The System Boards (Motherboards)

Overview In this lab, you will learn to Install and upgrade motherboards Troubleshoot motherboards

Upgrading and Installing Motherboards

Choosing Motherboard and Case Figure out the type of motherboard you want: CPU type – RAM type and size (think for future) Think about form factor. It influences the type of case. How rich in features is the motherboard. Select the case that matches your space needs, budget, and form factor. Cases come in five basic sizes: slimline, desktop, mini-tower, mid-tower, and cube. 3 options point to better case: a removable case, a detachable motherboard mount, and front-mounted ports for USB, FireWire

Types of computer cases Slimline Mini tower cube

Options to Look for in Case Removable face Front-mounted ports Detachable motherboard mount Power supply

Removing the Motherboard Remove all the cards Remove obstructing drives Remove the power supply (only if necessary) Note the wires for the speaker, power switch, reset button, LEDs Unscrew the old motherboard The motherboard mounts to the case with small connectors called standouts

Installing the New Motherboard Install the CPU and RAM on the new motherboard before putting it in the case Check/adjust the location of the standouts Mount the new motherboard in the case Reinstall the hard drive(s), power supply, and so forth that had to be removed to get the old motherboard out Insert the power connections and other wires Test!

Wires, Wires, Wires LEDs have positive and negative connections They work one way; they don’t work the other way It’s okay to experiment

Troubleshooting Motherboards

Troubleshooting Symptoms Catastrophic failure System will not boot Although uncommon, most motherboards will fail (if they’re going to) within the first 30 days due to manufacturing defects, called burn-in failure Electrostatic discharge is the other most common cause To fix, replace the motherboard

More Troubleshooting Symptoms Component failure Microprocessors Errors If the Microprocessor fails to work, you must hear a slow beep sound or no display occurs at the monitor screen. This tells that some internal hardware or configuration errors have stopped the microprocessor’s internal circuitry to work. Some kinds of internal problems allow microprocessor to work but in case of extra working, microprocessor fails to perform additional work.

The best solution for the microprocessor’s problems is to replace it with a new one. If the system locks up for a continuous few minutes, this means that the fan of the microprocessor or the internal cooling mechanism is not working properly. In this scenario, you should replace the fan of the microprocessor to provide it continuous cooling.

ROM BIOS Setup Errors A malfunctioning or damaged ROM stops the systems’ working completely. Another cause of the system’s failure or problem is the malfunctioning of the CMOS battery. If the system fails to display the current time and date, the most likely reason for this is the faulty CMOS battery and the only solution for this is to replace the battery with the new one. .

RAM Errors RAM is a serviceable part of the system board and the RAM failure basically can be categorized into the following two categories : Soft-memory errors: Soft memory errors are the errors that are caused by the infrequent glitches in the operation of the system. These errors can be controlled just by restarting the system. Hard-memory errors: Hard memory errors are the permanent physical errors and that requires that memory units should be checked properly and replaced.

More Troubleshooting Symptoms Ethereal symptoms Things just don’t work all the time PC reboots itself for no apparent reason Blue Screens of Death Causes include faulty components, buggy device drivers or application software, slight corruption of the operating system, and power supply problems

Troubleshooting Techniques Isolate the problem by eliminating potential factors If the hard drive doesn’t work, try a different hard drive or try the same hard drive with a different motherboard If the new hard drive works, you know it wasn’t the motherboard If the same hard drive with a different motherboard works, you can suspect the motherboard Fixes include flashing the BIOS or replacing the motherboard

Buying a motherboard Intel or AMD processor Motherboard manufacturer: Asus, Abit, Biostar, DFI, Gigabyte, Intel, MSI, Shuttle ATX case and ATX power supply These are the main motherboard manufacturers