CompTIA A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC By: JEAN ANDREW Computer Maintenance Chapter 4: Component…

CompTIA A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC By: JEAN ANDREW

Computer Maintenance

Chapter 4:Component – Part 1: The Motherboard

Copyright © 2007 - CIST 2

Objectives

After you have completed this lesson, you will be able to:

• Identify different types of motherboards and how to select one

• Support and configure a motherboard• Install or replace a motherboard• Troubleshoot a motherboard and processor


Scenario

In this chapter, you will learn:– Selecting a motherboard

– Configuring and supporting a motherboard

– Replacing a motherboard

– Troubleshooting the motherboard and processor

Selecting a motherboard








Socket 775






• When selecting motherboard, consider:– Form Factor, Manufacturer– Number, types and speed of processor you can use– What are the supported frequencies of the system bus– What chip set and BIOS does the board use?– Memory cache type and size– Types and number of expansion slots– Types and number of memory does the board support– What hard drive controller and connector are on the board– Type of case, Warranty, Port and connector– Embedded sound, video, and LAN, USB, FireWire





Scenario





Configuring and Supporting a mother board

• Buses and expansion slots– What a buses does

carry four kinds of cargo: Electrical power Control Signal Memory addresses Data

– Bus Evolution The system clock keep the beat for component Expansion bus: doe not run in sync with the system clock Local bus: bus that run in sync with the system clock Local I/O bus: local bus connect to slower I/O controller hub Local video bus: bus connect to the north chipset





• The PCI BusesIntroduced by Intel in 1991 to replace ISA– Conventional PCI

32-bit data path Supplied 5 V of power to an expansion card 33 MHz, first bus that allowed expansion cards to run in sync PCI Version 2.x introduced the 64-bit, 3.3 v PCI slot

– PCI-X Backward compatible with conventional PCI Target to server market, increase bandwidth, data integrity 32-bit or 64-bits

– PCI Express (PCIe) Doe s not backward compatible with PCI and PCI-x Intended to replace PCI, PCI-x, and AGP User serial bus









• On-board ports, connectors, and riser slots





• Hardware Configuration

– Setup data stored by DIP switches Dual Inline package (DIP) switch used to store setup data A DIP switch has an ON position and an OFF position ON represent binary 1, OFF represent binary 0

– Setup data stored by Jumpers A motherboard can also retain setup or information in

different settings of jumpers on the board. Motherboard can also retain setup or installation information

in different settings of jumpers on the board.





• Hardware Configuration– Setup data stored in CMOS RAM





• Protecting document and configurations settings use shareware utility to record CMOS setting1. Access Internet use search engine to fine cmos.zip (

www.proprammersheaven.com/zone24/cat31/41474.htm and www.computerhop.com/download.htm

2. Download cmos.zip and unzip the compress file3. Double-click the Cmos.exe it will show current content of

CMOS memory in a DOS box4. Enter S (for save) at the command line. Enter the drive

letter of your floppy drive and a filename to save the current CMOS settings to floppy disk. (A:MYCMOS

5. Enter Q to quit the program


http://www.proprammersheaven.com/zone24/cat31/41474.htm

http://www.computerhop.com/download.htm


• Flashing ROM BIOS– Look on the CMO setup main screen for the BIOS

manufacturer and version number– Look on the motherboard for the brand and model– Use third-party software(such as BIOS Agent at

www.unicore.com) or OS utility (System Infor.) to find– Stop the boot process and look for the BIOS information– Carefully read the motherboard documentation– Generally you perform these tasks to upgrade BIOS:

Download the BIOS upgrade Set jumper on the motherboard, or change a setting in CMOS Boot from floppy disk and follow the options to upgrade BIOS Set the jumper back to its original setting, reboot and verify

that all is working


http://www.unicore.com/




Scenario





Replacing a Motherboard

1. Verify that you have selected the right mother board to install in the system

2. Determine proper configuration setting for the motherboard

3. Remove components so you can reach the old motherboard

4. Set any jumpers or switches on the new motherboard

5. Install the processor and processor cooler6. Install RAM into the appropriate slots 7. Install the motherboard


Replacing a Motherboard

8. Attach cabling that goes from the case switches to the motherboard, and from the power supply and drives to the motherboard

9. Install the video card on the motherboard10.Plug the computer into a power source, and attach

the monitor and keyboard11.Boot the system and enter CMOS setup12.Make sure setting are set to the default13.Observe POST and verify that no errors occur14.Check for conflicts with system resources15.Install the motherboard drivers16.Install any other expansion card and drivers



Scenario





Troubleshooting the Motherboard

• Items that can be changed without returning the motherboard to the factory are call FRUs

• On older AT motherboards, these FRU components were CPU, RAM, RAM cache, ROM BIOS chip, and CMOS battery

• On newer motherboard, these FRU components are the processor, RAM, and CMOS battery

• If some component is not working, such as network port, you might disable it in CMOS setup

• When troubleshooting the motherboard, use whatever clue POST can give you.



• Problem with installationsIf you have just installed a new processor on a working

motherboard and the system does not boot, do following:1. Opens the case and check these things:

Did you install thermal paste between CPU and heat sink? Is the cooler securely fastened to the frame on the

motherboard? Remove the processor from its socket and look for bent pins

2. Reinstall the processor and try the boot again3. Reinstall the old processor, flashing BIOS, and then try

the new processor again



• Problem with installationsIf you have just installed a new motherboard that is not

working, check the following:– Have you installed the front cover on the case?– Is there a power switch on the back of case not turn on?– Check documentation and verify all connections are

correct– Verify the processor, thermal compound, and cooler– Remove RAM and reinstall the modules– Verify a standoff that is not being used by the

motherboard is not under the motherboard – Is the system can boot into Windows, install all drivers– Check the motherboard Web site for other things you can

check or tryCopyright © 2007 - CIST 34


• Problem with the motherboard and processorSymptoms that a motherboard or processor is failing :– The system begins to boot but then power down– An error message displays during the boot. Investigating

this message– The system becomes unstable, hangs, or freezes at odd

times– Intermittent Windows or hard drive error occur– Components on the motherboard or devices connected to

it don’t workIf some components are not working, try updating its drivers.

If this doesn’t solve the problem, try the following: A power-saving feature might be the source of the

problem



If the fan is running, reseat or replace the processor, BIOS, or RAM. Try to install DIMM in different slots

Sometimes a dead computer can be fixed by simply disassembling it and assembling it back

Check jumpers, DIP switches, and CMOS settings Look for physical damage on the motherboard Check CMOS for a temperature Flash BIOS A dead or dying battery may cause problems Remove any unnecessary Exchange the processor If an onboard component isn’t work but the motherboard

is stable, go into CMOS setup and disable the component Exchange the motherboard





Summary

• Motherboard is the main board in the computer, also called the system board. The CPU, ROM chips, SIMMs, DIMMs, RIMMs, and interface cards are plugged into the motherboard.

• A bus is a path on the motherboard that carries electrical power, control signals, memory addresses, and data to different components.

• Some outdated buses are the 16-bit ISA, 32-bit MCA and EISA buses, and VESA bus. Current buses are PCI bus, AGP bus, and PCI Express. A local bus runs in sync with the system clock and designed to allow fast devices connect to CPU


Summary

• The most common method of configuring components on a motherboard is CMOS setup.

• ROM chips contain the programming code to manage POST and the system BIOS and change CMOS settings.

• Sometimes ROM BIOS programming stored on the firmware chip needs updating or refreshing. This process is call flashing BIOS.

• When installing a motherboard, first study the motherboard and set jumpers and DIP switches on the board.


QUIZ – choose the correct answer

• How many power cords connect to a Baby AT motherboard?

- 1 - 2- 3 - 4

• What is the name of the one power connector on the ATX motherboard form factors?

- P1 - P8- P9 - P2

• What is the lasted motherboard form factor?- ATX - NLX- BTX - Enhanced ATX


Question

Questions?

Video of chapter 6/20 (reference on the guide ‘Managing & maintaining your PC’)

1. Motherboard installation2. Installing a motherboard3. Configuring a Motherboard

and now it’s time to practice

CompTIA A+ Guide to Managing & Maintaining Your PC By: JEAN ANDREW Computer Maintenance Chapter 4: Component…

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