BUS Architecture

[zulkafilabbas]

Our instructor gave us an assignment to locate certain parts on a motherboard  and/or computer. Certain peripherals and components are really easy to locate but I was having trouble locating some stuff that we're required to find, specifically the actual 'buses' or their traces on any motherboard. I was wondering if someone could help me out with the following;

 

1. Local I/O controller [i'm assuming its within the processor itself?]

2. System BUS [A labeled trace would help out a lot]

3. Serial?

4. Cache Bridge [Once again its in the processor? If so a labeled figure would help out a lot]

5. Expansion BUS interface.

6. Expansion BUS / High speed bus. [Where are the traces on the motherboard? Any general characteristics which can help me locate them?]

 

Appreciate any help that you guys can provide. Thanks :) 

[SMURG]

Are you after a picture of a motherboard with lines to show where each thing is? If so, for expansion bus surely all you need to do is find the PCI(e)/AGP slots and follow those traces... That's basically the expansion bus I would think, depending how in-depth you need to go.

For serial, again, simply locate the serial ports and if required follow the traces? The most common serial connectors I've seen look like VGA, or are pink and kind of 'stretched' versions - as here: http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&docid=1d3C5wKq2Q3NnM&tbnid=xnibiT1FfDcdgM:&ved=0CAUQjBwwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdev.emcelettronica.com%2Ffiles%2Fnode_images%2Fserial-port-comunication.jpg&ei=4vCtUeDqCcn40gWI64CwDw&psig=AFQjCNE-Dpr-RdOz0_iwoDfUVEgEhZa-2A&ust=1370440290209455 (green and pink are serial I believe, blue is VGA) but I think there are internal headers which look similar to USB 2.0/IDE internal headers too.

Can't help you with the cache bridge or local I/O controller, but if memory serves me the system bus is what connects the CPU and RAM so that should give you some idea where that is.

[Samdb]

Why do you need to know which traces are which? Unless you are engineering motherboards you don't really need to know it.

[Glenwing]

Why do you need to know which traces are which? Unless you are engineering motherboards you don't really need to know it.

 

Because that's his assignment in his class, lol

[Samdb]

Because that's his assignment in his class, lol

Then his class is silly :3

[zulkafilabbas]

Are you after a picture of a motherboard with lines to show where each thing is? If so, for expansion bus surely all you need to do is find the PCI(e)/AGP slots and follow those traces... That's basically the expansion bus I would think, depending how in-depth you need to go.

For serial, again, simply locate the serial ports and if required follow the traces? The most common serial connectors I've seen look like VGA, or are pink and kind of 'stretched' versions - as here: http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&docid=1d3C5wKq2Q3NnM&tbnid=xnibiT1FfDcdgM:&ved=0CAUQjBwwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdev.emcelettronica.com%2Ffiles%2Fnode_images%2Fserial-port-comunication.jpg&ei=4vCtUeDqCcn40gWI64CwDw&psig=AFQjCNE-Dpr-RdOz0_iwoDfUVEgEhZa-2A&ust=1370440290209455 (green and pink are serial I believe, blue is VGA) but I think there are internal headers which look similar to USB 2.0/IDE internal headers too.

Can't help you with the cache bridge or local I/O controller, but if memory serves me the system bus is what connects the CPU and RAM so that should give you some idea where that is.

I needed the motherboard traces as in the actual 'BUSES' local and the ones on the motherboard, not the peripheral connectors. Thanks for your help though :)

 

 

Why do you need to know which traces are which? Unless you are engineering motherboards you don't really need to know it.

Its an Engineering course :D