Computers 101: Motherboards

Motherboards, or Mobos, are the glue that binds the computer together.  While being the largest component in most PCs (aside from a case), it is also the component that holds many of the other pieces, allowing them to communicate with the CPU and exchange information.

A motherboard is made from a fiberglass reinforced epoxy resin that is covered in a solder mask that is colored usually green.  If you were to pop off the side of your computer case, the first thing you would probably notice is the motherboard, of course that's after you clean out all of that performance robbing dust.  More on that on a different post.  Upon a close examination of the motherboard, you'd notice lots of copper tracks running all over the place.  These copper tracks are actually etched onto the board from copper sheets that were laminated onto the board.  These copper tracks are used to connect the different electronic components of a motherboard.  You'll also notice a few capacitors and a mess of different slots, pins, and holes that, to the untrained eye, may appear and seem very confusing.  I still remember the first time I opened up my computer to investigate what was going on inside, I was all sorts of confused so don't lose heart.

Most modern motherboards include the following:

1. CPU socket for the processor to plug in

2. A chipset which allows the CPU to talk to the memory

3. Slots for the memory to be installed

4. Slots for expansion cards to be installed (graphics card,modems/network cards,etc)

5. Memory to store the BIOS

6. A clock generator to sync things up

7. Power connectors to receive power from the power supply

8. Integrated peripherals (sound card, graphics card, network controller, USB controller, disk controllers, etc

9. Fan speed, temperature, and even voltage sensors

Let's discuss briefly what each of the above do or control.

CPU Socket

1. CPU Socket:  The previous post was all about CPUs so we shouldn't have to go into too much detail here about a CPU.  This socket is were the CPU connects to the motherboard.  A CPU socket comes in different types.  Intel and AMD both use different socket types for different CPUs.  For example, AMD's newest processor fits in an AM3 socket type motherboard.  The same processor wouldn't fit in an older AMD socket type motherboard. AMD has been much better than Intel in this aspect, using the same socket type even while upgrading their CPUs.  Instead of making you buy a whole new motherboard, you may be able to just upgrade the CPU to make your computer faster.  The CPU socket also is where the heatsink and CPU fan connect to the motherboard.  They cover the CPU in order to cool it.  The black bracket in the picture is where the heatsink and fan would secure onto the motherboard.

2.  Chipset:  Also knows as the northbridge and the southbridge separately, these two make up the chipset.  The northbridge connects the CPU to highspeed devices such as the main memory and the graphics controller.  The southbridge connects the lower speed peripheral buses and handles some devices such as the onboard audio, LAN ports, and USB.

Memory Slots

3.  Main Memory (RAM) Slots:  Without talking to extensively about RAM, as we'll have a post on this in the future, RAM is the main memory that we have been talking about.  RAM (Random Access Memory) is the memory that is available to all programs.  Motherboards on PCs are now commonly having slots to hold 4 sticks of RAM with the most common total amount that can be support being between 4GB-16GB.  RAM is volatile.  What that means is when the power is shut off to the RAM, it loses anything that was stored in it at the time.  Remember that for when we get to #5.

4.  Expansion Slots:  These slots are on the motherboard to hold all the different cards that help define a computer and what you'll be using it for.  If you're going to be a gamer, you'll have a high speed, powerful graphics card in one of these slots.  You want the best sound quality you can get?  You'll have an uber sound card as well.  Need more USB ports?  Chances are you'll have a card with extra ports on it here.  In the picture below, we actually have 3 different types of slots.  The top yellow is a PCIe (PCI Express) slot. Below that is a standard PCI slot.  Below that is a PCIe X1 slot.  Each of these slots are usually used for very different cards.  PCI slots are pretty standard across all motherboards still even though they are getting older.  Most new motherboards will have 1-2 PCIe X16 slots for 1-2 high end graphics cards (some even have 3 or 4 to run in multiple graphic card configurations), a couple standard PCI slots and usually 1 PCIe X1 slot.  Older motherboards may have a brown AGP (accelerated graphics port) slot and even older ones may have a large, black ISA slot.  If you seen either of those please call me and let me build you a new computer.  You'll be amazed at what the future has brought us in the last decade. :)

Expansion Card Slots

5.  BIOS:  BIOS (basic input/output system) is an interface for interacting with the computers firmware.  The BIOS is stored on a non-volatile (will not erase when power is lost) memory that is read only.  The BIOS is ran when the computer first starts and is used to boot the computer into an operating system.  The BIOS identifies all the computers devices.  The BIOS can be tweaked to change things as simple as the order devices will boot (hard drive before a disk drive or vice versa) or more complex things like adjusting clock rates to overclock devices.  The BIOS can be upgraded by "flashing" the BIOS.  This is usually done to improve performance or to support newer hardware. 

6.  Clock Generator:  The clock generator produces a clock signal that synchronizes a circuits operation.  The clock generator in a motherboard can be changed to control the speed of the CPU, RAM, FSB, and GPU (graphics card).

7.  Power Connectors:  Pretty simple.  The power connectors are there to supply power to the motherboard and it's components.  Many of the larger graphics cards that are out now also have their own power connectors simply because they are using so much more power than ever before.

8.  Integrated Peripherals:  This is were motherboards each their money from me.  Years ago all of the items that are included now would have cost you hundreds of dollars more.  Everything from audio, graphics, LAN, USB, serial ports, and PS/2 ports can all be included on most motherboards now.  While the audio and graphics are usually lesser performing than a stand alone card, they can be very nice to have for the average user and saves a lot of money!

9.  Sensors:  Also a newer feature on motherboards is having sensors to measure things like the fan speed and temperature in the case or of a certain component.  Certainly helpful to know if your $500 graphics card is melting away inside your case.

This basically wraps up many of the features of a motherboard and what it does.  Motherboards come in different form factors for different cases.  The most common form factor is ATX or micro ATX.  Certainly important for building your own computer, you'd want to know what form motherboard you have or are getting to match it up with your case.  Several cases can handle multiple motherboard form factors but it is something you want to check out.

Again, thanks for reading this blog and hopefully you've gleaned some new information that you may not have known before.  As always, feel free to message me for any additional you may want or any questions you may want answered. 

Computers 101: CPUs

Central Processing Units or CPUs, also known simply as processors, are probably the most widely known component that we'll discuss on this list.  Due to marketing in the late 90's and early 00's, much focus has been placed on processing power in a computer.  Many people, while shopping for a computer, simply look at this aspect of a computer to help determine how fast of a computer it is.  Today, when looking at purchasing a computer, you'll see a lot of different terminology being tossed out.  Terms like gigahertz (Ghz), cores,  FSB (front side bus), HyperTransport Bus, QPI (QuickPath Interconnect), and cache.  We'll take a look at each of these and explain what they all mean but before we get too far ahead of ourselves, lets explain what a CPU actually does and take a look back at the history of the CPU. 

The CPU is basically the brain of your computer.  A CPU is sent instructions from a computer program and carries them out and is where most calculations take place.  There are two typical components that make up a processor.  They are the ALU (arithmetic logic unit), which, believe or not, performs arithmetic operations, and the control unit, which takes instructions from the memory and executes them.   I won't bore you with any further detail (send me a message if you want more) but that basically sums up what the processor does, technically.

When CPUs first arrived on the computer scene, they were specifically designed for each individual computer.  Many of these computers were designed for a single purpose and thus the processors were as well, making it very costly to build.  The cost drove to the invention of the integrated circuit and the microprocessor.  This integrated circuit allowed for a larger number of transistors to being integrated onto one chip, giving us the birth of the modern processor we have today.  As technology has advanced (again won't get into too much detail as this post is already getting long enough), the processors have become more and more powerful and smaller.  Today, processing power is increased by adding additional cores (fancy word for another processor) into one integrated circuit.  To date, the highest core processor easily available to the public for personal computer use, is the 6 core processor offered by AMD.

So now that we know a bit about CPUs, let's look at what to look for when comparing processors when shopping for a new computer.  As stated previously, the most common specification usually quoted by the sales person and understood by the customer is the clock speed of the processor, usually represented now a days in Ghz (gigahertz).  While this is an important factor there are other variables to consider while comparing processors to each other. 

We talked about cores earlier, and additional cores are another big factor in deciding which type of processor to look for.  It used to be you had one core per processor.  Now that we have multi-core processors, a lot has changed.  Multi-core processors have made it much easier to multitask and run performance draining programs by spreading out the load over the multiple cores.  Processing power of a computer is increased by adding additional cores, however, be confused in thinking that just by adding another core you double your performance.  Performance gained on each core is actually closer to 50%.   For our purposes here though, adding additional cores will increase your processing power and that is a good thing.

Another aspect to look at is the FSB (front side bus) of a CPU. When we were talking about CPUs earlier, remember learning that one of the functions of the CPU was taking instructions from the memory of the computer and executing them. The FSB is the rate at which the CPU can transmit data to and from the memory. The FSB is measure in mega transfers per second (MT/s). As you could have guessed, the higher the better. 

The term FSB is starting to go by the wayside, however.  While you'll still notice it if you are shopping at a lot of retail stores, modern day processors are doing away with the FSB in favor of faster and more advanced technologies.  The two main manufacturers of processors are AMD and Intel.  (We'll have a posted dedicated to both companies down the road but for the purposes of this article we'll stop there)  AMD's newest technology taking the place of the FSB is called Hyper Transport Bus, while Intel's decided on QuickPath Interconnect.  Basically, what each of these accomplish, is increasing the bandwith between the CPU and memory, speeding up drasitcally how quickly they talk to each other.  Previously with old FSB, there was one channel for information to pass on.  With these new technologies, to steal a phrase from Intel, it's like, "upgrading from an old backroad to a new freeway."  The CPU can now read and write information at the same time and is not limited by the amount of bandwith available.  Again this is a very brief summary of what this newer technology does.  If you would like it explained in more detail about what this means for a CPU and computers in general, feel free to message me.

Lastly, lets take a look at cache (pronounced like cash, stupid E...).  The other task of the CPU was processing data from computer programs.  Cache is actually cache memory and the higher the better here as well.  Cache speeding up the CPU by taking the instructions from the computer program and giving it to the CPU.  Cache is a smaller and faster version of your computer memory and stores the most used operations for the CPU to access most quickly.  There are usually multiple levels of cache.  Level 1 through level 3.  The first level is usually the smallest amount but the fastest.  Levels 2 through 3 act as a spill over for the CPU.  If the cache memory in level 1 is used up, the operations and tasks will spill over to the larger and slightly slower cache memory. 

We've touched on some of the key highlights of CPUs here.  Let's recap.  We all now know that the clock speed (the Ghz) that we all know and love, isn't the only thing to look at when shopping for CPUs.  We must also look at the number of cores on a processor, the FSB speed, and the amount of cache a CPU has.   Each of these are important when deciding what to look for in a CPU.  Take this information with you the next time your are computer shopping and wow the salesman! 

If you want to discuss any additional details of this post feel free to send me a message and we can chat.  Check back next week when we discuss our next component of a PC...the Motherboard!

Computers 101

Most people I do work for on computers, have absolutely zero knowledge about computers at all.  Some are even actually scared of doing anything out of the norm on their computer.  This is completely fine and I actually enjoy working with these people much more than someone who thinks they know computers or knows enough to only get themselves into trouble...you know who you are. :)

Truth be told, computers themselves aren't very complicated machines.  There are five main components that make up a modern computer.  They are: CPU (central processing unit), Motherboard, RAM (random access memory), HDD (hard disk drive or hard drive), and a GPU (graphics processing unit).  That's your basic computer.  After than you can add in things like NIC (network interface cards) for internet access, sound cards, and your input and output devices (keyboard/mouse, monitors).

In the next couple of weeks, we'll take a look at each component that makes up a computer, tell you how they work themselves and with the other components, give you a brief history of the component, and look to the future!

So if you're a n00b to computers or just want to learn a little more about them in detail, stay tuned.  As always feel free to contact me with any questions you have on anything we discuss here.

Building Your Own Computer vs Buying Off The Shelf

This is a discussion that is near and dear to my heart.  Simply because I love putting together computers for people to specifically meet their needs.  Having been putting computers together for almost 10 years now, I enjoy working with many different products at many different price levels  Not everyone you meet is going to need to drop $1,500 on a new computer with state of the art graphics and processing power.  In fact, most of the people I've built computers for only need a $300-$400 dollar computer for basic web browsing and emailing.

Whether or not your are looking to spend the big bucks on a high end gaming rig or are just looking for something that will allow you to chat and keep in touch with friends, you still have a decision to make.  Should I go to my local retailer and buy a prefab computer from companies such as Dell, HP, Gateway, eMachine, or Alienware or should I go to a local computer store and have a computer built specifically for me?  

Let's take a look and see the pros and cons of both options.

Off the Shelf 

For many people, this is the only way they know of buying a computer.  Get in the car, drive to nearest computer retailers, fork over some cash, and get a computer.  (Don't forget the pressure to sign up for a credit card and/or buy a service policy...I used to work for Circuit City and sell computers so I know this all too well) 

Pros:

       -It's Fast.  However long it takes you to get to the store, whip out your fatty wad of cash, and pay the man is however long it takes you to get your computer in hand.  And in this day and age of instant gratification, this is a huge pro for some.

       -Simplicity.  Don't have to think...much.  Pretty much go to the store, find a computer with the specs you like and buy it.  Don't have to plan out which parts you want or have someone else do it for you.

       -"Safe".  Buying something from a big name store gives you a sense of security versus buying something from a small mom and pop store.  Notice the quotes around safe and notice the word sense in the previous sentence.  But hey, if it makes you feel better that's a pro in my book.

       -Fool Proof. Now before you get offended this isn't meant as an insult.  Simply stating that when you buy a prefab computer from the store, all the default Windows settings are usually set.  This included auto updates from Windows and some sort of antivirus software which will prompt you to puchase once the trial is over.

Cons:

       -Fool Proof. What what what?!? But Justin, you just listed this as a pro.  Indeed I did.  Hear me out.  Those same settings and software that are preinstalled...a lot of those aren't needed and some can even effect computer performance.  Many of the preinstalled antivirus programs that come on a computer take up so many resources while running.  Also if you decide to install your own antivirus software, you had better make sure you uninstall the previous one or else you'll run into a number of conflicts.  In addition to the preinstalled antivirus software there is a large number of "optional software" installed on these computers.  While it is simple to uninstall and clean up these programs, a lot of people simply don't because they don't know they don't need it.  These programs again are taking up your precious space that you paid your hard earned money for.

       -No Customization.  With store bought computers you kind of get a one size fits all.  While there are many different computers to choose from, your specs and design will be very limited overall. 

       -Cheap Parts.  You may look at an in-store computer and say to yourself, "Wow!  That's a good deal!"  Chances are, in order to get those great deals there are some inferior parts inside of that computer.  There was an article in the Wall Street Journal (thanks Grandpa) a week or so ago about Dell computers, at a university in Texas that shall remain unnamed, that were made with bad and faulty parts and all of the computers started crapping out (yes that is the technical phrase) at the same time.  While these were Dells in this instance, most mass produced are made with inferior parts or even preused in some instances.

       -Pain to Upgrade.  While there are instances were you can add RAM (memory) to a computer or additional hard drive space (storage), you will not get far.  Most prefab computers are either packed so tight physically that nothing else will actually fit in the case, or there are no more slots to install new components due to limited motherboard or case space.  When you buy a computer from a store, plan on not being able to upgrade it at all.

Building Your Own

 Right off the bat, the intelligent reader will notice some small difference between these computer pictures and the picture of the one above.  Welcome my friends to the world of Build It Yourself Computers.  While these two pictures are extreme in some ways, not all build it yourself (BIY because DIY is too over used) computers have to look like this.  You can get a BIY computer that looks very similar to the Dell at the top but is very different on the inside.  As with everything in life, there are pros and cons to BIY computers as well.  Let's take a look.

Pros:

       -Customization. You'll probably notice a pattern here so I figured I'd toss it out to start with.  Almost all of the cons from the prefab computers will be turned into pro here, and this is probably one of the biggest.  When BIY, you get to choose everything!  You get to pick your case, you get to pick your motherboard, you get to pick your processor, memory, and hard drive.  Anything that your little heart desires you can put in your computer.  You want 10 TB of storage to hold every song and movie your heart wants? You've got it!  You want a 3+ghz processor that you can water cool and easily overclock to 4+ghz? You've got it!  The possibilities are limitless.

       -Quality Parts. Unless you are wanting to buy lesser quality parts to save money, while choosing your parts you can choose quality parts.  There are many different manufactures of all the parts that go into a computer, with the exception being processors.  (AMD vs INTEL will be covered in a later post)  From these, you can choose high quality manufacturers whose products last many years.  Every computer I have ever built has lasted many years and the only reason they've stopped being used it simply because they have become too outdated and technology has changed so much.  Even then they have continued working.

       -Easy to Upgrade.  When you build a BIY computer, you put it together piece by piece.  When one piece becomes outdated or breaks down, changing it out for a new one is much easier than doing it on prefab computers.  In BIY computer cases there is usually more than enough space to move freely and exchange parts.  Plus you have usually more than enough slots to expand your computer as well.

       -Clean Slate.  On a BIY, your hard drive comes blank.  There is nothing useless taking up space on your hard drive.  No annoy programs that you have to install.  No misguided registry keys.  Nothing.  Clean and perfect.  You get to choose what programs you want to install.  You get to choose your settings for your operating system.  Heck, you get to choose your operating system.  Don't want Windows on your computer, fine!  Great even!  Whether you choose to put some form of Linux, Windows, or Mac (watch out for installing the Mac on PC on the legality front) on your PC, it's entirely up to you!  YAY!!

Cons:

       -Price.  While it's true, putting together your own computer may run you a few bucks extra, we all know the old adage, you get what you pay for.  Remember the pro of quality parts.  Well you do have to pay a bit extra for quality.  Still, you are able to build a computer well within reason of most budgets.  I usually find a customers budget while building a computer for them and try to build the best computer I can within that budget.  Truth be told, you can usually get a much better computer for the same price or $10 to $50 dollars more.

       -Time.  When you BIY, you usually have to order parts online.  This, while it does save some money usually, takes a little bit of time.  Usually 3-5 business days for parts to arrive.   While some people don't mind waiting that long for a superior system, some people (my wife...I love you honey) can't wait to order a superior product online and later reap what they sow while they're husbands mock them from a distance.

       -Envy/Jealousy.  While you will enjoy your brand new computer, you may evoke such feelings as those listed in your friends and family.  They'll live.

Conclusion:

So with all that said and done, I think you probably see where my allegiance lies.  I am a firm believer of building your own computer or having someone knowledgeable and that you trust, build it for you.  While off the shelf computers do serve a purpose and I must be honest, have improved a lot in recent years, there is no substitute for a computer built specifically for you in mind and for your specific needs.

Tips:

1.  Future proof your computer.  If you can, spend a little more money now for a better/faster computer.  You won't have to upgrade it as soon and will be able to enjoy the faster speed throughout it's life. 

2.  More RAM is god.  My rule of thumb is to try to get the max amount of RAM that your system will handle, within reason.  Today, most computer uses can utilize at least 2GB of RAM.   If you're a gamer look at getting at least 4GB of RAM.  Look for this to grow quickly as programs are becoming more and more detailed.

Let's get it started...

Well I decided to go ahead and start a blog finally. Have been thinking about it for a while now. I'm tired of going out on the internet and reading loads of misinformation out there regarding computers, networking, etc. So instead of posting the same information on the hundreds of different forums, websites, and vastly inferior blogs, I decided to just create my own for the masses to read...or perhaps just myself but that's neither here nor there.

So without further delay, I give you...

Another Tech Blog...But More Bestest!

So what are we going to do here? Pretty much the focus will be on debunking bad computer information out there, providing answers to most asked questions, providing advice on certain topics and reviewing hardware, software, and anything in between.

In case you didn't notice before, my name is Justin Leland and if you have any computer questions; feel free to ask. Welcome and enjoy!