Computer Maintenance and Technical Support

Chapter Two
Computer Cases and Motherboard

Computer Cases

The case or chassis which usually is made of metal, holds all the primary electronics of the
personal computer (PC) and often all the drives as well. The PC is attached by a few cables to a
keyboard, mouse, and monitor through cases. In fact, the case is more than just a box to house a
computer. The case houses all the internal components, offers access to the outside world via
ports and connectors, and protects the PC's delicate circuits from damage and electromagnetic
interference (EMI).

When considering the case, there are four general rules to keep in mind:

 The bigger the box, the more components it can hold (providing greater expansion
potential) and, often, the better the air flow (essential for cooling). Large cases are also
easier to work with.
 The more compact the box, the less expansion potential it has; working on it is often
much more difficult and usually air flow is more restricted.
 Smaller cases that come with a power supply usually have lower wattage, reducing the
number of internal devices that can be installed.
 The more features in a case design like the power wattage or the number of bays, the
higher the cost.

Opening the case

The type of system case in use can make removal and installation of a motherboard a snap. On
the other hand, a case might be designed for efficient manufacturing but not for ease of repair.
On many newer cases, almost every component is removable — often without the need for the
use of many tools beyond a screwdriver. Manufacturers are always looking for ways to reduce
the number of hard connectors (such as screws and clips) that hold cases and components
together to simplify production and lower costs. So, under the assumption that opening the case

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(see the manufacturer’s documentation for this activity) is not a big problem, here are some
generic guidelines to opening a PC case.

1. Remove all cables from the ports on the back, side, or front of the PC, including the
monitor, speakers, and the serial cables, parallel cables, and USB cables of external
devices. I recommend that you label the cables as to which connector they were attached
to and create a diagram illustrating the connections and cables
2. Remove the case cover. Every PC case is a little unique, even between models of the
same manufacturer. Usually the case is secured with screws around the edge of the rear
panel of the PC. However, you’ll find new breeds of PCs on which the motherboard,
CPU, and memory modules are exposed by simply lifting off the front or side panel,
usually without tools. If your PC is one of these, the front or side panel is held in place by
spring latches or friction retainers. You might need to slide a locking handle or lift the
panel, but typically a strong and steady pull should release the panel. Watch for
protruding floppy disk and CD-ROM drives or interior cables that could catch on the
panel and be dislodged or damaged in the process. If the panel won’t pull off without
significant effort or possible damage, stop and look for screws securing it to the chassis.
Most new computers have separated the sides of the case to allow only one side to be
removed. This exposes the motherboard and its components, which is usually enough for
normal maintenance. On others, the entire case slips off the rear of the PC, exposing the
motherboard on all sides. Regardless, because complete access is needed to remove the
motherboard, remove enough of the case cover to expose both sides of them other board,
if possible
3. Remove the retaining screws in the expansion cards also remove the cables connecting
the cards to the computer, such as the drive cables from IDE or SCSI cards and the CD-
ROM audio cables on sound cards. Label each cable with a piece of masking tape or with
a fine-point marker as to what it is and its orientation. The disk drive data cable should
have a red or blue edge to indicate its Pin 1 location. Draw a diagram that shows which
expansion card went into which expansion slot. Mark each slot with a number and then
label each card with a piece of tape on which you’ve written the slot number from which

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it was removed. Include the connecting cables and the device to which each was attached
in the diagram.
4. Mark or label the cables that connect directly into the connectors integrated into the
motherboard, including the power supply, floppy disk controller, IDE controller, and
possibly the sound controller. Indicate the device, which is usually printed on the
motherboard surface next to each socket, Create a diagram for these cables that indicates
the source, destination, orientation, and any special markings on the cable that will be
important at reassembly time
5. Remove the motherboard’s mounting screws .Locate the heads of the screws that secure
the motherboard to the chassis, and remove the motherboard mounting screws and store
them where you can find them later. Be careful not to lose any paper or plastic washers
that are on these screws
6. Lift out the motherboard. Some PCs have a mounting plate from which the screws must
be removed to swing the motherboard out of its mounting. Hold the motherboard by its
edges, being careful not to put pressure on or to soil either side of the board. Place the
.board on an anti-static mat or on an anti-static shipping bag and document any other
connectors or mountings that you’ve not previously noted. If the motherboard is mounted
on brass standoffs that are used to lock the motherboard to the case, remove the screws
attaching the board to the brass standoffs and slide it to unlock the standoffs. Lift the
board out of the standoff keys and place it on an anti-static surface.
7. To reinstall or replace the motherboard, use your diagrams and notes and reverse the
order of operations.

Note: As described above, problems that could be associated with a motherboard are
typically problems with one or more of the components mounted on or connected to the
motherboard. As a general guideline for diagnosing what you think could be motherboard
problems, start with the power supply and work through the other components before you
begin suspecting the motherboard itself.

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Motherboard

The motherboard, also called the main board. The motherboard is the key part of the hardware
infrastructure. It is a large circuit board that serves as a home for the central processing unit
(CPU) and all its associated chips, including the chip set and RAM (random access memory),
and connects them to the rest of the physical elements and components of the computer.

A motherboard is a thin, flat piece of circuit board, usually green or gold, and often slightly
larger than a typical piece of notebook paper. A motherboard contains a number of special
sockets that accept various PC components. The CPU and RAM, for example, plug directly into
the motherboard. In a PC, everything connects to the motherboard either directly or indirectly.

Other devices, such as floppy drives, hard drives, CD and DVD drives, connect to the
motherboard sockets through short cables. Motherboards also provide onboard connectors for
external devices such as mice, printers, joysticks, and keyboards.

The motherboard provides the foundation for the personal computer. Every piece of hardware,
from the CPU to the lowliest expansion card, directly or indirectly plugs into the motherboard.
The motherboard contains the wires—called traces—that make up the different buses of the
system. It holds the vast majority of the ports used by the peripherals and it distributes the power
from the power supply (Figure 7.1). Without the motherboard, you literally have no PC

There are two major categories of motherboards: AT and ATX. The main difference between
them is the type of power supply and main power switch each requires. When you order a new
motherboard, be sure to first verify that it is compatible with the case and power supply to be
used. For all practical purposes, you cannot repair motherboards. They should be replaced if
physically or electrically damaged. Your customer will get new technology, usually for a price
lower than the cost of the repair

Because it is often the most difficult part of a system to replace (you have to remove all the
equipment that is connected to it), check all other internal and external components before
removing or replacing the motherboard.

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System Board Evolution

System boards fundamentally change for three reasons: new microprocessors, new expansion-
slot types, and reduced chip counts.

System Board Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting problems related to the system board can be difficult to solve due to the system
board’s relative complexity. So many system functions at least partially rely on the system board
that certain symptoms can be masked by other symptoms. As with any troubleshooting procedure,
begin by observing the symptoms produced by boot up and operation. Observe the steps that lead
to the failure and determine under what conditions the system failed. Were there any unusual
operations in progress? Note any error messages or beep codes. Try any obvious steps, such as
adjusting brightness controls on a dim monitor or checking for loose connections on peripheral
equipment. Check power switch settings on every system component. Retry the system several
times to observe the symptoms clearly. Take the time to document the problem write it down.
Refer to the system board and peripheral units Users Guides to look for configuration problems.
Check the CMOS Setup utility for configuration problems. Diagnose the problem to a section of
the system (in this case, the system board). In Pentium systems, check the Advanced CMOS
Setup parameters to make certain that all of the appropriate system board enabling settings have
been made. If possible, back up the contents of the hard drive before removing the system board.
Record the CMOS configuration settings, along with the settings of all jumpers and switches,
before exchanging the system board.

Removing a Motherboard

Nothing in a PC has as much potential for disaster as the act of removing or installing its
motherboard. However, if you proceed methodically and carefully, you really have nothing to
fear and usually much to gain.

Working by the rules

Follow these six general rules when removing a motherboard (or any other component of a PC,
for that matter!):

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1. Proceed cautiously. When working on a PC, proceed as if any action you take has the
potential to destroy the system — because it can! This is especially true of motherboard
2. Write everything down. Write down every action that you take and make a note of each
removed part (and where you store it) so that later when you’re trying to reassemble the
PC, you can simply reverse your actions and know where you put all the parts.
3. Draw pictures. Making quick sketches of connector orientations, jumper locations, and
the like can be very helpful. Relying on your memory for such things can lead to failed
boots, blown components, and fried motherboards.
4. Label parts Label each component removed or disconnected from the system in a way
that’s meaningful to you. You might want to number or letter parts, connectors, and
cables and also reference them in your notes — or maybe just label devices by their
relationship to other components, such as Drive0,Drive1, and so on
5. Protect everything from ESD

Attach the Components to the Motherboard and Install the Motherboard

This section details the steps to install components on the motherboard and then install the
motherboard into the computer case. After completing this section, you will meet these
objectives:

■ Install a CPU and a heat sink/fan assembly.

■ Install the RAM.

■ Install the motherboard

Install the Motherboard

The motherboard is now ready to install in the computer case. Plastic and metal standoffs are
used to mount the motherboard and to prevent it from touching the metal portions of the case.
You should install only the standoffs that align with the holes in the motherboard. Installing
any additional standoffs may prevent the motherboard from being seated properly in the
computer case.

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Follow these steps for motherboard installation:

1. Install standoffs in the computer case.

2. Align the I/O connectors on the back of the motherboard with the openings in the back of
the case.
3. Align the screw holes of the motherboard with the standoffs.
4. Insert all the motherboard screws.
5. Tighten all the motherboard screws.

Upgrade and Configure a Motherboard

To upgrade or replace a motherboard, you might have to replace several other components, such
as the CPU, heat sink/fan assembly, and RAM.A new motherboard must fit into the old computer
case. The power supply must also be compatible with the new motherboard and be able to
support all new computer components. You should begin the upgrade by moving the CPU and
heat sink/fan assembly to the new motherboard. These are much easier to work with when they
are outside of the case. You should work on an antistatic mat and wear a wrist strap to avoid
damaging the CPU. Remember to use thermal compound between the CPU and the heat sink. If
the new motherboard requires different RAM, install it at this time. When it is time to remove
and replace the old motherboard, remove the cables from the motherboard that attach to the case
LEDs and buttons. They can have the same labels, but there might be minor differences. Make
the appropriate notes in your journal to know where and how everything is connected before you
start the upgrade. Note how the motherboard secures to the case. Some mounting screws provide
support, and some can provide an important grounding connection between the motherboard and
chassis. In particular, you should pay attention to screws and standoffs that are nonmetallic.
These can be insulators. Replacing insulating screws and supports with metal hardware that
conducts electricity can have disastrous results. Make sure that you use the correct screws. Do
not swap threaded screws with self-tapping metal screws; they will damage the threaded screw
holes and might not be secure. Make sure that threaded screws are the correct length and have
the same number of threads per inch. If the thread is correct, they will fit easily. You can make a
screw fit by using force, but you will damage the threaded hole and the screw will not hold the

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motherboard securely. Using the wrong screw can also produce metal shavings that can cause
short circuits.

Next you should connect the power supply cables. If the Advanced Technology eXtended (ATX)
power connectors are not the same size (some have more pins), you might need to use an adapter.
Connect the cables for the case LEDs and buttons. After the new motherboard is in place and
cabled, you should install and secure all expansion cards. Check your work. Make sure that there
are no loose parts or leftover wires. Connect a keyboard, mouse, monitor, and power. If there is
any sign of trouble, you should shut the power supply off immediately. Do not forget that an
expansion card can have the same functionality that is integrated in to the motherboard. In this
case, you might need to disable the on-board functions in the system BIOS.

Installing RAM in desktop PCs

Depending on the motherboard, RAM modules are usually installed in corresponding slots
(unless you're only installing a single stick). Manuals for motherboards usually state which slots
you should use. If you're planning to install four sticks, it's simply the case of populating all the
slots (unless you have eight of them instead of four).

Here's how to get started:

1. Check which slots you'll be using.

2. Match the notch in the RAM module to the grove in the slot.
3. Slide in the module and push down on the two ends.
4. Ensure both clips are secured in place.

To extract the module from the motherboard, simply push down on both clips and the module
will lightly pop out of the socket.

Install CPU

Installing a CPU seems like a hard task and can be daunting if you have never done it before,
however if you are careful then all should go well. The CPU is the most important component in
a computer and is extremely fragile. When touching the CPU always do so with extreme care

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and if you can avoid holding the CPU for lengthy amounts of time then I highly recommend that
you do so. It would be a good idea to where an anti-static wrist strap while you work on your PC.

First you need to take your new processor out of its packaging. Inspect the pins on the underside
of the processor and check that they are all straight. If they are all bent then you are going to
have an extremely hard time straightening them, because if one pin breaks off than your
processor most likely won’t work. If a couple are bent then get a small screwdriver and very
carefully bend up the bent ones till they are all straight. Some of the more recent CPUs don’t
have pins because the pins are on the motherboard, if so then you don’t need to worry about this
step.

Open the Leaver

Once you have found the CPU, proceed to open the leaver. This is done by locating the leaver on
the side and pulling it up.

You need to move it from its locked down position to its open position in which the leaver is
pointing straight up. You may need to pull the leaver to the right to be able to move it up. Be
careful, your motherboard is ruined if you break this leaver.

Inserting the CPU

Look at your CPU, you should see a little triangle or dot or a little notched corner. These little
marks all represent pin 1. Next look on the motherboard and you should see a similar mark.

These marks need to match up when you insert the processor. So line up the marks and then
slowly push down on the processor.

Close the Leaver

Now simply close the leaver. This is just pulling the CPU leaver down and your CPU is installed.

Thermal Compound Thermal compound is a sticky paste placed directly onto the CPU or
another IC for a more direct heat transfer between the chip and the heat sink. Thermal compound
also prevents air gaps from forming between the CPU and heat sink. This compound is an

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inexpensive solution and can be found at any place selling computer parts. The picture shows an
Arctic Silver thermal compound dispenser and an older CPU with thermal compound.

How to install a hard drive or SSD

Whether you're building a computer, upgrading storage, looking for improved performance, or
some combination of the three, a hard drive or SSD is essential. In recent years, solid-state drives
have become the go-to storage medium due to their speed and reliability. However, some users
still require the additional space afforded by an HDD. To learn how to install a secondary storage
medium, follow the steps in the sections below.

Read before starting

1. If you have any important data on the drive that you wish to keep, back it up.
2. Ensure you have a working copy of Windows.
3. Write down important information from the top or bottom of the hard drive such as the
Model Number, Serial Number, and specifications.
4. Make sure you are familiar with ESD (electrostatic discharge) and its potential dangers.
5. When you are physically installing the drive, ensure the computer is powered down and
unplugged.

Mounting the drive

Open the computer and determine the appropriate drive bay for the installation. All computers
have 3.5-inch bays. However, as SSDs become more and more popular, cases are implementing
drive bays that look more like "slots," so an SSD fits without requiring additional hardware. If
you're installing an SSD and only have 3.5-inch bays, you can purchase mounting brackets
online.

SATA
A SATA hard drive or SSD requires two connections to the motherboard: a SATA cable and a
power cable.

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Once you've mounted the drive, plug the data and power cables into the motherboard by
matching them to the appropriate ports. If you're not sure which ports to use, consult your
motherboard owner's manual.
Both ends of a SATA cable look the same, having an "L" shaped connector. This design ensures
that the SATA connector is correctly oriented when attached to a port. Line up the SATA cable
end with the drive's SATA connection, and gently push the cable end into the storage drive.

PCIe
Although it's been used with video cards for years, the PCIe interface can now be used to create
extremely fast SSD connections. These drives are the easiest to install of the three. You'll need to
open the computer case and insert the drive into a PCI express port. Several of these ports should
be on your motherboard. Examples can be seen in the image below.

IDE/EIDE

IDE hard drives require that their jumpers are set correctly. It's easier to complete this process
before the installation. On the back of the hard drive is a small set of pins with a small sheath of
plastic connecting two of the pins. This removable plastic piece is known as a jumper block, or
shunt. The jumper placement configures for single, master, slave, or cable select operation. If
you're not sure what the jumper settings are, check your hard drive owner's manual, or look for a
jumper diagram affixed to the hard drive itself.

 If the new hard drive is going to be the only hard drive in the computer, set the jumper as
master.
 If the new hard drive is going to be a second hard drive on the same IDE cable as another
hard drive, set the jumper as slave.

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Once you set the jumpers, connect the data and power cables to the motherboard by matching
them to the ports with the appropriate number of pins.

The IDE/EIDE cable (gray flat ribbon cable) has a blue, red, or dotted line on one side of it that
indicates pin 1. This side of the cable will point to the side where the power connects to the back
of the hard drive.

If the IDE/EIDE cable is not already connected to the interface card or motherboard, connect that
end of the cable now. If this is the only hard drive, it's recommended that the drive be connected
to the PRIMARY 0 (PRI 0) or PRIMARY 1 (PRI 1) motherboard connector.

BIOS or CMOS setup

Once the hard drive has been installed, reconnect the keyboard, monitor, and power cable to the
computer. We recommend that you do not connect any of the other cables yet because, if you
experience issues, you may have to disconnect all the cables again.

Once connected, turn on the computer. As the computer is booting, access the BIOS or CMOS
setup. Verify the drive is being recognized or that each drive is set up as Auto.

Software setup

Once the hard drive has been detected in CMOS, it may need to be set up with software provided
by your drive manufacturer. If the hard drive is not plug and play, use a bootable disk to prepare
the setup.

Jumpers allow the computer to close an electrical circuit, allowing the electricity to flow certain
sections of the circuit board. Jumpers consist of a set of small pins that can be covered with a
small plastic box (jumper block) as shown in the illustration to the right. Below the illustration,
is a picture of what the jumpers may look like on your motherboard. In this example, the jumper
is the white block covering two of the three gold pins. Next to the pins is a silkscreen description
of each of the pin settings. In the picture jump pins 1-2 for Normal mode, 2-3 for config mode,
and when open the computer is in recovery mode.

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Jumpers are used to configure the settings for computer peripherals such as the motherboard,
hard drives, modems, sound cards, and other components. For example, if your motherboard
supported intrusion detection, a jumper can be set to enable or disable this feature.

Computer expansion slots

Below is a listing of some of the expansion slots commonly found in IBM compatible computers,
as well as other brands of computers and the devices commonly associated with those slots.

 AMR - Modem, sound card.

 AGP - Video card
 CNR - Modem, network card, sound card.
 EISA - SCSI, network card, video card.
 ISA - Network card, sound card, video card.
 PCI - Network card, SCSI, sound card, video card.
 PCI Express - Video card, modem, sound card, network card.
 VESA - Video card.

Many of the above expansion card slots are obsolete. You're most likely only going to encounter
AGP, PCI, and PCI Express when working with computers today. In the picture below is an
example of what expansion slots may look like on a motherboard.

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Why do computers have expansion slots?

Computers have expansion slots to give the user the ability to add new devices to their computer.
For example, a computer gamer may upgrade their video card to get better performance in their
games. An expansion slot allows them to remove the old video card and add a new video card
without having to replace the motherboard.

Northbridge

Alternatively referred to as the PAC (PCI/AGP Controller) and nb, the Northbridge is an
integrated circuit responsible for communications between the CPU interface, AGP, and the
memory. Unlike the southbridge, the northbridge is directly connected to these components. It
acts as a "bridge" for the southbridge chip to communicate with the CPU, RAM, and graphics
controller. Today, the northbridge is a single-chip that is north of the PCI bus, however, early
computers may have had up to three separate chips that made up the northbridge. the northbridge
and southbridge commonly have a dedicated heat sink. Also, the northbridge is usually slightly
larger than the southbridge, and is positioned closer to the CPU and memory.

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When the CPU needs data from RAM, a request is sent to the northbridge memory controller.
After the request is received, it responds with how long the processor need to wait to read the
memory over the front-side bus. Some newer motherboards have replaced the northbridge and
the southbridge with IHA.

Short for Intel Hub Architecture, IHA is the replacement for the Northbridge and Southbridge
found on computer motherboards. The IHA is found on all Intel 800 series chipsets, and like its
predecessor it has two parts: the GMCH and the ICH.

The GMCH, or Graphics and AGP Memory Control Hub, is similar to the Northbridge and helps
control the AGP and memory.

The ICH, or I/O Controller Hub for short, is similar to the Southbridge and is responsible for the
I/O ports and PCI controller.

The southbridge is one of the two chips in the core logic chipset on a personal computer (PC)
motherboard, the other being the northbridge. The southbridge typically implements the slower
capabilities of the motherboard in a northbridge/southbridge chipset computer architecture.

What Is UEFI

UEFI is the abbreviation of Unified Extensible Firmware Interface, which is a firmware interface
for computers and it works as a "middleman" to connect a computer's firmware to its operating
system. It is used to initialize the hardware components and start the operating system stored on
the hard disk drive when the computer starts up.

UEFI stores all the information about initialization and startup in a .efi file, a file stored on a
special partition called EFI System Partition (ESP). The ESP partition will also contain the boot
loader programs for the operating system installed on the computer.

It is because of this partition, UEFI can directly boot the operating system and save the BIOS
self-test process, which is an important reason for UEFI faster booting.

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What Is BIOS

BIOS is short for Basic Input/Output System, also known as system BIOS, ROM BIOS or PC
BIOS. It is a firmware embedded on the chip on the computer's motherboard. BIOS firmware is
pre-installed on the motherboard of a PC. It is a non-volatile firmware which means its settings
won’t disappear or change even after power off.

It is not hard to understand how BIOS works. When your computer starts up, the BIOS loads and
wakes up the computer's hardware components, making sure they are working properly. Then it
loads the boot loader to initializes Windows or any other operating system you have installed.

What you need to know is, the BIOS must run in 16-bit processor mode, and only has 1 MB of
space to execute in. In this case, it has trouble initializing multiple hardware devices at once,
leading to a slower boot process when it initializes all the hardware interfaces and devices on a
modern PC.

End……Chapter 2..

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