[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-310971-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":85,"doc-detail-310971-en":134},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":78,"head_meta":80,"extra_data":82,"updated_unix":84},105,"en","motherboard-parts-ga-990fxa-d3-cpu-socket-expansion-slots-io-area-sata-connectors","Motherboard Parts - GA-990FXA-D3 - CPU Socket, Expansion Slots, IO Area, SATA Connectors","","Guide to identifying key motherboard components using an example Gigabyte board (GA-990FXA-D3). Covers the CPU socket and how it is keyed for correct installation, then explains expansion slots and how color-coding and connector keying prevent mismatched card types or wrong slot placement. Describes the rear IO area, including the custom IO shield that blocks dust and EMI, and reviews SATA/IDE/SAS connector placement plus practical notes on port differences for standards and RAID support, using labels and the manual for clarity.",{"@graph":14,"@context":77},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/technology/","Technology",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/motherboard-parts-ga-990fxa-d3-cpu-socket-expansion-slots-io-area-sata-connectors/310971/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/motherboard-parts-ga-990fxa-d3-cpu-socket-expansion-slots-io-area-sata-connectors/310971.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Ophelia","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-09-29","2026-09-20",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",6,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69,73],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"Why does the CPU socket use a keyed design?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"The CPU socket is keyed so the CPU can only be inserted in the correct orientation. This prevents incorrect installation in modern computers.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What is the purpose of expansion slots on a motherboard?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Expansion slots allow the computer’s functionality to be expanded by installing cards such as video, sound, RAID, or network cards. Color-coding and keying help ensure the right connector goes into the right slot.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"How does the IO shield protect the computer’s interior?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"The IO shield sits between the motherboard connectors and the computer case and helps keep out dust and electromagnetic interference (EMI).",{"name":74,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":75},"What should you check when connecting storage devices to SATA ports?",{"text":76,"@type":64},"Check whether different SATA ports support different standards (e.g., SATA 3 vs SATA 2) and note that some RAID functions may require devices to be plugged into specific ports. Use the board labeling or the motherboard manual to identify each connector.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":79,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":81,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":83,"site_id":7},310971,1790029047,{"code":4,"msg":86,"data":87},"success",[88,92,96,100,105,108,113,118,123,126,130],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":97,"show_sort_weight":98,"slug":99},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":101,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":106,"slug":107},50,"technology",{"id":109,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":110,"show_sort_weight":111,"slug":112},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":114,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":115,"show_sort_weight":116,"slug":117},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":119,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":121,"slug":122},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":121,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":121,"slug":125},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":127,"slug":129},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":131,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":132,"show_sort_weight":101,"slug":133},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":86,"data":135},{"doc_id":83,"user_id":136,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":137,"doc_module":4,"category_id":55,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":138,"file_id":139,"file_url":140,"file_type":141,"file_size":142,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":143,"language":144,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":145,"faqs":146,"seo_title":147,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":148,"read_time":149},7971461741311,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/74000253aff267980c6?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1779345379180704826","For the free video please see [http://itfreetraining.com/ap/1b20](http://itfreetraining.com/ap/1b20)  \nIn this video from ITFreeTraining I will look at the basic parts of a motherboard. Understanding the different parts of a motherboard is important for passing the CompTIA exam and also essential when troubleshooting motherboards.  \nMotherboard Parts  \n• GA-990FXA-D3  \n0:13 The best way to start learning about motherboards is to have a look at one. Motherboards need to meet the same standards and so will be designed in similar ways. For this video I will look at a Gigabyte motherboard. By knowing what to look for, you will be able to look at any motherboard and be able to identify where certain components are. If you have trouble finding them, the motherboard manual will usually have a diagram showing where all the components are. The diagram will make it easier to find components on the motherboard.  \nCPU Socket  \n• Keyed so CPU will only go in one way  \n0:44 First, I will look at the CPU socket. The CPU socket has changed over the years, but it should be easy to spot. It is a large square shape. The CPU socket is keyed so the CPU will only go in one way. You will find in modern computers just about everything is keyed nowadays to prevent a plug or component being plugged in incorrectly.  \nIn later videos I will look at putting a computer together, including putting the CPU in. Essentially, the CPU goes into the socket without any force and once in place the lever is moved, locking the CPU into place.  \nExpansion Slots  \n• Color coded and keyed  \nPCI Express x16  \nPCI Express x4  \n1:22 Next, I will look at the expansion slots. The expansion slots, as the name suggests, allows the computer functionality to be expanded. Anything from a video card, sound card, RAID cards and network cards to name a few, can be plugged in an expansion slot.  \nThe slots are color coded and keyed. Keying essentially means that only the one connector can be put into the one slot or plug. It is like not being able to put a square peg into a round hole. In the case of expansion slots, the keying prevents the card being installed the wrong way or into the wrong slot. For example, PCI and ISA are keyed differently, so only a card of that type will go into a slot of that type.  \nManufacturers of motherboards are free to use whatever color they want for each expansion slot. There is no common standard. You will generally find that similar slots will be the same color. In the case of this motherboard, blue is for PCI express by 16. The small white slots are for PCI express by one and the longer white slot is for PCI. The ‘by’ in the name refers to the number of lanes or lines of traffic going to each expansion slot.  \nIn some cases, the same types of slots may be different colors for other reasons. For example, I have seen motherboards where a PCI express by 4 slots are a certain color and the PCI express by 16 are a different color. With this motherboard, you can see that the locking clip is different on PCI express slots. On this motherboard, this indicates the top one is ‘by 16’ and the next one is ‘by 4’. Motherboard manufacturers are free to design the motherboard any way they want, use any locking clip they wish and any color. When you start looking at a motherboard, look for these little subtle things, as placing a video card in the wrong slot may mean it will underperform if it works at all.  \nIO Area  \n• Each motherboard has custom IO Shield  \n• Keeps out dust and electromagnetic interference (EMI)  \n3:20 Next, I am going to look at the IO area. This is usually at the back of the computer and is used to connect devices and peripherals to the computer. For example, USB, audio and network. In the older days of computing, there was only a few standard connections that were found on all computers. For example, keyboard, serial and parallel connections.  \nAs computers developed, the number of connections required increased and different motherboards su","cbCaigiPEPxTSNmu","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaigiPEPxTSNmu","pdf",1289868,11,"English","# Motherboard Parts\n## CPU Socket\n## Expansion Slots\n## IO Area\n## SATA Connectors","[{\"question\":\"Why does the CPU socket use a keyed design?\",\"answer\":\"The CPU socket is keyed so the CPU can only be inserted in the correct orientation. This prevents incorrect installation in modern computers.\"},{\"question\":\"What is the purpose of expansion slots on a motherboard?\",\"answer\":\"Expansion slots allow the computer’s functionality to be expanded by installing cards such as video, sound, RAID, or network cards. Color-coding and keying help ensure the right connector goes into the right slot.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the IO shield protect the computer’s interior?\",\"answer\":\"The IO shield sits between the motherboard connectors and the computer case and helps keep out dust and electromagnetic interference (EMI).\"},{\"question\":\"What should you check when connecting storage devices to SATA ports?\",\"answer\":\"Check whether different SATA ports support different standards (e.g., SATA 3 vs SATA 2) and note that some RAID functions may require devices to be plugged into specific ports. Use the board labeling or the motherboard manual to identify each connector.\"}]","Motherboard Parts - GA-990FXA-D3 - CPU Socket, Expansion Slots, IO Area, SATA Connectors | PDF",1789892304,28]