Professor Messer’s Free CompTIA A+ Certification Training Course – Motherboards

Chapter 3: Motherboards

Professor Messer's Free CompTIA A+ Training CourseThe motherboard is the heart of any personal computer. Every piece of a computer touches the motherboard, and the overall performance is directly related to the technologies embedded in the motherboard. In these videos you’ll learn how a motherboard works, how to instantly identify the major components of a motherboard, and how to solve motherboard problems when they occur.

Motherboard Overview (15:02)
220-601, Section 1.1

Every CompTIA A+ professional needs to have a complete understanding of motherboards and the components that reside on today’s PC motherboard technology. In this video, we’ll provide you with the information you need to instantly identify the most important motherboard features, and you’ll learn how chipset architectures relate to real-world motherboard configurations.

Bus Architectures (7:48)
220-601, Section 1.1

The internal bus and expansion bus on a personal computer is a major factor in the overall speed an operation of the system. In this module, well discuss computer buses, PC expansion buses, and methods to calculate the speed and throughput of a computer bus.

Expansion Slots (13:17)
220-601, Section 1.1

The expansion slots are the most modular part of the PC motherboard, but what are all of these different standards? This module will walk you through the most popular expansion slot bus types, such as PCI, PCIe, and AGP. Some older technologies, such as AMR and CNR will also be detailed.

Motherboard I/O Connections (9:47)
220-601, Section 1.1


All motherboards have input and output ports on the back, but what do all those connections mean? In this module, we’ll turn the PC around and show you exactly how each port works and how to instantly recognize the most common input and output connections.

Motherboard Drive Connections (6:17)
220-601, Section 1.1


The storage subsystem is an important part of any computer system. In this module, we’ll provide you with the details of motherboard connections for floppy drives, EIDE/PATA drives, SATA drives, and SCSI technology.

Motherboard Form Factors (11:56)
220-601, Section 1.1


There are a number of different form factors to consider when replacing or upgrading a motherboard. This module provides an overview of many motherboard types, and provides some helpful tips for easily identifying ATX, NLX, microATX, BTX, microBTX, and picoBTX motherboard form factors.

Installing Motherboards (12:45)
220-602, Section 1.1


Installing a motherboard in your personal computer is easier than you may think. In this CompTIA A+ training module, we’ll step through every step you’ll need to know to successfully install a PC motherboard. You’ll learn about the selection process, the pre-installation steps, some useful installation tips, and the things you’ll want to check after everything is installed.

Troubleshooting Motherboards (11:21)
220-602, Section 1.3


What’s the best way to troubleshoot a PC motherboard? In this module, we’ll show you how to troubleshooting motherboard problems such as heat, BIOS incompatibilities and failing hardware.



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