14.

Motherboards
Dezs Sima

Fall 2006

D. Sima, 2006

Overview

1 Predecessors

2 Desktop motherboards

2.1 Overview

2.2 AT

2.3 Baby AT

2.4 LPX

2.5 ATX

2.6 NLX

2.7 BTX

3 Server/workstation motherboards
4 Overview of the evolution of motherboards

1. Predecessors (1)

AT

Designation

Type
5150 1

IBM/PC
IBM/PC-XT

5160 Mod. 087

IBM/PC-AT

3
4

8/81

8088

4.77

16 KB

3/83

8088

4.77

128 KB

Mhz

FD
(standard)
Size
KB

HD
No. of ISA slots Motherboard size
(standard)
8-bit 16-bit
inches
mm
MB

Memory
Type

Chipset

64 KB

Soldered+DIPP

no

5 1/4

no

256 KB

DIPP

no

1/4

360 K

10 MB

8.5"*12"

216*305

1/4

1.2 M

12"*13.8"

305*350

Type 1 MOB

360 K

20 MB

12"*13.8"

305*350

Type 1 MOB

1/2

8/84

80286

256 KB

512 KB

DIPP

no

5170 Mod. 099

8/84

80286

512 KB

512 KB

DIPP

no

IBM/PC XT-286

Proc.
type

5170 Mod. 068

Remarks

80286

512 KB

512 KB

DIPP

no

720 K

30 MB

9.3"*13.8" 238*350

Type 2 MOB

Mod. 319

4/86

80286

512 KB

512 KB

DIPP

no

3 1/2

1.44 M

30 MB

9.3"*13.8" 238*350

Type 2 MOB

Mod. 3394

4/86

80286

512 KB

512 KB

DIPP

no

1/2

1.44 M

30 MB

9.3"*13.8"

238*350

Type 2 MOB

9/86

80286

640 KB

640 KB

DIPP+SIMM/30

no

1.2 M

20 MB

8.6"*13"

218*330

Mod. 239

fc

Memory size
Min.
Max.
on-board on-board

Date of
intro.

5162

10/85

3
5 1/4

BASIC compiler in PROM, up to two optional5 1/4FD with 160 KB/diskette, the max. on-board memory was increased to 256 KB in 3/83.
Several further models followed with enhanced features.

Baby AT

84-Key keyboard.
101-Key keyboard.

Figure 1.1: Main features of early IBM/PCs

1. Predecessors (2)

ROM

RAM
16-64 kbyte
or
64-256 kbyte

5x ISA/16

Casette
Keyboard

DMA
vezrl

Parallel Intel 8088

I/O
CPU

PC

8087 arithm.
proc. socket

Figure 1.2: The motherboard of the IBM PC

Source: http://www.tomh.net/museum/mobo/pccassif.html

1. Predecessors (3)

fc

Motherboard size

8-bit

16-bit

Inches

no

yes

372*180

332*333

yes

8.6"*13"

330*218

DIPP

yes

8.6"*13"

330*218

DIPP

yes

~12"*10"

302*256

Designation

Proc.
type

Compaq Portable 1

11/82

8088

4.77

128 KB

256 KB

Compaq Portable Plus

10/83

8088

4.77

128 KB

640 KB

Compaq Deskpro

6/84

80286

128 KB

640 KB

DIPP

Compaq Desktop 286

4/85

80286

256 KB

2125 KB

DIPP

Compaq Portable 286

4/85

80286

256 KB

640 KB

Compaq Portable II

2/86

80286

128 KB

640 KB

Compaq Deskpro 386

9/86

80386

16

Mhz

Memory size
Min.
Max.
on-board
on-board

No. of ISA slots

Date of
intro.

Memory
Type

Chipset

Soldered
no

IDE

Remarks
mm

The Compaq Portable delivered 3/83 was the first 100x compalible IBM/PC clone.

Baby AT

Figure 1.3: Main features of early COMPAQ PCs

2. Main types of motherboards

2.1. Overview (1)
AT
8/84

LPX 2
Enhanced
version

1987

Chipsets

ATX w/riser 5

NLX4
11/96

12/99

Slim
boxes

Baby AT 1

ATX3

Enhanced
version

~1985

BTX7

Efficient
cooling

8/95

Value
oriented

microBTX 7

microATX 6
1/98

Value
oriented

picoBTX7
9/03

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

00

Baby AT: Smaller board size through higher integrated components (chip sets)

Non-standardized slimline design with a central mounted riser card allowing 2-3 expansion slots

Through better component arrangement reduced cost and EMI emission, integrated AGP (from version 2.02 on)

Standardized, improved slimline design with an edge mounted riser card, integrated AGP

Low cost slimline ATX design by using a riser card with 2-3 expansion slots

Reduced size low cost ATX design with up to four expansion slots
In-line core layout to improve system cooling with scalable board dimensions

01

02

03

04

05

Figure 2.1: Genealogy of major form factors

2.1. Overview (2)

PCI

AT
8/84

LPX 2

ATX w/riser 5

NLX4

1987

11/96

12/99

ATX3

Baby AT
~1985

BTX7

8/95

microBTX 7

microATX 6
1/98

picoBTX7
9/03

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

Figure 2.2: Introducing new types of system architectures

99

00

01

02

03

04

05

ISA

EISA

8.33 MHz
8/16-bit

8.33 MHz
32-bit

1987

88

89

PCI

PCI v.2

PCI v.2.11

33 MHz 33 MHz
32-bit
64-bit

90

91

92

93

33/66 MHz
32/64-bit

94

Figure 2.3: Introducing the PCI bus

1995

2.1. Overview (2)

PCI

AT

HUB architecture

8/84

LPX

ATX w/riser

NLX

1987

11/96

Baby AT

12/99

ATX

~1985

BTX

8/95

microBTX

microATX
1/98

picoBTX
9/03

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

Figure 2.2: Introducing new types of system architectures

99

00

01

02

03

04

05

PCI architecture

HUB architecture

System contr.

MCH
PCI

Perif. contr.

ICH

ISA

Figure 2.4: Contrasting the PCI and the HUB architectures

PCI

2.1. Overview (3)

SIMM/72

AT

DIMM/168

8/84

LPX

ATX w/riser

NLX

1987

11/96

Baby AT

12/99

ATX

~1985

BTX

8/95

microBTX

microATX
1/98

picoBTX
9/03

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

Figure 2.5: Introducing new types of memory modules

00

01

02

03

04

05

2.1. Overview (4)

PCI

AT

ATA
AGP
USB LPC

8/84

LPX

AC 97

ATX w/riser

NLX

1987

11/96

Baby AT

PCI-E
SATA

12/99

ATX

~1985

BTX

8/95

microBTX

microATX
1/98

picoBTX
9/03

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

Figure 2.6: Introducing new types of buses

99

00

01

02

03

04

05

2.1. Overview (5)

Date of
intro.
AT

Type of
strandard

Typ. nr. of
I/O-slots

8/84

Quasi-standard

Baby AT

~1985

Quasi-standard

LPX (Western Digital)

~1987

NLX

Typical board measures (W*D)

inches
mm

Case

12"*13.8"

305*350

Full AT, Full Tower

7/8

8.6"*13" (~9"-13")

218*330 (~229-330)

Baby AT

Quasi-standard

3/4

9"*13" (~9"-13")

229*330 (~229-330)

Slimline

11/96

Standard

3/4

(8"-9")*(10"-13.6")

(203-229)*(254-345)

Slimline

ATX

8/95

Standard

12"*9.6" (~7"-9.6")

305*244 (~178-244)

ATX

MicroATX

1/98

Standard

9.6"*9.6"

244*244

MicroATX

ATX with riser

12/99

Standard

2/3

12"*9.6" (~7"-9.6")

305*244 (~178-244)

Slimline

MicroATX with riser

12/99

Standard

2/3

9.6"*9.6"

244*244

Slimline

BTX

9/03

Standard

12.8"*10.5"

325*267

BTX

MicroBTX

9/03

Standard

10.4"*10.5"

264*267

MicroBTX

PicoBTX

9/03

Standard

8"*10.5"

203*267

PicoBTX

W: Maximum allowable width

D: Maximum allowable depth

Figure 2.7: Salient features of major form factors

2.2. AT (1)

8/16-bit
ISA slots

305

DIPP

CPU
(286)

KBD
KBD
PC

350

Figure 2.8: Layout of an AT-motherboard

2.2. AT (2)
DRAM
512 Kbyte

2x 8 bit/
5x 16 bit
ISA

8087 arithm.
proc. socket
Keyboard

PC

Intel 8088
CPU

Figure 2.9: The motherboard of the IBM PC/AT

Source:http://library.thinkquest.org/18268/photos.htm

2.2. AT (3)

This is a Western Digital Disk Drive Interface Card.

This is a Case Interface, both parallel and serial.

Figure 2.10: Adapter cards of the IBM PC/AT

Source:http://library.thinkquest.org/18268/photos.htm

2.3. Baby AT (1)

KBD

Power connectorPC

244

8/16-bit ISA slots

SIMM/30

L2 cache DIPP

CPU
(386)

218

Figure 2.11: Layout of an early Baby AT-motherboard

2.3. Baby AT (2)

KBD

FD

HD

230

PC

PCI/32 slots
SIMM/72
ISA/16 slots

CPU
(Pentium)

L2 cache

218

Figure 2.12: Layout of a late Baby AT-motherboard

2.3. Baby AT (3)

3x PCI/32

PC

System
contr.

4x SIMM/72

3x ISA/16

FD

L2

CPU
Periph.
contr.

IDE

Figure 2.13: Example: A Pentium-based late Baby AT-motherboard

2.4. LPX (1)

PCI/32

ISA/16

I/O
connector
s

PC

330
Riser
card

HD
FD

RAM
SIMM/72

CP U
m
Pentiu

DIPP
L2
cache

229

Figure 2.14: Layout of an LPX-motherboard

2.4. LPX (2)

Figure 2.15: Example: A Pentium-based LPX-motherboard (The PB680 from Packard Bell)
source: http://www.geocities.com/anotherpackardbellsite/en_pb_carte680.htm#1

2.5. ATX (1)

1 Double-high expandable I/O

Figure 2.16: Layout principles of an ATX case

Source: ATX Specification v. 2.01,
Source: http://www.berkprod.com/docs/atx_201.pdf

MIDI/Game port

MIDI/Game port

USB
VGA
Line Out

COM1

Line In Mic In

Figure 2.17: Double height connectors of an ATX motherboard

Source: ABIT SL6 Userss Manual
http://www.abit.com.tw

PS/2 Mouse
PS/2 Keyb.

2.5. ATX (1)

1 Double-high expandable I/O

2 One chassis fan

3 Processor

located
near power supply
7 Six

full-length slots

4 One power connector

5 Connectors close to
peripheral bays

6 Easy to access
system memory

Figure 2.18: Layout principles of an ATX case

Source: ATX Specification v. 2.01,
Source: http://www.berkprod.com/docs/atx_201.pdf

2.5. ATX (2)

ATX

Baby AT

AT

Figure 2.19: Placement of the mounting holes on the AT, Baby AT, and ATX motherboards
Source: ATX Specification v. 2.01,
Source: http://www.berkprod.com/docs/atx_201.pdf

2.5. ATX (3)

Main types of ATX motherboards

Early
PCI-based

Late
PCI-based

Early
port-based

Mature
port-based

Serial
port-based

Chipset

430

440

81x/82x

84x/86x

915

Processor

Pentium

PentiumII/
PentiumIII
(slot 1)

PentiumIII

Pentium4

Pentium4
Prescott

Typ.
Memory
I/O

SIMM/72

DIMM/168

IDE/ATA
USB
AGP
PCI-E
Example

Example

Example

Example

2.5. ATX (4)

Early port
based

Serial port
based
Mature port
based

Late PCI
based
AT
8/84

LPX 2
1987

11/96

Baby AT 1

85

12/99

ATX3

~1985

84

ATX w/riser 5

NLX4

8/95

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

Figure 2.20: Main types of ATX motherboards

00

01

02

03

04

05

2.5. ATX (5)

USB

I/O connector

PC
PC

186

Slot1 (Pentium II/III)

PCI/32
AGP

DIMM/168
ISA/16

HD
FD

305

Figure 2.21: Layout of a late PCI-based ATX-motherboard

2.5. ATX (6)

3x ISA/16

4x PCI/32

AGP

ATX connectors

CPU
(Slot1)

System
contr.
PC

4x DIMM/168

BIOS
Peripherial
contr.

Battery

F
D

IDE

Figure 2.22: A late PCI-based motherboard for PentiumIIs (MSIs MS-6111)

(Based on Intels 440LX chipset for slot 1 processors (1997)
Source: http://www.msi.com.tw/program/support/download

2.5. ATX (7)

USB

I/O connector

CPU
(Pentium III)

PC
PC

186

PCI/32
AGP

DIMM/168
ISA/16

HD
FD

305

Figure 2.23: Layout of an early port based ATX-motherboard for Pentium III/Pentium4 processors.

2.5. ATX (8)

CNR

5x PCI/32

ATX connectors

AGP

PC
MCH

CPU

Battery

3x DIMM
BIOS

ICH
IDE

FD

Figure 2.24: Early, port based ATX motherboard for Pentium IIIs (Abits SL6)
(based on Intels 815 chipset)
Source: http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb

2.5. ATX (9)

4x PCI/32

AGP

ATX connectors

Battery

CPU
(P4)

BIOS

4x DIMM/168
ICH
F
D

MCH

PC
IDE

Fgure 2.25: Mature port-based ATX motherboard for Pentium4 processors (Intels D865PERL)
Source: http://www.intel.com/products/motherboard/d865perl/index.htm

2.5. ATX (10)

I/O connector

PCI E. x1

244
PCI/32

CPU
(Pentium 4)

PCI E. x16
HD

DIMM/168

SATA
PC

FD

305

Figure 2.26: Layout of a serial-port based ATX-motherboard for Pentium4 Prescott processors.

2.5. ATX (11)

PCI Ex16
BIOS

2x PCI Ex1

MCH
(915P/G)

3x PCI/32

P4 Prescott
Bat

IDE RAID c.
(VIA 6410)
IHC6/6R
4x DIMM
2x USB
Syst. monitoring
2xIDE

4x SATA

IDE

PS

FD

Figure 2.27: Serial port-based ATX-motherboard for Pentium4 Prescotts (MSIs 915G Combo)
http://www.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=3191326

2.6. NLX (1)

PCI/32

HD

FD

I/O
connectors

PC

ISA/16

AGP
Riser
card

330
Slot1
(Pentium
II/III)
SIMM/168

229

Figure 2.28: Layout of an NLX-motherboard

2.6. NLX (2)

Figure 2.29: View of an NLX-motherboard

Source: Intel Corporation, Intel NLX Form Factor
http://www.intel.com

2.7. BTX (1)

Figure 2.30: Overview of BTX-motherboard sizes

Source: Shimpi A.L., Balanced Technology eXtended (BTX) Form Factor Sept. 2003
http://www.anandtech.com/

2.7. BTX (2)

I/O connector

PCI E. x1

H
IC

SATA
HD

PCI/32

267
PCI E. x16
MCH
FD
DIPP/168

CPU
(Pentium4)
PC

325

Figure 2.31: Layout of a micro BTXmotherboard

2.7. BTX (3)

ATX connectors

PC

PCI-X/64

ICH

PCI

IDE

4x DIMM/168

MCH
FD

CPU

Figure 2.32: A micro BTX-motherboard (Intels D915GMH)

http://www.intel.com/design/motherbd/mh

2.7. BTX (4)

Figure 2.33: Temperature distribution in the example motherboard

Source: Shimpi A.L., Balanced Technology eXtended (BTX) Form Factor Sept. 2003
http://www.anandtech.com/

3. Server/workstation motherboards (1)

Figure 3.1: Block diagram of a pserial port-based entry level server motherboard ( P8SCT)
Source:http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/P4/E7221/P8SCT.cfm

3. Server/workstation motherboards (2)

IDE

PCI-X
64bit

4x DIMM

2x GbE

ATX connectors

PCI
MCH
E7221

ICH
IPMI

CPU

IDE

Figure 3.2: Example: A P4-based ATX-board for entry-level servers (The P8SCT from Supermicro)
Source:http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/P4/E7221/P8SCT.cfm

3. Server/workstation motherboards (3)

IPMI: Intelligent Platform Management Interface
(Intel, HP, DELL, NEC)

Set of common hardware and firmware interfaces to manage the system remotely

Operates independently of the OS

Operates even in the absence of the OS or if the monitored system is not powered on

Alerts can be sent out via a serial or LAN connection to a remote client (from v. 1.5 on)

It allows to query platform status, to review hardware logs, etc.

IPMI consists of a main controller, called BMC (Baseboard Management Controller)

and other satellite controllers.

3. Server/workstation motherboards (4)

Remote
Mgmt. Card

MODEM
/ Serial

LAN

ICMB

Bridge
Controller

sideband

Mgmt
Netwk
Ctrlr

RS-232

Baseboard
SMBus/PCI Mgmt. Bus
Mgmt.
Controller
I2C/SMBus
(BMC)
PCI

Baseboard
Baseboard

Satellite
Mgmt.
Controller

IPMB (I2C)

SENSORs
& control
circuitry

NV Store
SDR,
SEL,
FRU

System Interface
System Bus

IPMI Messages

Figure 3.2: IPMI Architecture

Source:http://www.intel.com/design/servers/ipmi

sensors
& control
circuitry

I2C / SMBus

Aux. IPMB

FRU SEEPROM

Chassis
Chassis

3. Server/workstation motherboards (5)

Figure 3.3:Blockdiagram of a serial port based DP-server (Intels SE7525GP2)

Source: http://www.intel.com/products/server/motherboard

3. Server/workstation motherboards (6)

ICH

HW management
PCI-X 64-bit

IDE

PRO/1000 server
adapter
PCI Expr. x8
PCI
PCI Expr. x16
MCH
(I7525)
Registered
ECC DDR
Dual
Processor

ATX
connectors

Figure 3.4: Serial port based DP-server board of ATX style (Intels SE7525GP2)
Source: http://www.intel.com/products/server/motherboard

4. Overview of the evolution of motherboards (1)

On card 1

On-board 2

By the chipset

Examples:
VGA controller
IDE/ATA controller
1
2

On an ISA/PCI adapter card

By dedicated controller chips on the motherboard

Figure 4.1: Evolution of the implementation of I/O controllers

4. Overview of the evolution of motherboards (2)

ATX w/riser
~2000

NLX
~1997

Form factors of
announced
motherboards

LPX
~1987

AT

ATX

8/84

~1996

Baby AT
~1985

microATX
~1998

BTX
microBTX
picoBTX
~2004

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

00

01

02

Figure 4.2: Estimated use of form factors in announced motherboards

03

04

05

4. Overview of the evolution of motherboards (3)

ATX w/riser
~2000

NLX
~1997

Formfactors of
announced
motherboards

LPX
~1987

AT

ATX

8/84

~1996

Baby AT
~1985

microATX
~1998

BTX
microBTX
picoBTX
~2004

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

00

01

02

03

8088
6/79

286
2/82

386
10/85

486
4/89

Processors used
in the motherboards

Pentium
3/93

Pentium Pro
11/95

Pentium II
5/97

Pentium III
3/99

Pentium 4
11/00

Figure 4.3: Estimated use of supported processor types in announced motherboards

04

05

4. Overview of the evolution of motherboards (4)

ATX w/riser
~2000

NLX
~1997

LPX
~1987

AT

Formfactors of
announced
motherboards

ATX

8/84

~1996

Baby AT
~1985

microATX
~1998

BTX
microBTX
picoBTX
~2004

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

00

01

02

03

04

05

DRAM
1981

FPM
~1987

EDO

DRAM technology
and packaging

1995

SDRAM
~1996

DIPP
1981

RDRAM
2000

SIPP/30
~1983

SIMM/30
~1984

SIMM/72
~1989

DIMM/168
1995

Figure 4.4: Estimated use of DRAM technology and packaging style in announced motherboards

4. Overview of the evolution of motherboards (5)

ATX w/riser
~2000

NLX
~1997

LPX
~1987

AT

Formfactors of
announced
motherboards

ATX

8/84

~1996

Baby AT
~1985

microATX
~1998

BTX
microBTX
picoBTX
~2004

79

80

81

82

83

84

16

1981

1984

ISA

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

PCI
1992

93

94

95

96

97

98

v2.0

v2.1

v2.2

1993

1995

1998

99

00

01

02

03

04

v2.3
2002

PCI-X
2004

2000

USB

PCI-E

1.0

2.0

1996

2002

2004

LPC

Supported I/O

1997
2x

4x

8x

1997

1999

2002

AGP
SCSI
~1991

ATA
1991?

Implemented on-board
Implemented on-chipset

ATA-2
1995

ATA/33

ATA/66 ATA/100
1999

1997

2000

SATA

1.0

2003

MbE
1991?

GbE
2002

AC/97
1999

2000

2001

Figure 4.5: Estimated I/O-support in announced motherboards

05