Computer Motherboard
What Is a Motherboard
A computer’s motherboard is typically the largest printed circuit board in a machine’s chassis. It
distributes electricity and facilitates communication between and to the central processing unit
(CPU), random access memory (RAM), and any other component of the computer’s hardware.
There is a broad range of motherboards, each of which is intended to be compatible with a
specific model and size of the computer.
motherboard is the logic board, baseboard, system board, mainboard, main circuit board,
planar board, and mobo in a short way. It is a non-conductive plastic sheet with the necessary
circuit and placeholders like sockets/slots to connect components and provide logistics for all
the components to work in a coordinated manner. Thin narrow layers of Aluminum or Copper
printed on the plastic sheet of the board act like a circuit that connects various components. It
fits all the components in their designated places, making it a chassis.
Motherboard form factors and types
1. AT Motherboard
AT motherboards have larger physical dimensions, measuring in the hundreds of millimeters,
which makes them incompatible with the mini desktop category of computers. Furthermore,
the increased size hinders the installation of new drivers. Power connectors in these
motherboards utilize sockets and six-pin plugs. Unfortunately, these power connectors are not
easily recognizable, leading to difficulties for users when connecting and using them.This type
of motherboard was in vogue in the 1980s, and it enjoyed a substantial self-life.
2. ATX Motherboard
Intel developed Advanced Technology Extended (ATX) during the 1990s, an improvement over
an earlier version of the AT motherboard. It is smaller than the AT motherboard and offers the
interchangeability of connected components. The connector aspects have been significantly
improved in ATX.
3. LPX Motherboard
These types of motherboards have made two improvements over the earlier versions. Firstly, it
relocated Input and Output ports to the back side, providing a more convenient arrangement.
Secondly, it introduced a Riser Card to enable more slots and facilitate easier connections. Some
of these features were implemented in the AT motherboard. However, a major disadvantage of
this board was the lack of Accelerated Graphic Port (AGP) slots, resulting in a direct connection
to PCI. The issues associated with these motherboards were addressed in the NLX boards.
4. BTX Motherboard
BTX denotes Balanced Technology Extended, intended to manage the demands of new
technologies in terms of more power requirements, hence generating more heat. Intel stopped the
further development of BTX boards during the mid-2000s to concentrate on low-power CPUs.
5. Pico BTX Motherboard
These boards, aptly named “Pico” due to their compact size, offer a smaller form factor. Despite
sharing the top half of BTX, they support two expansion slots. A unique feature of these boards
is their compatibility with half-height or riser cards, which effectively meet the demands of
digital applications.
6. Mini ITX Motherboard
It’s a miniature version of the motherboard over its earlier versions. It was 17 x 17 cm in the
early 2000s. Mainly used in small form factor (SFF) computers due to its lower power
consumption and faster cooling ability. This motherboard is the most preferred in the home
theater domain due to its lower fan noise level, which will improve the quality of the theatre
system.
Components of a Motherboard
1. Mouse and keyboard connectors
Computer motherboards must have two separate connectors that allow users to connect their
external mouse and keyboard. These connectors are responsible for sending instructions and
receiving responses from the computer.
2. Universal serial bus (USB)
The USB is a computer interface that connects computers to other devices, such as phones. The
USB port is a significant part of a motherboard that allows users to connect external peripheral
devices such as printers, scanners, and pen drives to the computer
3. CPU
The central processing unit (CPU) is commonly referred to as the computer’s brain. The CPU
controls all the functions of a computer. CPUs are available in different form factors, each
requiring a particular slot on the motherboard. A CPU can contain one or multiple cores.
4. RAM memory
RAM slots connect the random access memory (RAM) to the motherboard. RAM allows the
computer to temporarily store files and programs that are being accessed by the CPU.
5. Basic input/output (BIOS) system
The BIOS contains the firmware of the motherboard. It consists of instructions about what to do
when the computer is turned on. It is responsible for initializing the hardware components and
loading the computer’s operating system.
6. Chipsets
The chipsets of a computer control how the computer hardware and buses interact with the
CPU and other components. Chipsets also determine the amount of memory users can add to a
motherboard and the type of connectors that the motherboard can have.
The first type of chipset is the northbridge chipset. The northbridge manages the speed at
which the CPU communicates with the components. It also controls the processor, the AGP
video slot, and the RAM.
The second type of chipset is the southbridge chipset. The southbridge chipset controls the rest
of the components connected to the computer, including communication between the
processor and expansion ports such as USB ports and sound cards.
7. Cooling fans
The heat generated when electric current flows between components can make a computer
run slowly. If too much heat is left to build up unchecked, it could damage computer
components.
8. Adapter cards and expansion slots
Adapter cards are integrated into the motherboard to enhance a computer’s functionality.
Examples include sound and video adapters. The expansion slots allow users to install
compatible adapter cards.
9. CMOS battery
The CMOS battery is a small round battery found on the motherboard of every computer. It
provides power to the complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) chip. The CMOS chip
stores BIOS information and computer settings, even when powered down. The CMOS battery
allows users to skip resetting BIOS configurations, such as boot order, date, and time settings,
each time they power on their computer.
10. Storage devices
Storage drives store data permanently or retrieve data from a media disk. The storage devices
can either be installed in the computer as hard drives or in removable drives that can connect
to the computer through the USB ports.
11. Front panel connectors
Front panel connectors connect the light-emitting diode (LED) lights on the front of the case to
the hard drive, the power button, the reset button, and the internal speaker for testing. Some
USB and audio devices also have LED lights.
12. Power connector
The power connector provides an electric supply to the computer to function as intended. The
power supply connector has 20 pins and converts 110-V AC power into +/-12-Volt, +/-5-Volt,
and 3.3-Volt direct current (DC) power
Connectors of the motherboard
Internal Motherboard Ports
1. CPU socket - Where the CPU or processor plugs in.
2. CPU power connector - Power cable connection for the CPU.
3. ATX power connector - Power cable connection for the system.
4. DIMM/RAM Memory slots - Connectors for system memory or RAM.
5. PCIe slots (x16, x2, x1) - Expansion card slots, including the graphics card.
6. M.2 connection - Solid-state drive connection.
7. SATA ports - Modern internal hard drive ports.
8. Front panel connector - Connection for USB, and audio ports on the front or top of the
case.
9. Front panel header - Connection for LED/RGB lighting, power switch, and reset switch.
10. USB headers (3.1, 2. etc.) - Connection for rear USB ports on the motherboard.
11. CMOS battery - Bios battery for when there’s no system power.
12. Fan headers - Connection for the case and system fans.
There may be additional ports such as a COM/Serial header, TPM header, or RGB headers.
External Motherboard Ports
Here are some of the most common external ports on a modern motherboard:
1. PS/2 - Used for older PS/2 interface keyboards.
2. USB - Connection for USB peripherals including keyboards, mice, hard drives, audio
equipment, and more.
3. HDMI/DisplayPort/VGA - They’re all video or display connectors to output video or
audio to a monitor.
4. Ethernet /RJ-45 - Connection for wired internet.
5. Analog/Digital Audio - Connections for speakers and digital audio equipment, including
home theater systems.
Functions of a Motherboard
1. Manages data flow
The BIOS component of the motherboard ensures that the operating system interacts well with
input and output devices, such as the keyboard and mouse, to process instructions. This
ensures that the data sent to the computer moves as expected to perform the intended
purpose. It also manages data flow through its USB ports, allowing for data transfer between
devices. Additionally, it ensures the processor can access information from the RAM to boost
efficiency.
2. Conserves resources
The motherboard saves consumers time, energy, and money by connecting all the computer
connects. The motherboard provides a platform on which manufacturers can connect all the
necessary components to ensure that the computer functions
3. Optimizes power distribution
The motherboard provides and distributes power optimally. Computers require electricity to
function. The motherboard has a power connector plug that connects the computer to a power
source and converts it into a form of electrical power that the computer can use. After that, the
motherboard ensures that the electric current is distributed optimally to different system
components.
4. Drives communication
The motherboard makes communication between different components easier. For a computer
to process a particular set of instructions, sometimes it may require several components to
communicate and work together to complete the task. In such scenarios, the motherboard
relies on its circuit technology to enable communication between these components. The
motherboard may also depend on some of its components, such as the CPU, BIOS, expansion
ports, and USB ports, to interact with the computer’s operating system.
5. Enhances performance
The motherboard boosts the capabilities of a computer. Motherboards often transform the
capabilities of a computer. For instance, they have additional features and functionalities, such
as built-in sound and video capabilities that can enhance the computer’s output. Motherboards
also allow users to connect peripheral devices such as printers, enabling computers to perform
additional tasks such as printing documents.
6. Improves reliability
A good motherboard boosts the overall reliability of the computer. A high-quality motherboard
provides a stable foundation for its components to operate on. A good motherboard has proper
cooling, and its integrated circuit technology is set in place. These factors enable it to control
the computer’s hardware efficiently by ensuring that each element functions as expected and
communicates with the other components. A reliable computer performs tasks efficiently and
thus enhances the user experience.
7. Enables productivity
The motherboard reduces effort duplication and simplifies work for computer users. While
traditional computers came pre-installed with BIOS, modern ones are pre-installed with EFI and
UEFI. BIOS, EFI, and UEFI enable computers to boot without requiring users to reconfigure basic
settings, time, and date. They also load the operating system into the memory. Therefore, these
motherboard components allow users to focus on other productive tasks.
How does a motherboard work?
When you turn your computer on, the power supply transfers electricity to the motherboard to
be used by the computer. Data is transported between the chipset components via data buses
and travels between the southbridge and northbridge sections.
The data connections to the CPU, RAM, or PCIe are made through the northbridge component.
The operations performed by the RAM are first “interpreted” by the CPU as being output after
the RAM begins to deliver inputs to the CPU. After being written to the PCIe, the data is either
copied or moved to the expansion card, based on the kind of card you have.
The data connection to the basic input/output system (BIOS), the universal serial bus (USB), the
serial advanced technology attachment (SATA), and the PCI bus are managed by the
southbridge component. Your computer can start up because of signals sent to the BIOS, and
the data sent to the SATA “awakens” your optical, hard disc, and solid-state drives. The video
card, network card, and sound card receive power from the information stored on the SATA.
The remaining components interact via an electrical signal, which serves as a hub for them.
These data buses pass via a microchip’s northbridge or southbridge elements, which then
branch off to other components like the CPU, RAM, PCI, and PCIe, amongst other elements.
The information sent over buses will be encoded using a programming language (1 and 0).
When a signal is sent to a motherboard from one of its components, the motherboard will
process it and translate it into a language the other component can comprehend. On most of
today’s computing systems, all of this will occur in a split second, and there is almost no delay
between the input and the output.
Signs of Motherboard Reasons
Failure
Abnormal restarts Due to a bad motherboard, the PC restarts while
running.
Overheating Any overheated component leads to a motherboard
failure.
BIOS failure If a BIOS update is interrupted, it can brick the
motherboard.
Physical damages It causes damage to components connected with the
motherboard.
Blue screen of death It shows errors when the operating system is at risk of
potential damage.
Computer freezing Performs well at the start and freezes after some time.
Power fluctuations Unstable power causes motherboard failure.
Defects in manufacturing Subpar design of the motherboard causes its failure.
design
Failing to identify Connected devices are not recognized by the
hardware motherboard.
Abnormal beep noises Noises from PC indicate failure.
Dust particles Tiny particles enter the centre of circuits.
Ageing factor Use of a PC for a long time creates the need to update
its components.
1. Abnormal Restarts
In case your system automatically restarts while running, your motherboard might
be on the verge of failure. This happens usually due to improper power supplied by
the motherboard to components in connection with it. Bear in mind that this isn’t
always the result of a defective motherboard.
2. Overheating
The motherboard components need to be cooled while performing any task. The
common reason for overheating the motherboard is the simultaneous running of
many tasks like watching videos, uploading data, playing games, and downloading or
running multiple applications. Overheating, or a component that isn’t compatible,
can cause a burning odor.
3. BIOS Failure
A failed BIOS update bricks the motherboard. Some motherboards have two of these
identical BIOS RAM chips on board. If an update fails, the good copy from the other is
loaded, and everything continues as normal. However, if a BIOS update is aborted or
a bad flash attempt failed, the motherboard will no longer be able to function
properly.
4. Physical Damages
One of the most typical signs of motherboard failure is that the motherboard refuses
to work correctly after suffering physical harm. The motherboard is a complicated
circuit that depends on every part of it to work. So if your motherboard suffers any
kind of physical breakage, it might prove to be disastrous.
5. Blue Screen of Death
One of the signs of a failing motherboard is the Blue Screen of Death, which is often
caused by hardware issues. However, there may be several additional factors that
could be behind your motherboard giving up.
6. Computer Freezing
In this situation, your computer will function correctly when you first turn it ON, only
to freeze as soon as you start using it again. Such signs of motherboard failure could
appear out of nowhere while you’re using your computer. However, not all freezes
and glitches may be attributed to the motherboard, as software issues can also cause
these problems.
7. Power Fluctuations
Damage to the motherboard can often be directly related to power instability. If your
motherboard is unable to supply enough power and data flow to the various
components, your computer may occasionally stop working and the CPU and
graphics card, along with the speed of the fans attached to the motherboard, may
decrease.
8. Defects in Manufacturing Design
Since motherboards are manufactured in large quantities, manufacturing flaws are
possible. Inexpensive motherboards also frequently malfunction, mostly because the
installed capacitors might be flawed and lead to issues. It’s also possible that the
board’s bus design was wrongly developed, which would lead to you seeing one of
the signs of a shorted motherboard.
9. Unable To Identify Hardware
Hardware attached to the motherboard may not function properly if the
motherboard fails. The majority of the accessories you’ve connected to your
computers, like the mouse, keyboard, hard drives, and other internal components
will malfunction in this case.
10. Abnormal Beeping Noises
A motherboard will typically give a pattern of beep codes when it experiences failure.
You should listen to your computer when it starts up in case you’re facing any
trouble with the startup process. It’s quite likely that your issue can be diagnosed by
understanding the pattern of beeps.
11. Dust Particles
Another well-known adversary of electrical circuits is dust, which might be the
reason behind you seeing the signs of motherboard failure. Occasionally, these tiny
particles tend to enter the center of an electric circuit, which causes dust to burn.
Dust accumulates next to the vents and on the motherboard as a result of the intake
fans sucking it in.
12. Ageing Factor
Electronics most certainly don’t live forever, as nothing lasts forever! Having said
that, there are times when the parts inside your case may begin to malfunction. Each
of them has a specific guarantee or warranty duration as a result. However, taking
good care of your motherboard can help it live longer.
Motherboard Troubleshooting
Common symptoms of motherboard issues are similar to CPU problems: The system
does not display anything; an error code appears; one or more beeps occur; the
system locks; the system reboots; a Windows BSOD (blue screen of death) appears;
or one or more of the ports, expansion slots, or memory modules fails.
Motherboard problems and power problems are probably the most difficult issues to
troubleshoot. Because various components are located on the motherboard, many
things can cause errors. POST (power-on self-test) is one of the most beneficial aids
for troubleshooting a motherboard. The meaning of any codes that appear on the
screen should be researched. If multiple POST error codes appear, you should
troubleshoot them in the order they are presented. The following list helps with
motherboard troubleshooting:
•Is the motherboard receiving power? Check the power supply to see if the fan is
turning. If the CPU or motherboard has a fan, see if it is turning. Check voltages going
from the power supply to the motherboard.
•Check the BIOS/UEFI settings for accuracy
•Check for overheating. Power down the computer and allow the computer to cool.
Power on the computer with the cover off.
•Check the motherboard for distended capacitors. These are small components that
might appear to be bulging. If sighted, replace the motherboard as soon as possible.
•Reseat the CPU, adapters, and memory chips.
•Remove unnecessary adapters and devices and boot the computer.
•Plug the computer into a different power outlet and circuit, if possible.
•Check to determine whether the motherboard is shorting out on the frame.
•Check the CMOS battery
•With a motherboard that has diagnostic LEDs, check the output for any error code.
Refer to the motherboard documentation or online documentation for the problem
and possible solution.
