3. All About Motherboards – Reviewing the Basics

  1. What are the three most popular form factors used for motherboards?
  2. Which type of Intel chipsets was the first to support the graphics controller to be part of the processor?
  3. How many pins does the Intel Socket B have? What is another name for this socket?
  4. What type of memory does the LGA1155 socket work with? Which socket was it designed to replace?
  5. Does the Sandy Bridge chipset family use two chipset housings on the motherboard or a single chipset housing? The Nehalem chipset?
  6. How many pins does the AMD socket AM3 have?
  7. Which part of a Nehalem chipset connects directly to the processor, the North Bridge or the South Bridge?
  8. How does the throughput of PCI Express Version 3.0 compare to PCIe Version 2.0?
  9. What is the maximum wattage that a PCIe Version 2.0 expansion card can draw?
  10. What type of power connector on the motherboard was introduced with PCIe Version 1.0? How much power does this connector provide?
  11. What type of power connector was introduced with PCIe Version 2.0? How much power does this connector provide?
  12. If you are installing an expansion card into a case that does not have enough clearance above the motherboard for the card, what device can you use to solve the problem?
  13. Which chip on the motherboard does Windows BitLocker Encryption use to secure the hard drive?
  14. How can you find out how many memory slots are populated on a motherboard without opening the computer case?
  15. What are two reasons you might decide to flash BIOS?
  16. What is the easiest way to obtain the latest software to upgrade BIOS?
  17. What can you do if the power-on password and the supervisor password to a system have been forgotten?
  18. How is CMOS RAM powered when the system is unplugged?
  19. Describe how you can access the BIOS setup program.
  20. Does Windows 7 support a secure boot in UEFI? Windows 8? Linux Ubuntu version 14?
  21. Which partitioning method must be used for partitioning a 4-TB hard drive?
  22. If a USB port on the motherboard is failing, what is one task you can do that might fix the problem?
  23. What might the purpose be for a SATA-style power connector on a motherboard?
  24. What is the purpose of installing standoffs or spacers between the motherboard and the case?
  25. When installing a motherboard, suppose you forget to connect the wires from the case to the front panel header. Will you be able to power up the system? Why or why not?