Daniel Thompson
10/17/14
Computer Structure and Logic
The major compenents of a motherboard are the processor (CPU). This is the 'brain' of the computer and is the chip where all the computing is done. Next is the memory. This is where the computer stores information while it is working on it. Computer memory these days is typically installed on long, narrow boards called SIMMs, or "Single Inline Memory Modules" into matching sockets. Next is the "Chipset". This is a loosely coined term that may refer to one chip or a whole set of them. The Chipset is a link between the processor and the outside world, and handles things like controlling the hard drives, the USB ports, the keyboard and mouse, generates the sounds the computer makes, and sometimes even creates the pictures you see on the screen. Next are the expansion slots. These are connectors that allow you to attach additional "cards" on the computer, such as video cards, sound cards, modems, and add abilities to your computer that the motherboard doesn't provide. Some types of slots in use today called "PCI" or "PCI-E" slots. Next is the "IO" bank. This is a set of connectors that allows you to connect various devices to your computer, such as your keyboard, monitor, mouse, hard drives, flash drives, printers, and connect your computer to a network.
Why an improvement would be limited is because the motherboard is not new, and is therefore limited to what it came with. It is best to get an entirely new system for a more noticeable upgrade.
The reason for all the different busses on a motherboard is because your system would take a performance hit if all of the various subsystems used the same bus. There would be contention. In the earlier days of computing, small systems were designed around a single bus.
32-bit busses can still be needed for older systems, or if your motherboard requires that you have a