberglass. It contains many parts and connectors connected by conductive elements.

The motherboard has several main functions:

• transmission of control signals from the central processing unit (CPU) to various devices;
• data exchange between the processor and memory (both permanent and RAM);
• organization of long-term information storage devices ( hard drives and others external media) and ensuring access to them;
• connecting external devices (video cards, audio processing devices, external memory, network adapters, printers, etc.);
• providing input from a user or another computer.

Important! Separately, it should be noted another important function that does not directly relate to information processing, but ensures the functioning of the processor and some external devices: providing them with additional power supply.

The answer to the question of what a computer motherboard is follows from the description of its functions. The motherboard is the very connecting link (more precisely, a whole complex of connecting links), without which the operation of the PC as a whole would be impossible.

The following devices are inserted directly into the connectors on the motherboard:

1. CPU;
2. memory modules;
3. video card;
4. sound card;
5. any other devices with standard motherboard interfaces (network adapters, video processing devices, etc.)

Information storage devices (hard drives, BlueRay and others) are not connected to the motherboard directly, but using standard cables. Currently, such devices use the SATA interface. In addition, there are the same connectors for connecting backup information storage located outside the system unit.

Various peripherals(keyboard, mouse, printer, flash drives, etc.) can be connected to the board using the USB interface. USB connectors can be located directly on the board or connected to it using cables.

Sometimes, to ensure compatibility with certain models of keyboards and mice, motherboards can use the PS/2 interface, the connector of which is also located on it.

Boards with built-in video adapters have a video adapter connector designed to connect to a monitor.

All components that make up the motherboard are rigidly fixed to it using soldering, glue or some other connection method, and sometimes a combination of both. Theoretically, for the average user, the motherboard is non-separable.

Its main components include:

• connector for connecting the CPU, so-called. "socket";
• special fasteners for connecting the CPU cooling system;
• several connectors for connecting RAM;
• read-only memory chips;
• chipset chips;
• shapers of standard interfaces so-called. “buses” for working with external devices;
• connectors for connecting external devices to buses (so-called expansion slots);
• controllers and connectors for connecting peripheral devices;
• connectors for connecting main and additional power supplies;
• supply voltage drivers for the processor, memory and buses;
• simple sound adapters (on most modern motherboards);
• connectors for connecting the PC power and reset button and front panel indicators;
• other display and debugging devices (optional);

Typically, components on a board are grouped according to their functions. For example, the chipset, memory modules and power supply system are located closer to the CPU. Most of the free surface of the motherboard is allocated for expansion slots so that large devices (for example, video cards) can be placed there without problems.

Connectors for connecting peripherals are located around the perimeter of the motherboard; it is believed that this arrangement simplifies connecting devices to them.

Some of the connectors are specially located in a separate place on the motherboard, on the so-called rear connector panel. Under back panel In any system unit, a hole is made measuring 6.25 by 1.75 inches with tolerances of 0.08 inches (on average 159 by 45 mm).

Attention! All standards for the sizes of motherboards, and in general, all components, are in inches. Therefore, you should not be surprised at the “non-round” numbers in the sizes of certain parts, expressed in millimeters.

The rear panel must have the following connectors:

1. PS/2 for connecting a mouse and keyboard;
2. 4-8 USB interface connectors;
3. 3-6 mini-jack connectors for connecting audio devices;
4. RJ45 for LAN connection.

The listed set is present in almost all boards, but sometimes additional connectors are added to it.

Power connectors

You can connect the motherboard to a power source via a standard 24-pin power connector. Sometimes one or more 4, 8 or 12 pin connectors are added to it additional food+12V.

Switching voltage stabilizers

The power supply produces a voltage of +3.3 V, as well as voltages of 5 V and 12 V of both polarities. Most devices inside a PC use them. However, the CPU requires different supply voltages - from 1 to 2 V. This is due to the optimization of power consumption distribution.

In order to provide power to the processor, voltage converters are placed on the motherboard. They are small chips located in close proximity to the CPU. In addition to the functions of voltage conversion, these microcircuits ensure its stabilization - that is, constancy over time, regardless of the degree of processor load. Each stabilizer is miniature pulse source power supply, which requires capacitors to operate. These elements are installed next to the stabilizers.

Attention! Switching regulators consume as much power as the processor. Therefore, there should be no obstacles near them that would interfere with the air circulation that ensures their cooling.

Chipset

The main part of any motherboard. It is thanks to it that the CPU can execute programs and process data. Currently, the processor “communicates” with all devices, except for RAM and main buses, only through the chipset.

Until 2011, the chipset was physically divided into two chips - north and south bridges. The Northbridge was used to communicate with fast devices comparable in speed to the processor. South Bridge - with slower ones, the speed of which was tens or even thousands of times less than the speed of the processor.

But subsequently, almost all the components of the north bridge were transferred from the motherboard to the processor, which made it possible to increase the overall performance of the system by about a third. Therefore, the chipset is currently used to communicate with slow buses and other peripheral devices.

BIOS and CMOS

Each motherboard contains a read-only memory chip that contains a set of procedures that start the computer and prepare it to load the operating system. The set of these procedures is called BIOS. It is also an abbreviation for the English "basic input/output system" - basic input/output system.

In addition to these functions, the BIOS allows you to perform more fine tuning parameters of both the motherboard and the entire PC. With its help, you can speed up/slow down the processor, select the operating system boot method, change system time and so on.

The storage of these settings is partially entrusted to the CMOS device - a small amount of non-volatile memory powered by a replaceable battery. When you turn off the PC, these settings are saved and used the next time you turn it on. The battery life is from 3 to 10 years.

Attention! At the end of the battery life, the system will display a corresponding message. When it appears, it is recommended to replace the battery.

All motherboards without exception have CMOS reset. This is done in cases where the selected settings lead to the computer not working. Resetting can be done using a special button or jumper.

Types of boards

Motherboards suitable for the same processors and having the same chipsets can be produced in different design options. First of all, this concerns their size. There is the concept of form factor or standard size of the motherboard; Let's figure out what it is.

The geometric dimensions of the board have standard values ​​to unify the used system units and various peripheral devices. Let's look at them in more detail:

EATX

Size: 12 by 13 inches (305 by 300 mm).

Mainly used for server, so-called. "rack-mount" design. However, they can also be used for PCs, if you need to connect several large devices, for example, video cards. They have a maximum range of peripheral devices, but their cost can be an order of magnitude higher than the cost of conventional motherboards. The number of large expansion slots supporting the PCIE-16 bus is up to 4.

Standard ATX

Size: 12 by 9.6 inches (305 by 244 mm).

Regular boards used in most modern PCs. Suitable for any Tower type cases. Number of expansion slots – up to 3.

microATX

Size: 9.6 by 9.6 inches (244 by 244 mm).

A stripped down version of ATX. They use one expansion slot and have a limit on the number of USB ports. At the same time, they are cheaper than standard ones and consume less electricity.

Mini-ITX

Size: 6.7 by 6.7 inches (170 by 170 mm).

Specialized boards for small system units, mainly used for office solutions. There is either no expansion slot, or there is a stripped-down version of it. The processor is built into the motherboard and cannot be replaced. They have very low energy consumption. The power supply is limited to 100 W. For comparison, powering the “lightest” microATX board requires a power supply of at least 300 W.

Mini-STX

Size: 5.7 by 5.5 inches (147 by 140 mm).

Also specialized boards for microcomputers. There are no expansion slots, however, the processor can be replaced. Built-in video system. It is used primarily for office and mobile solutions.

How to determine which continent is installed

There are three ways to determine the type of motherboard installed in a PC:

• Using diagnostic programs. These can be CPU-Z, AIDA, PC Wizard, etc.
• Using DMI. This method is more suitable for programmers. It is partially implemented in “System Properties” of Windows OS, but the type of motherboard is not always displayed there.
• Visual. Disassemble the system unit and look at the inscription on the board. Traditionally, it is located between expansion slots.

The first method is the simplest and most preferable. In addition, it is absolutely safe and can be used when it is impossible to open the system unit. For example, if the PC is under warranty.

How to choose a good motherboard

Choosing a good motherboard should be based on the following criteria:

1. Its compatibility with the existing processor.
2. Ability to support all available equipment. This applies to the types of memory modules, video card, number of hard drives and peripheral devices.
3. The form factor must match the existing case, and the power consumption must match the power supply.
4. The arrangement of elements on the motherboard should not create obstacles to its normal ventilation. Manufacturers of cheap components often sin like this.
5. If possible, the motherboard should have two BIOS chips - a main one and a backup one.
6. The power connector must be universal - at least 24+4 contacts. Additional processor power supply is required.
7. The location of the hard drive connectors should be convenient and not interfere with expansion cards.

You can also look at articles on topics and.

The computer motherboard is the foundation on which all components of the system unit are built.

The role of a computer motherboard cannot be overestimated. After all, it only depends on it whether you will be able to expand the functionality of your PC in the future or not? Increase the amount of RAM, install a more powerful video card? Will the presence of additional, initially unused, slots and connectors allow further expansion (“upgrade”) of the entire system? It's like the foundation of a house: if you don't build it well, the structure may collapse over time.

The motherboard is a multilayer “pie” of single-layer (single-sided or double-sided) printed circuit boards. Each of the layers represents such a separate board. Multilayering, first of all, is needed to combat crosstalk and interference created by signal lines (paths) of the board located close to each other. To increase this distance and isolate the signal lines of one layer from another, this whole “sandwich” was invented. Each layer is separated from each other by special fiberglass gaskets (adhesive) and then the whole thing is pressed into a special oven.

Graphically, the internal structure of the product can be depicted something like this:

As a bonus, the overall mechanical strength of such a structure also increases. Quantity individual layers in modern branded products it can reach up to ten, or even more! After that, the almost finished motherboard is coated on both sides with a dielectric protective varnish of the desired color, dried, the necessary holes are drilled in it for fasteners, installation of connectors and other components, the holes on the edges are metalized, and the product is almost ready! Of course, after this you need to install the connectors themselves and the entire element base of the radio-electronic components, carry out their soldering, quality control, and carry out comprehensive testing under load, but this process is clearly shown in the video below the article, so I see no point in describing it again.

Note: printed circuit board or PCP (Printed Circuit Board) - a dielectric plate on which electrically conductive paths are formed by chemical or mechanical means. They can be formed either by the classical method of etching them on the board, or using laser engraving technology.

Since we are primarily interested in high-quality computer motherboards, let's turn our attention to a full-size board from the manufacturer Asus. The large number of elements and expansion slots located on it allows us to hope for a good upgrade prospect, and the high-quality element base of the components and the layout of the board - for a long service life.

Let's, as usual, go through all the notations in order and find out what components the computer motherboard consists of:

1. CPU socket (socket where the computer processor is installed)
2. two slots for PCI Express video cards are indicated (in expensive motherboards you can install two discrete video cards at the same time)
3. four slots for DDR2 RAM
4. computer motherboard chipset north bridge
5. motherboard chipset southbridge
6. Cooling system radiators for power circuits (power phases) of the processor
7. four USB output(displayed on the back wall of the computer case)
8. built-in sound card outputs
9. 3.5 floppy disk interface (disk drive) FDC controller
10. four SATA outputs for connecting hard drives
11. three PCI slots for connection additional fees extensions (TV tuner, network or sound card, video capture cards, etc.)
12. BIOS battery
13. four-pin 12-volt processor power connector
14. 24-pin connector for connecting the power supply and supplying voltage to the motherboard
15. two connectors for connecting hard drives or old-style “IDE” CD-DVD-ROM
16. the BIOS chip itself

Let's stop with you at the most important points, requiring separate comments. In the image we can clearly see the cooling system in the center, with copper tubes radiating from it. The central heatsink covers the “northern” microcircuit of the board’s chipset. It includes such important components as a built-in video card, a RAM controller and a system bus controller (now these elements are actively being transferred to the CPU) and, naturally, supports an interface for interacting with the “southern” microcircuit.

The names “north” and “south” bridge only indicate the geographic location of these elements relative to the PCI slots (to the north - higher or to the south - lower). The south bridge chip is also covered by a radiator. It, as a rule, contains a controller for the computer’s built-in network card, a USB bus, integrated sound, and is responsible for the operation of PCI buses, various sensors on the board, etc.

Note: chipset - a set of chips designed for collaboration to complete any tasks. Second name - set system logic.

Applicable to computers, the classic chipset on the motherboard consists of two large chips:

• Northbridge
• southbridge

The north bridge connects (via controllers integrated into it) the CPU with high-performance devices located on the computer motherboard (memory, video adapter). The south bridge is responsible for supporting slower peripheral devices (USB, audio and network card, hard drives, various boards extensions, etc.)

Here, for example, is what a set of system logic looks like (“north” - larger and “south” - smaller bridge) produced by VIA.

Let's move on. Numbered “6” (see the first photo of the article) on the motherboard we have two radiators that cool the processor’s power circuits. Elements located under the heatsinks (capacitors and transistors) prevent large changes in the CPU supply voltage when its load changes. Their high-quality performance is one of the indicators of a good motherboard. Agree, if the computer’s operation turns out to be unstable simply due to poor-quality power supply, it will be a shame!

Separately, we note that the element base of power circuits on modern motherboards is quite diverse: it includes a PWM controller, voltage converters, transistors, resistors, chokes, capacitors, etc.

The photo below shows a typical multiphase power supply circuit of a modern processor:

For example, voltage converters are needed in order to supply one or another element with the strictly necessary power for its normal operation. It’s one thing that 12 volts “comes” from the power supply at the input of the converter, but not all elements need exactly twelve! So the converters lower it to the required value and “give it” to the final “consumer” (a specific microcircuit or other element).

I propose to talk in more detail about why all these phases are needed and how they work? I think you need to know this! The role of a step-down converter can be VRM (Voltage Regulation Module) or VRD (Voltage Regulator Down). Don’t get too hung up on this, it will be enough if you remember these abbreviations and know what they refer to.

Typically, several MOSFETs are also included in the converter circuit. They are controlled by an electric field, which is why they are called “field” (field). The abbreviation MOS comes from “metal-oxide-semiconductor”, in English: “metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor” or abbreviated as MOSFET. Therefore, you can come across the name as mosfet transistors (popularly called “mosfets”).

The power phase control on the computer motherboard is usually based on a PWM controller. The abbreviation PWM also has its own meaning and it is “Pulse Wide Modulation” - pulse width modulation, in Russian PWM. Therefore, such components are often called PWM controllers.

Here's what it might look like:

About the required processor in at the moment power supply, the PWM controller “recognizes” using a special 8-bit signal, which “tells” it what voltage needs to be applied to the CPU at one time or another.

In very old computers, all voltage regulator circuits were single-phase, but over time (as processor power consumption increased) they became inefficient and manufacturers had to use multiple phases to regulate the voltage supplied to the CPU. This is where the concept of “multiphase” came from. Four-phase power, eight-phase, etc... Now there is, it seems, even 24-phase! :)

What is behind this concept? Let's try to figure it out! What is the main limitation single-phase regulator? First of all, in the maximum current that can be passed through the elements that form it: mosfets, inductors (chokes), capacitors. Their limit is about thirty amperes, while modern CPUs can draw current in excess of one hundred amperes! It is clear that with such “requests” one phase will “boil” very quickly :) It was precisely to compensate for this limitation that they began to use multiphase power on motherboards.

When using a multiphase regulator, the total load current can be distributed over the N number of individual phases, which in total will produce the required (rated) power! For example: with a six-phase power supply, each of the six phases will have 30 Amperes (remember about the maximum current limitation), while in total all our phases can peak load“pass” as much as 180 Amperes through yourself!

Note: for processors Intel generation Core i7 with power consumption of over 130 watts (even taking into account the possibility of overclocking), six-phase power is quite enough! Anything more is from a crafty marketer :)

You also need to keep in mind that the element base does not stand still and instead of the usual electrolytic capacitors Nowadays, so-called solid-state polymer chokes with a service life exceeding 50,000 hours, ferrite core chokes, etc. are widely used. All this together makes it possible to pass through them a maximum current of not 30, but 40 Amperes. Therefore, such a six-phase processor power circuit (circuit) will be able to provide a current to the processor of about 240 Amperes (energy consumption of more than 200 Watts)! What home CPU consumes this, other than AMD?! :)

The last thing I would like to add is that now on computer motherboards such a thing as dynamic switching of power phases is often used. This means that as necessary (the processor consumes more current), everything is switched on more phases, and when the load decreases, some of them are switched off. In theory, a weak CPU can be started with only one operating phase. Another thing is how long will he last? But for starting in testing mode, this method may be quite suitable!

So, back to our main material! If you try to schematically depict the location of all the main elements and connectors on the computer motherboard, you will get something like this:

Here's another (graphical) embodiment of this idea:

Let's say a few words about the board's system bus - FSB (Front Side Bus). This is a high-speed interface between the processor and the north bridge of the motherboard chipset. The higher its frequency, the higher the data transfer speed and the speed of the entire system as a whole. FSB frequency is measured in megahertz.

Note: What frequency is, what values ​​it can take and what it is measured in we discussed in this article.

Only the CPU is connected directly to the system bus itself; other devices are connected to it through specialized controllers that are integrated into the northbridge chip.

To be fair, it is worth noting that there is now a trend towards high integration of main controllers and even entire devices (graphics accelerator) directly into the central processor core.

One of the first to be moved from the chipset was the RAM controller, which made it possible to reduce the time delays inevitable when transferring data and commands over the system bus. For example, almost all the main controllers that were previously located on the motherboard were transferred to a processor based on Intel LGA1156. As a result, FSB is actually absent from it!

AMD developers use their proprietary technology to replace the system bus. It's called "Hyper Transport". This development has already gone through several revisions and is successfully used not only in personal computers, but also in such high-performance devices as network routers Cisco company.

Another “candidate” for transfer directly to the CPU core turned out to be built-in video, which previously “felt” quite comfortably in the northbridge of the motherboard chipset. And it seemed, where could it go from there?! And some time passed and - please: the video core on the same chip with the processor. Fantastic! :)

How did this become possible? First of all, due to the fact that the manufacturing process of all the main elements of a computer is constantly decreasing. For example, a processor of the family Intel Core The i7 is made using a 22-nanometer process technology, which made it possible to place approximately 1.4 billion transistors on the same chip area!

Note: 22 nanometers corresponds, in this case, to the linear resolution of the lithography equipment used to manufacture the final device. And a “nanometer” (nm or nm) is one billionth of a meter (millimicron)!

What are we doing? As the technical process decreases, the size of the main elements (transistors) that we can place on the chip also decreases. Consequently, we can place more of these same transistors in the same area! And, as a result, build on their basis a built-in CPU graphics core or any other element. Actually, developers actively use this, trying to constantly reduce process production.

Over time, this led to the fact that all the main high-speed interfaces and controllers “migrated” under the processor cover, and many motherboards modern computers They lost not only the south bridge, but sometimes also the north bridge! Since all peripheral controllers moved to the north bridge, the south bridge simply disappeared as unnecessary. Today you can still find motherboards with the classic arrangement of system logic elements (chipset), but this is happening less and less often.

So let's continue! For cheaper motherboards, a situation is typical when manufacturers assemble all its elements on an already shortened (bottom or side) PCB plate. As a result, all the elements of the motherboard are located very close to each other and you have to forget about any additional connectors or outputs (the main everything would fit here!).

Remember: a good motherboard should have the same aspect ratio as in the photo (it should not be small square or elongated rectangular) and there should be a lot of space on it! Until now - this is my IMHO, despite the year 2015 :) Well-established manufacturers of motherboards for desktop computers are the following companies: Msi, Asus, Gigabyte and Intel.

For example, Gigabyte additionally “lays” several thin layers of copper between the layers of the printed circuit board. This proprietary technology even received its own name: “Ultra Durable” (photo at the beginning of the article). Copper acts as an additional heatsink that removes heat from the hottest areas of the motherboard: the processor with its power circuits and chipset chips.

Also, different manufacturers of boards, in order to highlight their products, add all sorts of improvements to it: like dual BIOS (so that in case of a failure you don’t have to use a programmer), a post-code sensor, power and reset buttons on the board itself, etc.

Here is one example of how additional improvements are installed on high-quality motherboards.

Circled in red below is the POST code sensor, which we mentioned above. He can “tell” us about a problem in the computer’s operation through digital combinations on the display. Their decoding is usually attached to the motherboard itself in the form of a small book.

But what other motherboards are there? The photo below is a micro ATX form factor with an Atom 550 processor with passive cooling.

At the end of the article, I want to show you my workplace and how the next motherboard is tested on it:

I'm currently installing Windows. This connection option eliminates cases short circuit boards onto the computer case, and visual inspection and general control of the process is much more convenient.

There are also server motherboards. How are they different? server solutions from regular (desktop) ones? First of all, increased reliability! After all, servers have to work 24/7 (like a supermarket) :) Servers are usually equipped with expensive registered RAM with parity control (ECC), and they can also support several physical processors. In the photo below we see a board that can accommodate four physical CPUs.

These are products that have nothing to do with the SOHO segment (Small Office/Home Office), but serious corporate solutions. Naturally, there are also Lov-End (cheap) and Hi-End (expensive) products here, but that’s another story. Also, on servers, as a rule, hardware raid (RAID) controllers are installed, made in the form of a separate printed circuit board; on desktops, similar functionality can only be obtained using software.

Note: RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks - redundant array of independent disks). Reliable data storage technology based on redundancy of stored information. When multiple hard drives are combined into one virtual logical unit to provide reliability and improve performance.

Separately, we can highlight the gaming segment of motherboards. As a rule, such solutions cost an order of magnitude more and have a bunch of additional options: in the form of advanced overclocking capabilities, advanced power and cooling management, various status indication sensors, enhanced element base etc. One such example is a product from Asus (Asus Maximus 7):

Cool “toy”, isn’t it? Finally, the idea of ​​the article, formed on the basis personal experience: a good (quality) thing cannot cost 30-50 dollars. Well, that’s all it can be! :)

Any computer user sooner or later hears this strange name - motherboard, let's try to figure out what it is. It is the largest part inside the system unit. It has many names, among the most common are: motherboard, mother, mother, motherboard, MB. As is already clear from the names, it is the main part, the heart of the system, although it can rather be compared with the human nervous system. All other computer components are installed on it or connected to its connectors. The motherboard ensures the interaction of all components as a single system, managing their joint work.

Indeed, there is a hard drive with data, but it is processed by the processor, and for this it must end up in RAM. In order for a computer user to see the results of the processor, the video card must display them on the monitor, and data from the keyboard and mouse, on the contrary, must enter the processor. Finally, the results of the work must be saved back to the computer’s hard drive. The computer motherboard coordinates this work. This is what this diagram looks like in its most simplified form.

Let's take a closer look at what a computer motherboard is. Physically, the motherboard is a complex printed circuit board with many chips. Since all other devices are connected to it, it is a limiting factor when choosing other components, or if you already have some system components, you will have to select a motherboard for them. Let's take a simple example, you have old computer, which you want to upgrade. For example, install a new powerful video card. However, it turns out that the motherboard uses an outdated AGP bus. New video card with AGP interface You'll be exhausted looking for it, and it will be quite weak and cost more than one similar to the PCI-E bus. Some readers may object that it’s easier to throw out such old stuff and buy a new one normal computer and perhaps they will be right. Then let's consider another situation. You have a computer with an Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 processor, which you decided to replace with a more powerful Core i7. But that's not a problem, it cannot be installed on your motherboard, since it uses a different processor socket. You will also have to buy a new mother, and at the same time new memory DDR3. The rapid development of technology hits hard when trying to upgrade old equipment. This must be taken into account when choosing new components in order to reduce the costs of further modernization.

How to find out what motherboard is in your computer.

There are several ways to determine the model of motherboard used in a computer. Look in the documentation for your computer, find the model name written on the motherboard itself, or use one of the programs that shows the hardware used in the system. We recommend paying attention to the CPU-Z program. We launch it and on the mainboard tab we see which motherboard and chipset are used in the computer.

Let's look at the main characteristics of the motherboard that affect its consumer properties.

The following elements are marked in the figure:

1 - pins for connecting peripheral devices

2 - slot for installing a central processor

3 - north bridge radiator

4 - PCI Express x16 slot

5 - standard PCI slot

6 - BIOS battery

7 — SATA port connectors

8 - radiator south bridge

9 - slot for connecting FDD

10 - slot for IDE

11 - connector for connecting power to the motherboard

12 - RAM slots

Chipset or system logic set - implements data exchange between the central processor and RAM, as well as peripheral device controllers. Most often it consists of two large functional blocks “north bridge” and “south bridge”. All the main characteristics of the motherboard depend on the chipset. The speed and stability of interaction between system components, how many and what devices can be connected to it, and the ability to overclock the system, not least of all, depend on the chipset.

Actively heating components must be cooled. There are two options: active and passive cooling. Active is more effective because using air flow from a fan or water system cooling, but less reliable and noisy. Passive is simply a radiator that dissipates heat naturally. Will never break, silent, but only suitable for low-heat parts. Why are we telling all this? The chipset requires cooling, and the noise and overclocking capabilities of the system will depend on how it is done on the motherboard. Everything is clear with noise, but passive cooling can somewhat limit the overclocking potential.

The central processing unit (CPU) socket, or socket, is used to install the processor on the motherboard. Provides easy installation and replacing the processor if necessary. Has its own conditional number that determines which family central processing units you can install it in it. For example, Socket B2 (LGA1356) is intended for the Intel Sandy Bridge family of processors and no others can be installed in it. This must be taken into account if you are assembling a computer from separate components and when upgrading the system, because Each next generation of processors has its own socket that is not compatible with the previous ones.

The question arises, how to find out which socket is on the computer. There are quite a few ways, we will list some of them. Look in the documentation for your computer. Look at the motherboard model printed on it and look at the documentation on the motherboard manufacturer's website. Use one of the computer diagnostic programs, for example free program CPU-Z. Just run the program and get a lot useful information about the system.

Number of RAM slots, type and amount of memory supported by the motherboard. Nowadays the most common types of memory are DDR2 and DDR3. What type of memory and its maximum quantity is supported, you can find out in the specifications for the motherboard. Now the average computer has about 2-4 GB of memory installed, and Windows 32-bit will see only about 3.2 GB (depending on the specific hardware).

Slots for the high-performance PCI Express (PCI-E) bus are used to install a video card. The specific implementation of a slot may vary throughput, details are specified in the specifications for the board. The motherboard can have multiple slots for installing video cards to create high-performance graphics system computer. The more slots a board has and the higher their speed (more lines), the more flexible options it provides. Hot swapping of cards is supported.

Slots for low performance PCI bus. The interface has greatly lost ground to the PCI-E bus, but can still be useful for connecting old peripheral equipment. The need for such slots is strictly individual.

SATA connectors are used to connect storage devices (hard drives and optical drives). The SATA interface is a development of the IDE interface previously used for drives. The speed of operation depends on the SATA revision, for example, the Revision 3.0 specification provides a throughput of up to 6 Gbit/s. Supports hot-swappable hardware. How more connectors on the motherboard, the more devices you can connect.

IDE is an outdated interface for connecting drives. After the appearance of the SATA interface, it was renamed PATA (Parallel ATA). Not compatible with SATA. Two devices can be connected to one loop. One is called a master, the other a slave. Devices require configuration using jumpers on the housing. It is still found in motherboards to ensure backward compatibility. There are adapters for IDE connections devices to the SATA port and vice versa. May be useful for connecting old equipment to new computer or modernizing the old one.

USB (universal serial bus) connector used for quick connection of low and medium speed devices. It is widely used for connecting printers, scanners, flash drives, card readers, cameras, phones and many other peripheral devices. It has several revisions that differ in interface performance and are backward compatible. The most common USB 2.0 is gradually being replaced by USB 3.0. The more USB ports there are on the motherboard, the better. It is desirable to have at least several USB 3.0 ports. Please be aware that there are several physical implementations of connectors. When buying a wire to connect any device, you need to remember this.

The ROM chip (BIOS) contains a set of microprograms necessary for the initial initialization of the equipment and subsequent loading of the operating system. Modern implementation often allows you to update the BIOS from external media. Usually it contains many settings for configuring equipment, turning it on/off, setting the order of loading the OS from media and performing some other functions. The ability to overclock a system is largely determined by the settings provided by the BIOS for this. Due to the functions performed by the BIOS, its performance is critical to the system. Incorrect settings or damage will result in the system being unable to boot, so many motherboard manufacturers provide emergency protection systems such as a backup BIOS chip. If the computer refuses to boot due to the BIOS not working, you can remove the CR2032 battery installed on the computer's motherboard for a few minutes. To get to the BIOS menu, you must press a specific key or key combination when checking the system's functionality immediately after turning on the computer. The most common options are F2, F10, Del, Ecs. The exact key can be found in the documentation for the motherboard.

The last point we wanted to consider is the so-called motherboard form factor. It defines overall dimensions, location of mounting holes, type of power connector, location of interfaces and some other things. Among the most common form factors today are:

The system unit case must be designed to accommodate a board of this form factor. You can install other smaller boards in an ATX case, but you cannot install an ATX motherboard in a MicroATX case. It is also necessary to take into account that due to the dense layout of boards such as MicroATX, MiniATX, Mini-ITX, Nano-ITX and other reduced sizes, some components will not be able to be installed, because they will physically lack space. For example, a powerful large video card or a large CPU cooler will run into RAM or capacitors.

That's all we wanted to tell you about the computer motherboard. Of course, this is a rather superficial description, but it is quite sufficient for a novice computer user to imagine what a computer motherboard is.

The motherboard, or, in other words, the system board, is an integral part of a personal computer. In its appearance, it resembles an ordinary textolite plate, where copper conductors, connectors, interfaces and other parts are located in large quantities. To put it in dry, official language, the motherboard is the main assembly unit.

All components of a personal computer are installed in its connectors and interfaces: main processor, expansion cards, video card or cards, RAM, as well as a hard drive and other storage devices/readers of information.

In addition, the motherboard is a kind of conductor for external manipulators and service peripherals. Various connectors on the back of the motherboard connect to a mouse, keyboard, printers, monitor, scanners, communications equipment, and other devices.

In order for all this variety to work as it should, a secondary power source is required, that is, the system unit board must be connected to this source via the original connector. Such interfaces are mostly equipped with a special “foolproof” system, where the receiver has plastic keys and can only be inserted in one correct way. Other connectors have similar connection principles, that is, the manufacturer prudently made sure that expensive components did not fail due to incorrect connection. Many famous motherboards have these features: Asrock, MSI, Gigabyte, Asus and others.

Motherboard form factors

The form factor of the motherboard determines the mounting points to the system unit. Besides, different types boards have a distinctive arrangement of power connectors, the number of interfaces for connecting peripherals and internal components, as well as their location. In total there are three main types of motherboards. Almost all brands that are, as they say, well-known, fully support these standards, that is, system MSI boards, “Asus”, “Samsung”, “Gigabyte” Asrock, etc.

Form factors:

1. Mini-ITX. Smallest size boards with a minimum number of interfaces and most often with an already integrated processor (budget option).
2. Micro-ATX. The characteristics of the motherboard are defined as average in terms of functionality. It has acceptable dimensions and is considered the best option for a home personal computer, albeit with a small set of interfaces for connecting third-party peripherals. Most often, a chipset with some restrictions is installed on board such a motherboard, but they are not critical for full-fledged work specifically a home PC.
3. Standart-ATX. The largest size of the group with a full-featured set of chipsets. It has a sufficient number of interfaces for full work with all kinds of peripherals. It features convenient and trouble-free installation along with wide possibilities connections.

It is imperative to take into account the form factor of the motherboard, as well as its size, if you are assembling the system unit yourself. A mini-ITX motherboard can be installed in any case, but other types must correspond to the dimensions of the system unit.

Connectors for processors (“Socket”/Socket)

Let's look at some features of processor sockets. By by and large, the motherboard is an individual thing for each processor and vice versa. Therefore, you should definitely take into account the characteristics of this connector when choosing components, namely the processor, for your computer.

The standard range of “Socket” interfaces is quite large and only a different type is suitable for each set of chipsets. For example, the Gigabyte GA motherboard with an AMD set is marked FX2, AM3 and AM3+. That is, if you buy any processor with one of these “Socket” marks, you can easily connect it to this motherboard. The same is with competitors from Intel: the LGA 1150 and 1155 markings will allow you to choose the desired set of chipsets, for example, for Samsung or Asus motherboards.

BIOS

Next, we will look at the distinctive features of each motherboard. It doesn’t matter what set you have - the first or second motherboard, old or new, etc. In any case, it will contain a BIOS chip for basic systematization of input and output (BIOS - Basic Input-Output System).

Any motherboard (Gigabyte, Asus, Samsung, MSI and others) contains several critical subsystems that must be configured correctly. Some functionality can be disabled if, for example, you do not need the built-in graphics accelerator because an external video card is installed on board.

All BIOS settings are saved in a special CMOS chip (more on that below). This is a kind of memory device “for centuries”, powered by a lithium cell. Even if you turn off your computer for a very long time, the data in CMOS will be retained. If necessary, you can “roughly” reset all settings by removing the battery from under the chip. This point cannot be called critical, because all the necessary components to boot a computer, such as a hard drive or RAM, are detected automatically, at least in modern systems (after 2006). The previously configured date and time will naturally be reset.

CMOS chip

Almost any motherboard (ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI and others) contains CMOS chip, which remembers all changes made to the BIOS. The chip itself consumes extremely low current - slightly less than a microampere, so the battery charge is more than enough for a year, or even several years.

Sometimes, if the element is completely dead, the computer may refuse to boot. Many novice craftsmen in this case immediately blame the system board. In order to immediately exclude this possible reason(after a long period of inactivity of the computer), you need to remove battery cell from under the CMOS chip and restart the system. If the computer started up or began to show any signs of life, then the problem was precisely the dead CMOS battery.

It would also be worth noting that you can see markings on the element, where the first two digits indicate the diameter of the battery, and the next two indicate the capacity. Any self-respecting motherboard (Gigabyte, MSI, Asus, Samsung, etc.) should be equipped with a CMOS battery marking. If you haven’t met her, this is a reason to be wary and doubt the originality and virginity of the purchased product. The larger the battery capacity, the longer the element will work and the thicker it is. The standard package of motherboards most often includes a 2032 battery, that is, a battery with a diameter of 20 mm and a capacity of 32 mAh. More modest elements like 2025 are somewhat less common.

IDE interface

The next equally important part that every motherboard (ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, Asrock and others) is equipped with is interfaces for working with hard drives and data readers, that is, in most cases with hard drives, DVD drives and other media information.

Home and office personal computers use two main interfaces for these cases - IDE and SATA. The IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) connector is a 40-pin receiver and is capable of operating a hard drive or DVD drive via a flexible ribbon cable. Today's realities force us to slowly abandon this type of interface, but nevertheless it can still be found on some motherboards (most often MSI and Asus) to connect older hard drives and drives.

Just as in the case of the connector for the power supply, the IDE interface is “foolproof”, that is, it cannot be connected incorrectly. Old motherboards were equipped with a pair of such receivers, that is, primary and secondary (primary and secondary, respectively). More often hard drive connected to the primary contact, and the reading drives to the secondary.

Each IDE interface (channel) can connect two external device- main (master) and slave (slave). Select the appropriate media option using special jumpers(jumpers) on the devices themselves. Moreover, if you mistakenly place two “masters” or slaves on one channel, then neither of them will work, so there must always be a main device and a secondary one.

SATA interface

The “SATA” channel is a sequential set of interfaces, and unlike the IDE, it allows you to work on much higher speeds with connected devices. IN present moment it has almost completely eliminated the presence of IDE devices and continues to develop further (SATA2, SATA3, etc.).

Depending on the selected form factor and motherboard manufacturer, the motherboard may have a different number of SATA connectors. Today's standard equipment includes at least four interfaces of this type, while older models were equipped with only two.

PS/2 interface

As mentioned above, the motherboard contains interfaces for working with external peripherals. To connect a keyboard and mouse-type manipulators, six-pin PS/2 receivers with corresponding keys and painted in different colors. This point can also be called “foolproof”, because each color corresponds to the type of equipment being connected (mouse - green, keyboard - lilac), and this works in both directions, that is, for example, the contact on your mouse should be green.

It’s worth immediately warning users that under no circumstances should they connect or disconnect peripherals from the PS/2 connector while the computer is running, because this can lead to failure of not only the keyboard or mouse, but also the motherboard itself. It’s good if the motherboard is equipped with a group of fuses for this case, otherwise the entire system may fail.

Such fuse chips have a very small rating and easily burn during the “switching” actions described above. In order to check the functionality of the fuse, you can ring it with a conventional tester. If it fails, then it is relatively easy (and cheap) to replace it, and in the future do not take risks by turning on or off external peripherals while the computer is running from the PS/2 port. It is also worth noting that not all motherboards are equipped with such protection chips, so paying attention to this point when purchasing is clearly not an unnecessary step.

USB interface

Among others external connectors A special place is given to the USB interface (universal serial bus). It consists of four lines: two are allocated for power, and the others for data transmission. Unlike the finicky PS/2 port, peripherals connected via a USB connector can be changed, as they say, on the fly. The interface itself appeared quite a long time ago and managed to acquire some modifications and improvements.

The ability to connect and disconnect devices with a USB connector while the computer is running is achieved due to the specific design of the interface. The main power contacts are located noticeably closer to the edge of the connector, in contrast to the data transmission unit. That is, at the moment of switching, power begins to flow first and is turned off last.

Using the USB interface, you can connect a lot of peripheral devices: printers, smartphones, tablets, scanners, cameras and much more, as well as the usual keyboard and mouse (keep this in mind if the fuse chips are burned out on the PS/2 ports).

A little earlier, serial COM interfaces were used to connect printers and scanners, and even less often. Today they are practically not used, and they can only be found on old mother maps. But this is for the better, because when connecting this kind of equipment while the computer was running, it was possible to burn both the printer and the port itself.

PCI and PCI Express interfaces

PCI and PCI Express slots are intended for expansion cards: network adapters, communicators, modems, video cards, etc. All video cards are usually installed in the interface PCI type Express because of its speed. Previously, to work with graphics accelerators an AGP type connector was used, but it is obsolete, and it is almost impossible to see it on modern motherboards.

It is also worth noting that they may weaken over time, interfering with the normal operation of the device. There is only one quick “treatment” here - remove the device from the slots, wipe the contacts with an alcohol-containing solution and insert it back. A more drastic repair is to replace the system board, but this is necessary in exceptional and extremely rare cases.

You should also know that it has undergone several changes during improvement, and depending on the year of manufacture of the motherboard, the connectors may differ in appearance and capacity.

Random access memory modules (RAM)

Currently, you can find several types of operational DDR3 and DDR4. Morally outdated DDR1 strips are practically not used; they can only be seen on the oldest motherboards.

Memory differs from each other in operating frequency, size, contacts and supply voltage. Each individual type has a specific cutout (key) in the lower part, which determines the type of RAM. Some motherboards can support two types of brackets at once, which is very convenient for subsequent upgrades.

The connectors themselves are equipped with special latches for secure fixation on the board. The strips are installed with a certain force, where after successful installation a specific click will be heard, which means that the module is seated correctly (or you broke the latch by pressing too hard on it).

RAM modules, in addition to useful gigabytes, contain small SPD chips that are responsible for timing, that is, data delay for this type of RAM (random access memory). In the BIOS you can set your own timings or leave it to the discretion of the bar itself. When overclocking RAM or the entire system as a whole (overclocking), the maximum shortened delay is set.

Just as in the case of PCI slots, RAM modules may begin to work incorrectly, and for this you need to follow a similar procedure described in the section above and everything should work as it should.

Externally, the motherboard is a textolite plate with connectors onto which various parts are soldered.

The remaining components of the computer are inserted into the existing connectors, namely the processor, RAM, drives, expansion cards and peripheral devices such as a keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc.

A separate connector is provided for the power supply.

You don't need to be an avid techie to know: many devices are classified according to the "mother-father" principle, i.e. “mother” is the socket, and “father” is the plug. The board is called the motherboard precisely because the rest of the computer parts are inserted into it. To complete the picture, we can say that the role of “dad” in this case is assigned to the processor.

At school computer science lessons, teachers explain some of the strangeness of the name as follows. A parallel is drawn with a family in which the mother plays a very important role - economic, ensuring in this direction the necessary relationship between the rest of the family members.


In the very first personal computers, all components were attached to the motherboard, with the exception of the drive. In modern models computer equipment many of them are separated from the motherboard, but the name remains the same.

The role of the motherboard in a computer is equivalent to that of the heart in a living organism. Just as the “flame motor” makes all organs and systems work and interact with each other, the motherboard ensures the interaction of all PC components connected to its connectors and controls their joint work.

In fact, in order for the data we enter via the keyboard and mouse to be displayed on the monitor, it is necessary that it enters the RAM, and the processor processes it, converts it into an image and shows it to us on the computer screen. All these operations are managed by the motherboard.

The motherboard is the most important part of the computer, on which its power, performance and additional capabilities depend. Various types“motherboards” may differ from each other in chipset, built-in devices, type of supported processor, number of expansion slots and many other characteristics. In other words, you should select a specific motherboard for a specific computer.


The most popular types of motherboards at the moment are:

Mini-ITX - used since 2001;
Extended-ATX – introduced to the market in 2004;
Micro-ITX – developed back in 1996;
ATX is the simplest and available model“motherboard”, used since 1996;
SSi-CEB/EEB – used in large Internet servers.

The term “chipset” refers to a set of system logic chips. A PC consists of a number of components that are directly or indirectly connected to the motherboard and do their part in receiving, processing and transmitting information.

Chipset plays a role liaison, ensuring the joint functioning of all peripheral devices connected to the processor. The chipset (also called the “northbridge”) affects the speed of information processing, the video bus, processor memory and the interaction between them.

Each chipset is factory-applied with serial number development (the higher it is, the wider the possibilities for connecting peripherals) and a letter prefix indicating the sector target audience sales

This term is used to refer to the connector on the motherboard that is used to attach the processor. Externally, it is a rectangular platform with multiple contacts, a clamp for attaching the processor and holes into which the cooling system is attached.


Computer components are constantly being modernized, and sockets are no exception. Almost every year new socket standards appear, more productive and modern. Therefore, there are motherboards on the market with both new connectors and old ones.