PCSTATS     
[X]   Directory of
Guides & Reviews

Beginners Guides
Motherboards by Brand
Weekly Newsletter
Archived Newsletters

+70 MORE Beginner GUIDES....
Beginners Guides: PC Ports, Connectors and Sockets
Beginners Guides: PC Ports, Connectors and Sockets - PCSTATS
In this Beginners Guide PCSTATS aims to give you a basic visual acquaintance with the various ports and connectors on your PC, and a general understanding of what they are and how they work, hopefully bridging a circuit between the jargon and your hands-on knowledge of your own computer.
Filed under: Beginners Guides Published:  Author: 
External Mfg. Website: Beginners Guide Jul 19 2003   M. Dowler  
Home > Reviews > Beginners Guides > Beginners Guide

Motherboad connectors continued.

Motherboard Connectors: Depending on the model, a motherboard will have several different internal connectors to enable extra features. Some, such as the case connectors for attaching the leads from the case power and reset switches, the power and hard drive LEDs, and the internal speaker, will be present on every board. Others vary from model to model. Some examples are: Connectors for extra USB ports, internal audio connectors for boards with integrated sound, wake-on LAN connectors, etc. Consult your manual for a list of your board's features.

Memory (RAM) Slots: These hold the main memory of the computer. The amount of available slots Depends on the board, but it's usually 2-4. When upgrading your computer's memory, additional RAM (Random Access Memory) chips can be plugged in here. They are keyed so that the memory chips can only fit one way.

motherboard power connector(s): The ATX power connector is present on all ATX motherboards, obviously. motherboards compatible with Intel Pentium 4 processors will have two extra power connectors for a 4-pin square and a 6-pin flat plug respectively. For obvious reasons, the computer should be (hmm, will be) powered off, and ideally the power supply unplugged when you connect or disconnect these.

motherboard IDE ports: These two internal ports allow the attachment of hard drives and CD-ROM drives, as well as certain other internal devices like ZIP drives. They should be marked as primary or secondary, otherwise consult your manual. Each port can support up to two devices on a single cable. Some motherboards may have more than two IDE ports. The computer must be powered off to attach or remove devices from these ports.

motherboard floppy drive connector: This single port allows the connection of up to two floppy drives on a single cable. The computer must be powered off to attach or remove drives from this port. There's not much more to say about it.

Hopefully the pictures and the accompanying descriptions in this Beginners Guide have familiarized you with the basic ports and connectors in your average home computer. The learning process for computer hardware is pretty straightforward, and once you learn to transform the technical terms into something that makes sense internally, you are well on your way.

If you have any comments or questions, please post them in the PCSTATS Forums. Find out about this and many other reviews by joining the Weekly PCSTATS.com Newsletter today! Catch all of PCSTATS latest hardware reviews right here.

PCSTATS
- 99 Windows Vista Performance Tips and Tweaks
- Windows Vista Crash Recovery and Repair Installs
- Making Old Software Compatible with Windows Vista
- Installing Windows Vista
- Safe Mode in Windows Vista For Crash Recovery
- Stopping Vista From Thrashing Hard Disks to Death
- 10 Steps to a Secure PC
- 101 Tips and Tweaks for Windows XP
- 104 Killer Tech Tips for Windows XP
- 99 Performance Tips for Windows XP
- Annual PC Checkup Checklist
- Assembling Your Own PC
- Back up and Restore Data in WinXP
- Browser Hijacking and How to Stop it
- Building a Home Theatre PC / HTPC
- Burning CDs and DVDs
- Cloning WindowsXP
- Converting Videotape Into Video Files
- Crash Recovery: The Blue Screen of Death
- Creating a Weblog / Blog
- Creating MP3 Music Files
- Decrypting Lost Document & Zipped File Passwords
- Diagnosing Bad Hard Drives
- Diagnosing Bad Memory
- Dual OS Installation of WindowsXP 32-bit/64-bit
- Encryption and Online Privacy
- Ergonomics & Computers
- Flashing a Video Card BIOS
- Flash Memory Data Recovery and Protection
- Firewalls and Internet Security
- Firewall Setup and Configuration
- Forgotten Passwords & Recovery Methods
- Formatting and Partitioning a Hard Drive
- Fundamentals of Upgrading a PC
- Hard Drive Data Recovery
- Home Networking and File Sharing
- How to Install An Intel Socket 775 CPU and Heatsink
- How to Install An Intel Socket 1366/1156 CPU and Heatsink
- DIY Guides: How To Install/Remove AMD Socket FM1 CPU and Heatsink
- DIY Guides: How To Install/Remove An Intel Socket 1155 CPU and Heatsink
- How to Fix Homesite Design Mode to Work in WindowsXP/ Vista
- How To Make a Budget Desktop Computer on the Cheap
- How to Update a Motherboard BIOS
- Installing RAID on Desktop PCs
- Installing WindowsXP

- Internet Connection Sharing
- Legally Copying Software and Music
- Linux Part 1: Getting Familiar
- Linux Part 2: Installing a PC
- Linux Part 3: New Software
- Little Known Features of WindowsXP
- Making DVD Movies from Video Files
- Most Common Ways to Kill a PC
- Optical Drives & Recording Formats
- Overclocking the CPU, Motherboard & Memory
- Overclocking the Videocard
- Preventing Data Theft from a Stolen Laptop
- Printer Sharing on a Home Network
- Quick Guide for Eliminating Spyware and Hijacker Software
- RAM, Memory and Upgrading
- Registry: Backups, Repairs, and Protection
- Remote Access to Computers
- RSS Feed Setup & Subscriptions
- Setting up an FTP Server in WinXP
- Slipstreaming WindowsXP with Service Pack 2
- Spyware Protection and Removal
- Stopping Spam
- Synchronizing Files and Folders
- Unattended Windows 2000/XP Installations
- Understanding & Creating Batch Files
- Understanding & Tweaking WindowsXP Services
- Upgrading A Motherboard Without Reinstalling
- Upgrading Win98 to Windows XP
- USB Memory Drive Projects & Tips
- VPNs and Internet Connection Security
- Website Hosting From A Home PC
- Website Hosting With Apache
- Windows XP Command Prompt
- Windows XP Safe Mode Explained
- Wireless Home Networking
- Wireless Network Security

Got an idea for a Guide we haven't already covered? Send it in.

< Previous Page © 2023 PCSTATS.com
Please respect the time and effort that went into creating each PCSTATS Beginners Guide, do not illegally copy. Thank you.
Beginners Guides Reviews...»

 

Contents of Article: Beginners Guide
 Pg 1.  Beginners Guides: PC Ports, Connectors and Sockets
 Pg 2.  Printer, Serial, VGA, etc...
 Pg 3.  Firewire, PCI, Videocard, CPU, etc.
 Pg 4.  — Motherboad connectors continued.

 
Hardware Sections 


 
PCSTATS Network Features Information About Us Contact
FrostyTech
PCSTATS Newsletter
Tech Glossary
Technology WebSite Listings
News Archives
(Review RSS Feed)
Site Map
PCstats Wallpaper
About Us
Privacy Policy
Advertise on PCSTATS

How's Our Driving?
© Copyright 1999-2023 www.pcstats.com All rights reserved. Privacy policy and Terms of Use.