Assemble Computer Hardware – Motherboard

Module Context, Purpose & Learning Targets

  • Prepared for Grade 10 TLE–ICT–CSS course, Quarter 1, Module 3 (Alternative Delivery Mode).
  • Focus: Installing and Configuring Computer System – MOTHERBOARD (assembling side, but aware of disassembly for diagnostics).
  • After finishing the module, learner should be able to:
    • Identify all materials needed for motherboard work and cross-check with system requirements.
    • Obtain said materials following standard operating procedures (SOPs).
    • Assemble computer hardware strictly by established procedures & requirements.

Quick Recap of Previous Skill (Disassembly)

  • Disassembly = taking a device apart:
    • Locate / isolate faults.
    • Replace defective parts.
    • Re-use or resell salvageable components.
  • Connection: Understanding each part is mandatory before tearing down or re-assembling.

Motherboard – Definition & Core Idea

  • Main / primary printed-circuit board (PCB) of a computer; a.k.a. mainboard, logic board.
  • Hosts & interconnects: CPU, ROM, RAM slots, expansion slots, chipset, storage & front-panel connectors, I/O ports, power delivery, etc.
  • Acts as the backbone / traffic controller—makes every other component work together.

Common “2 Pics 1 Word” ice-breaker

  • Eleven-letter answer: MOTHERBOARD.

Physical Form Factors (Sizes & Mount Pattern)

All dimensions shown as Width×Depth\text{Width} \times \text{Depth}

1. ATX Family
  • Full ATX: 12′′×9.6′′ (30 cm×24 cm)12'' \times 9.6''\,(30\,\text{cm} \times 24\,\text{cm}) — default standard in desktops.
  • Mini-ATX: 11.2′′×8.2′′ (28×21 cm)11.2'' \times 8.2''\,(28 \times 21\,\text{cm}).
    • Slightly fewer buses / RAM slots; mounting holes identical to ATX (interchangeable cases).
  • Micro-ATX: max 9.6′′×9.6′′ (24×24 cm)9.6'' \times 9.6''\,(24 \times 24\,\text{cm}).
    • Fits ATX cases; frequently used in mid-tower builds.
  • Flex-ATX: 9′′×7.5′′ (22.9×19.1 cm)9'' \times 7.5''\,(22.9 \times 19.1\,\text{cm}).
    • Derived from Micro-ATX; targets very small desktops.
2. ITX Family (VIA-inspired small form factor)
  • Mini-ITX: 6.7′′×6.7′′ (17×17 cm)6.7'' \times 6.7''\,(17 \times 17\,\text{cm}); single expansion slot.
  • Em-ITX: 17×12 cm17 \times 12\,\text{cm} (embedded market).
  • Nano-ITX: 4.7′′×4.7′′ (12×12 cm)4.7'' \times 4.7''\,(12 \times 12\,\text{cm}); set-top boxes, car PCs, media centres.
  • Pico-ITX: 3.9′′×2.8′′ (10×7.2 cm)3.9'' \times 2.8''\,(10 \times 7.2\,\text{cm}).
  • Mobile-ITX: 2.4′′×2.4′′ (6×6 cm)2.4'' \times 2.4''\,(6 \times 6\,\text{cm}) — currently the smallest.
3. DTX Variants (AMD proposal for SFF)
  • DTX: 8′′×9.6′′ (20.3×24.4 cm)8'' \times 9.6''\,(20.3 \times 24.4\,\text{cm}); backward-compatible with ATX cases.
  • Mini-DTX: 8′′×6.7′′ (20.3×17 cm)8'' \times 6.7''\,(20.3 \times 17\,\text{cm}).
4. Server-oriented SSI Family
  • Share ATX IO area but much larger.
    • SSI CEB (Compact Electronics Bay): 12′′×10.5′′12'' \times 10.5''.
    • SSI EEB (Enterprise EB) ≈ E-ATX: 12′′×13′′12'' \times 13''.
    • SSI MEB (Midrange EB): 16.2′′×13′′16.2'' \times 13'' with room for 2 extra CPU sockets.
5. Alternative / Legacy Styles
  • BTX: rearranged airflow, socket rotated; IO shield on opposite end; special BTX cases required; limited adoption.
  • NLX: slimline desktops; uses riser card for horizontal PCI / ISA cards; largely obsolete.

Detailed Anatomy & Function of Motherboard Parts

1. BIOS & CMOS
  • BIOS (Basic Input/Output System): firmware that stores low-level settings, POST routines.
  • CMOS battery keeps BIOS settings (time, boot order) when system is off.
    • Removing battery resets BIOS (helpful after failed overclock or firmware flash).
2. Input / Output Ports (Back-Panel or “Rear IO”)
  • Physical connectors between PC and peripherals: USB, PS/2, audio, network, video, etc.
  • In assessment cross-word clue: “also commonly referred to as I/O ports”.
3. Storage Device Connectors
  • IDE / PATA: 40-pin, parallel ribbon; legacy for HDD, ODD, FDD.
  • SATA: 7-pin serial; faster, thinner cable, hot-swappable.
4. ATX Power Connector
  • 20-pin (legacy) or 24-pin female header — largest on the board.
  • Linked to PSU / SMPS which converts AC ➜ regulated DC.
5. Front-Panel Header (Front I/O)
  • Tiny pin block for: Power-SW, Reset-SW, Power-LED, HDD-LED, chassis speaker/buzzer, front-USB, front-audio.
6. CPU Socket
  • Zero-Insertion-Force (ZIF) LGA or PGA receptacle for processor.
  • MUST match CPU family (e.g., LGA1151\text{LGA1151}, AM4\text{AM4}, etc.).
7. Expansion Slots
  • PCI Express (PCIe) main high-speed interface; lanes ×1,×4,×8,×16\times1, \times4, \times8, \times16.
  • Older: AGP, PCI, ISA.
  • Host add-in cards:
    • Dedicated Video/GPU card (HDMI, DP, DVI, USB-C alt-mode).
    • NIC / Network card (RJ-45 for LAN).
    • Modem card (RJ-11 for dial-up; legacy).
    • Audio card (3.5 mm TRS for mic/speaker/line-in, sometimes optical S/PDIF, MIDI, etc.).
8. RAM Slots
  • SIMM (32-bit) — obsolete.
  • DIMM (64-bit): DDR, DDR2, DDR3, DDR4, latest DDR5.
  • Typical gaming PC debate: 8 GB8\,\text{GB} vs 16 GB16\,\text{GB} DDR4.
9. M.2 Slot (a.k.a. NGFF)
  • Accepts M.2 SSDs using PCIe x4 NVMe or SATA signalling.
  • Up to 6× faster than 2.5-inch SATA SSD when using NVMe PCIe Gen3 ×4\times4 (~3500 MB/s).
10. Chipsets – Northbridge/Southbridge (or PCH)
  • Northbridge (historical): high-speed link to CPU, RAM, GPU.
  • Southbridge: slower IO – USB, SATA, audio, LAN.
  • Modern CPUs integrate northbridge; Intel calls remaining hub PCH since 5-series chipsets; AMD keeps “southbridge” naming.
11. ROM Chip
  • Non-volatile storage for firmware bootstrap code; contents survive power-off.
12. VRM (Voltage Regulator Module)
  • On-board DC-DC converters delivering precise, low-voltage, high-current power to CPU/GPU/RAM.
  • Acts like a “mini-PSU” on the board itself; quality VRM crucial for overclocking stability.

Illustrated Identification Activity (per answer key)

1 Southbridge • 2 Northbridge • 3 RAM slots • 4 I/O Ports • 5 Power Connector • 6 CPU Socket
Learner must practise drawing and labelling these.

Manufacturers & Real-World Market

  • Major consumer-grade motherboard brands:
    • ASRock
    • ASUS
    • Biostar
    • EVGA
    • Gigabyte
    • MSI (Micro-Star International)
  • Server / industrial: Supermicro, Tyan, Intel, Advantech, etc.
  • Awareness of product pages & spec sheets necessary for sourcing replacements.

Practical / Ethical / Legal Notes

  • Republic Act 8293 §176: Philippine government works are not covered by standard copyright; but prior approval required for profit-oriented exploitation; royalties possible.
  • Respect 3rd-party trademarks (Intel, AMD, PCI-SIG, etc.) & observe ESD safety while handling boards.
  • Sustainable practice: disassemble only when repair outweighs e-waste impact.

Study Reminders & Upcoming Lesson

  • Next topic preview: POST (Power-On Self-Test) and Beep Codes — diagnostic beeps emitted by BIOS to signal hardware status.
  • Suggested self-check: Complete crossword (BIOS, I/O Ports, Network Card Slot, Power Connector).

Self-Reflection Prompts (sample answers)

  • “I have learned that the motherboard determines component compatibility, size of the case, and overall upgrade path.”
  • “I have realized that tiniest aspects, e.g., VRM quality or a missing standoff, can cause system instability.”
  • “I will apply ESD precautions and cross-reference socket + form-factor charts before purchasing parts.”

Key Numerical / Statistical Facts (quick reference)

  • Full ATX Area=12′′×9.6′′=115.2 in2\text{Full ATX Area}=12''\times9.6''=115.2\,\text{in}^2.
  • VRM phases on gaming boards: typically 66–1616.
  • SATA III bandwidth: 6 Gb/s6\,\text{Gb/s}; PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe ≈ 32 Gb/s32\,\text{Gb/s}.
    (Illustrates performance gap.)