Personal Computer Hardware

Components (Internal Devices)

Mr. Melchor S. Castro
Instructor
Learning Objectives
• Identify the Internal Devices of a Computer Hardware
• Differentiate the types of RAM, Socket, Bus, Data
Cables
• Explain how the motherboard works.
Internal Computer Hardware Devices
1. Motherboard
2. Central Processing Unit
3. Random Access Memory
4. Hard disk drive (HDD)
5. Optical drive
6. Floppy disk drive
7. Adapter Card adds
8. Power Supply unit (PSU)
9. Power and Data Cables
1. Motherboard
Also called mainboard, is the printed circuit board (PCB)
found in computers. It holds many of the essential
electronic components of the system such as the CPU,
memory, video cards, network cards, and hard drives. It
also provides connectors for other peripherals.
1. Motherboard
Here are some of the most popular motherboard form factors:
• Mini-ITX motherboard is specifically designed with Mobile on
Desktop Technology (MoDT) that uses mobile CPUs for lower power
requirement, less heat generation, and better application capability.
Its dimension is 5.9 x5.9 inches.
1. Motherboard
Here are some of the most popular motherboard form factors:
MicroATX motherboard is a smaller variant of the ATX form factor, 9.6 x
9.6 inches. It is compatible with most ATX cases, but since it is smaller it has
fewer slots than ATX, and smaller power supply unit.
1. Motherboard
Here are some of the most popular motherboard form factors:
ATX motherboard is the motherboard that was produced by the Intel in
mid-90s. It is still one of the most popular form factors for motherboards. Its
typical size is 9.6 x 12 inches.
Parts and Features of Motherboard
Parts and Features of Motherboard
Processor Socket - It determines what kind of CPU the motherboard uses.
Socket arrangements are usually named for the number of pins in grid array
(PGA).
Socket Function

Socket 478 For older Pentium and Celeron processors

Socket 754 For AMD Sempron and AMD Athlon processors

Socket 939 For newer and faster AMD Athlon processors

Socket AM2 For the newer AMD Athlon processors

Socket A For older AMD Athlon processors

Parts and Features of Motherboard
Socket LCA755 – is one of the newest Intel CPU and it does not have pins.
The pins are now part of the socket instead of the CPU. It is also called
Socket T.
ATX 24-pin connector – allows you to connect an ATX 24-pin power supply.
ATX 12V power connector – is used to provide power to the CPU.
Hard Disk Drive (HDD) connector - allows you to connect up to two IDE/ATA
drives, a master and a slave.
Serial ATA (SATA) connector – allows you to connect one hard disk device.
Memory slot is used for installing memory modules.
Chipset connects the microprocessor to the other parts of the motherboard
– the northbridge and the southbridge. It allows the communication of all
computer components with the CPU.
Parts and Features of Motherboard
Front Side bus (FSB) is a circuit that also connects one part of the
motherboard to another. The more data that a bus can handle at a given
time, the faster it allows information to travel. The speed of the bus is
measured in megahertz (MHz) that refers to the speed of the front side bus
(FSB) that connects the CPU to the northbridge. FSB speeds can range to 66
MHz to over 800 MHz. Since the CPU reaches the memory controller
through the northbridge. FSB speed can dramatically affect computer’s
performance.
Figure 1. Connection
diagram of
northbridge,
southbridge and bus.
The following are some busses found on a motherboard

Bus Function
Memory Bus It connects the northbridge to the memory.

IDE-ATA.Serial ATA It connects the southbridge to the disk drives.

Bus
Accelerated Graphics It connects the video card to memory and CPU. The Speed of
Port (AGP) Bus the AGP bus is usually 66 MHz.
Peripheral It connects PCI slots to the southbridge. Usual speed is 33 MHz
Component and is compatible with PCI Express that is much faster than PCI
Interconnect (PCI) but is still compatible with current software and operating
Bus systems. PCI Express is likely to replace both PCI and AGP
Busses.
2. Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the brain
of the computer that performs the
calculations. It comprised of millions of
logic gates that is used for variety of
operations.

3. Random Access Memory (RAM) is where

all program execution and data
processing takes place. It determines
the amount of data that can be
processed instantly and the size and
number of programs that can be run
simultaneously.
Power and Data Cables -
internal cables are used
to distribute electricity
from the power supply to
the motherboard and
other components.
Serial Advanced Technology
Attachment (SATA) power
connectors are 15-pin connector.
They are used to connect hard disk
drives, optical drives, or any
devices that have a SATA power
socket.
• Molex power connectors
are used for hard drives
and optical drives that
do not have SATA power
sockets.

• Berg Power Connector

have 4 pins that supply
power to a floppy drive.
Types of Data Cables
Data cables transmit data between the
motherboard and storage devices such
as hard drives. Other cables that you
may see connect the buttons and
indicator lights on the front of the
computer case to the motherboard.
 Types of Data Cables
• Parallel advanced technology attachment (PATA)
cable is also called ribbon cable because it is wide
and flat. The PATA cable can have either 40 or 80
conductors. One connector at the end of the
cable connects to the motherboard and the
other two connectors to the drives.
• If multiple hard drives are installed, the master
drive connects to the end connector while the
slave drive connects to the middle connector.
• A stripe on the data cable denotes the location of
Pin 1 that is usually closer to the power
connector on the drive.
• Floppy drive data cable has a 34-pin
connector. Like the PATA data cable,
the floppy drive data cable has a stripe
to denote the location of Pin 1.

• SATA data cable has a 7-pin connector.

One end of the cable is connected to
the motherboard and the other end is
connected to any drive that has a SATA
data connector such as HDD or ODD.
Assignment:

• Explain briefly the function of Motherboard.

• Reiterate the role of the Northbridge and the
Southbridge as drawn in slide 12.

• Submit your assignment in Assignment Link.