How Motherboards and CPUs Work


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  Step 1:  The Bios Chip

The basic input/output system handles the most basic tasks of your computer, such as configuring hard disks, transferring data to and from the keyboard, and similar tasks. The BIOS is contained on a BIOS chip on the motherboard. The BIOS can be upgraded by installing special software, if it's a flash BIOS, or by removing the chip and putting in a new one, if it's not a flash BIOS.
  Step 2:  The Battery

Your system's CMOS needs a way to be powered, even when the computer is turned off. So a battery on the motherboard sends a steady stream of electricity to the system's CMOS, even when your computer isn't on. CMOS contains basic information about your computer, such as the kind of hard disk it has. If power went off to the CMOS, it would forget all that information. Older batteries might eventually run out of power. They can be replaced with a new battery. In some instances, you won't be able to replace the battery, but these batteries have been designed to live long after your motherboard's lifetime.
  Step 3:  The Motherboard

This is attached to the computer's case by a set of screws. The motherboard, however, shouldn't touch the case itself, so plastic spacers or standoffs sit between the screw and the case, holding the motherboard a fraction of an inch away from the case.
  Step 4:  The CPU

The central processing unit, such as a Pentium II, Pentium III, or Celeron chip, is what performs all the computer's calculations and is essentially the brains of your PC. The CPU fits into a CPU socket. The socket and the way that the CPU fits into it varies according to the type of CPU. You'll have to buy the specific CPU to match the socket on your PC. So, if you have a type of socket that can accept only a Pentium chip, for example, you won't be able to put a Pentium II into it.
  Step 5:  Storage Devices

Hard drives, floppy drives, and CD-ROM drives attach to a controller on the motherboard via ribbon cables. On older motherboards, the controller is found on an add-in card in a slot. Data travels back and forth between the storage devices and the CPU and other computer components along these ribbon cables.
  Step 6:  Slots

Devices communicate with each other via slots on the motherboard's bus. These slots allow devices, such as graphics cards, internal modems, sound cards, network cards, and others, to plug into the bus.
  Step 7:  Ram

The motherboard holds the computer's RAM (random access memory) in memory sockets. There are many different kinds of memory sockets to accommodate the many different kinds of memory. Common ones include single inline memory modules (SIMMs) and dual inline memory modules (DIMMs). You'll have to buy the specific memory type (such as DIMMs) to match the memory socket on your PC. So, DIMMs will fit only into a DIMM socket, for example.
  Step 8:  Ports

Parallel and serial ports connect to the motherboard via ribbon cables that attach directly to the motherboard. This allows data to be sent to and from printers, modems, and similar devices.