GSBUG Hardware Info SIG April 11, 2002. 2 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Agenda – April 11, 2002 7:00 –...

GSBUG Hardware Info SIG

April 11, 2002

April 11, 2002 2


Agenda – April 11, 20027:00 – 7:05 Administration7:05 – 8:15 Featured Topic – System RAM plus

Motherboard Features Beyond Core Logic (Chipsets)8:15 – 8:30 Hardware News8:30 – 8:55 Random Access (Q&A)8:55 – 9:00 Recap, Preview, and Close

April 11, 2002 3


AdministrationWelcome! Please Sign In.What the SIG is…and is not.

Is – an information resource for computer users and potential computer users

Is NOT – a way to get your computer built or repaired (contact the GSBUG Daytime Hardware SIG)

Log – Random Access/Q&A (First Come…)

April 11, 2002 4


Administration (continued):Presentation materials will be posted at:http://gsbug.apcug.org

Prior presentation materials are also posted.

April 11, 2002 5


System RAM “System RAM” – the random access memory (RAM)

used by the CPU for instruction and data purposes. “DRAM” – dynamic RAM (only retains data when

power is applied/refreshed)Primary types:

SDRAM (synchronous DRAM)RDRAM (Rambus DRAM) or DRDRAM (Direct Rambus

DRAM)

April 11, 2002 6

GSBUG Hardware Info SIGSystem RAM (continued)CAS Latency (CL) – definition per Crucial

Technology (division of Micron): “The amount of time in nanoseconds (often measured in

clock cycles) between a request to read the memory, and when it is actually output. SDRAMs are typically referred to as CL 2 or CL 3, with CL 2 parts being faster.”

Today, frequently also CL 2.5Unbuffered vs Registered vs Registered ECC –

consult your motherboard manual for what you need. For the curious, see http://www.crucial.com/library/glossary.asp

April 11, 2002 7


System RAM (continued)SDRAM

All types with 64-bit wide data pathPC100

100MHz (800MB/sec transfer rate – 8 bytes x 100MHz) 168-pin DIMM

PC133 133MHz (1.06GB/sec transfer rate) Requires 133MHz data bus (chipset support) Supported by all the current SDR SDRAM chipsets 168-pin DIMM

April 11, 2002 8


System RAM (continued)SDRAM (continued)

DDR (double data rate) SDRAM Currently 100/200MHz, 133/266MHz, and 166/333MHz 1.6GB/sec (PC1600), 2.1GB/sec (PC2100), and 2.7GB/sec

(PC2700) transfer rates, respectively Sometimes referred to as PC200, PC266, and PC333 DDR

SDRAM, respectively Requires DDR chipset support – see last presentation (on Core

Logic/Chipsets); varies by chipset 184-pin DIMM

April 11, 2002 9


System RAM (continued)RDRAM

16-bit wide data pathThree speed grades - current:

PC600 (600MHz – 1.2GB/sec transfer rate) – seldom seen PC700 (711MHz – 1.4GB/sec transfer rate) – seldom seen PC800 (800MHz – 1.6GB/sec transfer rate)

PC1066 (1066MHz – 2.1GB/sec) – sampling now184-pin RIMMs (Rambus In-Line Memory Modules)Requires “Continuity RIMM (CRIMM)” in empty sockets

April 11, 2002 10


System RAM (continued)RDRAM (continued)

Compatible chipsets – currently only Intel 850 and 860NOW priced roughly on par (possibly lower than) quality

DDR SDRAM; higher than PC100/PC133Performance – depending on the configuration and

application, faster than other forms of DRAM (PC800 is equivalent to PC3200 DDR SDRAM in max transfer rate – 2 Bytes, 800MHz, dual channel).

April 11, 2002 11

GSBUG Hardware Info SIGOther Motherboard Features “Slots”

AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) 32-bits wide, capable of 66MHz(1X) to 266MHz(4X) 264MB/sec (1X) to 1.06GB/sec (4X) transfer rate Video cards only. Brown connector.

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) - typical 32-bits wide, capable of 33MHz (desktop) 132MB/sec transfer rate (desktop) Used for older video cards; current HDCs, sound cards,

modems, and NICs; various specialty adapters. White connector.

April 11, 2002 12

GSBUG Hardware Info SIGOther Motherboard Features (continued) “Slots” (continued)

PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) - other 32-bits wide, 66MHz (desktop/server); 64-bit wide, 33 or 66MHz

(workstations and servers) Up to 528MB/sec Used for HDCs, NICs, and some specialty adapters

ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) 16-bits wide, typically capable of 8.33MHz 16MB/sec transfer rate Typical used for older sound cards, modems and NICs Black connector.

April 11, 2002 13


Other Motherboard Features (continued) “Ports”

Serial (1 or 2 ports typ)Parallel (ECP/EPP; 1 port typ)PS/2 (2 ports – keyboard and mouse)

April 11, 2002 14


Other Motherboard Features (continued) “Ports” (continued)

USB (Universal Serial Bus) – chipset dependant Three speed:

Low speed = 1.5Mb/sec (.187MB/sec) – USB 1.1 Full speed = 12Mb/sec (1.5MG/sec) – USB 1.1 High speed = 480 Mb/sec (60MB/sec) – USB 2.0

Attach up to 127 devices – including mice, keyboards, cameras, printers, ZIPs, some HDD, etc.

Number of ports varies – min 2. Combos of USB 1.1 and 2.0. For “outside the box” devices

April 11, 2002 15


Other Motherboard Features (continued) “Ports” (continued)

Audio (sound “card”, down) – line in, line out, mic, joy stick(MIDI port)

Video (for video “card”, down) NIC (network interface “card”, down)

Typically “10/100” (Mb/sec) IEEE 1394 (“firewire”, iLink)

Today provides a maximum 400Mb/sec (50MB/sec) transfer rate (1394-1995). For “outside the box” devices.

Typically used to connect digital video cameras, HDDs.

April 11, 2002 16


Other Motherboard Features (continued)Other Interfaces, Misc.

Internal connectors – floppy, IDE, SCSIUSB header(s) IrDA (infrared) headerCD-ROM (sound) – 1 or 2Wake-on-LANSMBus (System Management Bus)Fan headers

April 11, 2002 17


Other Motherboard Features (continued)Other Interfaces, Misc. (continued)

Panel lights (power, HD activity, sleep) & switches (power, reset, sleep)

Jumpers and/or DIP switches (CMOS clear/flash, CPU multiplier, CPU voltage, bus speeds, keyboard power-on, suspend-to-RAM, etc.)

Power (ATX, ATX12V, WTX, proprietary)Show-and-Tell

April 11, 2002 18

GSBUG Hardware Info SIGHardware NewsProcessors

Intel released the 2.4GHz Pentium 4 – simple line extension.Core Logic (chipsets)

SiS released the SiS 645DX Northbridge – adds DDR333 support to the SiS 645; for Intel P4; “OC” to 533MHz FSB

SiS announced the SiS 648 Northbridge – adds DDR 400 and AGP 8X support to the SiS 645DX.

April 11, 2002 19

GSBUG Hardware Info SIGHardware News (continued)System RAM – nothing newMotherboards – nothing newGraphics processor & card – nothing newHard Drives – nothing newHard Drive Controllers

Promise announced the FastTrak 2000 – IDE RAID for Ultra ATA/133 hard drives

April 11, 2002 20


Hardware News (continued)Other Drives

Plextor introduced the PlexCombo 12/10/40-12A drive - 12x10x40 CD-RW with 12X DVD read; ATAPI

TDK introduced 40x12x48 CD-RW drives with ATAPI and USB 2.0 interfacesSound processors & cards – nothing newModems & NICs – nothing newChassis & power supplies – nothing new

April 11, 2002 21


Random Access (Q&A)

April 11, 2002 22


Recap, Preview, and CloseRecapPreview

Featured Topic for May 9 – Hard Drives and “Floppies”Close (please police up the area)

GSBUG Hardware Info SIG April 11, 2002. 2 GSBUG Hardware Info SIG Agenda – April 11, 2002 7:00 –...

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