Expansion Slots and Bus Types

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Expansion Slots and Bus Types
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Expansion Slots

• A slot located inside a computer on the
  motherboard or riser board
• Allows additional boards to be connected to it

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Expansion Slots

• Listing of some of the expansion slots commonly
  found in IBM compatible computers as well as
  other brands of computers and a graphic
  illustration of a motherboard and its expansion
  slots.
• AGP Accelerated Graphics Port (for video cards)
• ISA Industry Standard Architecture (8 or 16 bit)
• AMR Audio Model Riser
• CNR Communications Network Riser
• PCI Peripheral Component Interconnect (32 or 64
  bit)
• PCIe PCI Express (x1, x2, x4, x8, x16, x32)
• Mini-PCI PCI for laptops (100 or 124 pins)

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ISA Expansion Slots

• Industry Standard Architecture (ISA)
• Originally an 8 bit bus that was later expanded
  to a 16 bit bus

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AGP

• Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP)
• PCI slot dedicated to video only
• Brown colored connector found on modern
  motherboards

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AMR Expansion Slot

• Audio/Modem Riser (AMR) allows OEMs (Original
  Equipment Manufacturer) to create one card that
  has the functionality of either Modem or Audio or
  both Audio and Modem on one card.

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Other Expansion Slots

• Communication and Network Riser (CNR)
• Supports networking, wireless communication,
  sound, or modem functions.
• Extended Industry Standard Architecture, (EISA),
• Also known as Extended ISA
• For IBM and IBM compatible computers
• EISA bus is found on Intel 80836, 80486 and early
  Pentium computers.
• EISA bus is not commonly used or found

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PCI Expansion Slots

• Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI)
• 32 bit computer bus that is also available as a
  64 bit bus today. 
• Most commonly used and found bus in computers
  today.
• Originally developed by Intel as an expansion to
  the ISA bus.
• PCI devices are self-configuring (now known as
  Plug and Play

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PCI-X

• Answers the need for speed
• 64 bit wide bus
• Available in Macintosh systems
• Backward compatible with PCI
• Comes in 4 speeds (PCI-X 66, PCI-X 133, PCI-X
  266, PCI-X 533).

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PCI Express (PCIe)

• Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe)
• Has its own prioritizing switches that route data
  from point to point.
• Provides a serial full-duplex (receive and send
  data at the same time) method of transmission.
• Provides one lane for transmission (x1).
• Can use multiple lanes for transmission (x2, x4,
  x8, x16, x32).
• Backward compatible with legacy PCI cards.
• Commonly used for video cards.
• Lanes up to 2 gbps

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Mini PCI

• For small form factor computers (ie laptops).
• Support mini PCI cards that come in 100 or 124
  pins).
• Usually located on the side of a laptop.
• Very popular with wireless cards.
• Designed to use low power and lay flat

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System Resources
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System Resources

• Expansion cards and the CPU need some way to
  communicate
• System resources help to define how this
  communication occurs
• I/O addresses
• IRQs
• DMA channels
• Memory addresses

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I/O Addresses

• All devices must have an I/O address (unique
  address for devices)
• Devices must use different I/O addresses

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Interrupts (IRQ)

• The CPU can initiate a conversation with any
  device at will
• Any device may talk to the CPU but how does a
  device get the CPUs attention?
• Devices use the interruption mechanism to gain
  the attention of the CPU by placing a voltage on
  a special wire called the INT (interrupt) wire

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Interrupts (IRQ)

• Devices use IRQs (Interrupt Requests)
• Separate IRQ for each device
• I/O Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller
  (IOAPIC) Chip on motherboard that manages IRQs.
  Uses special wires that run to all devices on the
  expansion bus.
• IRQs numbered 0 through 23
• Used to be only 16
• Open IRQs are unassigned
• Plug and Play assigns IRQs to new devices as
  needed

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COM and LPT Ports

• Comunication Line Printer (LPT) ports
• IBM created standard preset combinations of IRQs
  and I/O addresses
• The COM port and LPT port preset combinations
  listed in table

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Direct Memory Access (DMA)

• Direct Memory Access (DMA) is the process of
  accessing memory without using the CPU
• It enables the system to run background
  applications without interrupting the CPU

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Bus Mastering

• Bus masters are devices that use the DMA without
  accessing the 8237 or CPU
• Circuitry allows them to watch for other devices
  accessing the external data bus
• No two devices can use the external data bus at
  the same time
• They can detect an potential conflict and get out
  of the way.
• Extremely popular in hard drives
• All EIDE hard drives take advantage of bus
  mastering
• Floppy drives still use the old DMA

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Memory Addresses

• Memory address in RAM/ROM that a device is going
  to use.
• Some (not all) cards need memory addresses. Can
  use onboard card or motherboard RAM).
• Must be unique

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Installing Expansion Cards
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Steps to Installing Expansion Cards

• Knowledge
• Physical installation
• Device drivers
• Verify

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Step 1 Knowledge

• Learn about the device by reading the
  documentation
• Do you have device drivers for your operating
  system (Windows, Linux, etc.)
• Does the device work with your operating system?
• Check the Windows Marketplace for Windows
• http//testedproducts.windowsmarketplace.com
• Devices on this list have been certified by
  Microsoft to work with Windows

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Step 2 Physical Installation

• Install the card
• Hold the card on its edges dont touch
  connectors or the components on the card
• Insert at the proper angle
• Use the connection screw which helps
  to ground the card and prevent card
  creep
• Use proper ESD procedures

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Step 3 Device Drivers

• All devices require BIOS, which for expansion
  cards is almost always a device driver
• Devices will come with device drivers on the
  installation CD
• It is recommended that you get the latest drivers
  from the manufacturers web site
• Which one first?
• Driver or Device?
• Usually device first
• If USB or Firewire, driver first

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Removing the Driver

• Alt-click on the device in Device Manager and
  choose Update Driver
• Choose Uninstall to remove the current driver
• May also be able to uninstall via Add/Remove
  Programs

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Unsigned Drivers

• Manufacturers submit drivers and devices to
  Microsoft for testing
• Once tested and verified, they are digitally
  signed
• Unsigned drivers give a warning
• Drivers that havent been tested may still work
  finedespite the scary message

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Installing the New Driver

• Use the CD that came with the device
• May install extra unwanted programs
• Use the Add Hardware Wizard in Control Panel

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Driver Rollback

• Alt-click the device in Device Manager and choose
  Properties, then the Driver tab
• If youve installed the wrong driver you can
  rollback to the previous driver

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Step 4 Verify

• Check the device properties in Device Manager to
  verify it is working properly

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Troubleshooting Expansion Cards
IT Technician
CompTIA AIT Technician
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Device Manager

• Check for the device in Device Manager
• Alt-click My Computer?Properties ?Hardware tab
  ?Device Manager
• If the device does not show up in Device Manager
• Run the Add/Remove Hardware Wizard in Control
  Panel
• If it still doesnt show up, the device is
  damaged or it is a legacy device whose system
  resources are not configured properly

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Device Manager Symbols

• Black ! on a yellow circle
• Device is missing, Windows doesnt recognize it,
  or a device driver problem
• Device may still work
• Red X
• Disabled device enable it
• Damaged device doublecheck work
• Device will not work
• Blue I on a white background
• System resources were configured manually
• Only seen on non-ACPI systems
• Information only - device will work

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Device Manager

• Device Manager allows you to see what resources
  are being used by your devices
• Alt-click My Computer?Properties?Hardware tab
  ?Device Manager button

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The End!!