1. Introduction to Computers
Motherboards and CPUs

2. Motherboard Components
The motherboard’s primary job is to facilitate communication through the components of the computer
Recognizing where the different components of the computer connect with the motherboard will help both in building computers and repairs

3. CPU Socket
Comes in a variety of types, each with a different shape, pin configuration or mounting configuration
It’s important to match your motherboard socket type with the processor’s socket type. Using an AMD socket with an Intel chip will not work

4. Memory slots
Designed to only work with specific types of memory modules
May be color coded to show where to install when using multiple modules

5. Expansion slots Numerous different slot styles
PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect)
PCI - X (Peripheral Component Interconnect Extended)
PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express)
AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port
Always check to see if your motherboard has the right ports for the expansion cards you want
AGP is an older standard and no longer used, but still may be found in computers from before 2010

6. CMOS Battery Keeps the computer’s time when the computer is not on
In older computers this was also responsible for keeping the BIOS information intact when the computer was off

7. Chipset
Older motherboards used two chipsets; northbridge and southbridge
Each was responsible for their own tasks; for example the South bridge kept the power management controls and real- time clock
Modern motherboards typically only have 1 chipset instead of 2 to make a more efficient design

8. Firmware Stored on integrated flash memory
There are two standard formats:BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) and UEFI (Unified Extendable Firmware Interface)
UEFI is the newer standard

9. Internal connections
All internal computer components must connect to the motherboard in some way to function
Components in drive bays will need to connect to the motherboard to transmit and receive data, and cases may have components to connect to the motherboard, such as usb ports, LEDs or fans
Underneath the motherboard is its traces. This is what lets communications pass through the computer

10. I/O Ports
Contains ports for any on-board components, such as networking and video display
The first thing to install for a motherboard is usually the I/O Shield, which can provide structure for the ports and disallows dust into the system

11. Installing a Motherboard
Be careful of EMD. Motherboards are very sensitive, and if the trace on the motherboard carries a short, it can severely degrade the motherboard, and sometimes even destroy it past usability
Make sure to use standoffs to prevent the case and motherboard from coming in contact
Do not turn power on until the CPU’s heatsink is installed. Running a computer without a heatsink installed for less than a minute could permanently damage your CPU
Make sure to include all applicable power and data cables

12. Troubleshooting Tools
If there is an error during POST (Power-On Self-Test) the computer will alert the user. Either as a beep code or an error message
The main way to diagnose a defective motherboard is process of elimination. If there is a potential problem with either a component or the port it is on, typically a computer technician will swap the part with a known good spare. If the good spare still fails it is a good example it is a motherboard issue
If the system clock resets or BIOS/UEFI configurations are lost then the CMOS battery most likely needs to be replaced
Heat can quickly damage a motherboard. Make sure you computer has the right amount of fans in the right configuration in order to maximize air flow
If a burning smell is discovered, and there is smoke emanating from the computer, that is a good sign of a short circuit. Once this happens the component is usually unrecoverable

13. Processors AMD and Intel are the two biggest producers
Processor performance and speed is usually incomparable between chips from the opposite manufacturer, due to how efficient its instruction set is, what architecture it is, and other considerations

14. 32 bit and 64 bit
32 bit processors can process 32 bits of information at a time, whereas 64 bit processors can process double that amount
Make sure to match your applications and operating system to the processor architecture
X86 is an example of an early 32 bit architecture. It was replaced by X86 (64) which is a 64 bit architecture. ARM CPUs are either architecture depending on when it was made. ARM chips are designed to be cheap and consume little power. These are mostly used in mobile devices

15. Clock Speed
The CPU is able to execute a certain amount of instructions once per each clock tick. As such a higher clock speed will result in a faster computer, but it is usually only accurate when comparing within the same manufacturer
Needs to synch up to the motherboard and the rest of the components so it can communicate with them

16. What is a CPU Core?
In a multi-Core CPU, each core is a separate processor able to handle instructions
Through this way the computer can handle multitasking by using different cores for different processes.
While applications need to be able to support multiple cores to benefit from this, along with more RAM it allows for more apps to be open at once
Multi-threading is a technology that allows some cores to execute 2 instructions at once, basically doubling its clock speed

17. Cache Memory
Super fast SRAM (static random access memory) chips store a copy of frequently accessed information taken from the DRAM chips on the motherboard
Modern CPUs may have as many as 4 different levels of cache
Level 1: Fastest but smallest. Usually found in the CPU itself
Level 2: Much larger and slower than Level 1, can be situated inside the CPU as well
Level 3: Slower and larger again. Used to hold onto information for level 1 and level 2
Level 4: Used as spill over from the first three

18. When Installing a CPU Make sure to use anti-static protection
Make sure that your CPU, Motherboard and RAM are all compatible
Line up Pin1 on the CPU with the indicator on the motherboard, otherwise it will not go in.
Use the lever to lock the processor into space and apply thermal paste. Then attach the heatsink and CPU Fan, or other cooling solution