INSTALLING DVD DRIVE

This guide was developed to instruct users on the proper method to install an ATA based optical drive into a desktop computer system. These instructions are valid for any form of optical based drive such as CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD-Rom or DVD burners. It is a step-by-step instruction guide with photographs detailing the individual steps.
The very first thing to do whenever working on a computer system is to make sure there is no power. Shut down the computer if it is running. Once the computer has safely shut down, turn the internal power off by slipping the switch on the back of the power supply and removing the AC power cord.

This guide was developed to instruct users on the proper method to install an ATA based optical drive into a desktop computer system. These instructions are valid for any form of optical based drive such as CD-ROM, CD-RW, DVD-Rom or DVD burners. It is a step-by-step instruction guide with photographs detailing the individual steps.
The very first thing to do whenever working on a computer system is to make sure there is no power. Shut down the computer if it is running. Once the computer has safely shut down, turn the internal power off by slipping the switch on the back of the power supply and removing the

AC power cord.

At this point, the computer needs to be opened up to properly install the CD or DVD drive into the computer. The method for opening the case will vary depending upone the case. Most new systems will use a panel or door on the side of the system while older systems may require the whole cover be removed. Remove and set aside and screws fastening the cover or panel to the computer case and then remove the cover

Remove the Drive Slot Cover
Computer cases can generally hold a number of external drives but only a few are generally used. Any unsed drive slot has a cover that prevents dust from entering the computer and makes the case look better. To install the drive, it will be necessary to remove a 5.25" drive slot cover from the case. Removal of these generally is done by pushing some tabs either on the inside or outside of the case. Some may be screwed into the case.

Setting the IDE Drive Mode
The majority of all CD and DVD drives for computer systems use the IDE interface. This interface can have two devices on a single cable. Each device on the cable must be placed into the appropriate mode for the cable. One drive is listed as the master and the other secondary drive is listed as a slave. This setting is generally handled by one or more jumpers on the back of the drive. Consult the documentation or diagrams on the drive for the location and settings for the drive.
If the CD/DVD drive is going to be installed on an existing cable, the drive needs to be set into the Slave mode. If the drive is going to reside on its own IDE cable alone, the drive should be set to the Master mode.

Placing the CD/DVD Drive into the Case
At this point, the CD/DVD drive needs to be placed into the computer. The method for installing the drive will vary depending on the case. The two most common methods for installing a drive into a case is either through drive rails or directly into the drive cage.
Rails: Place the drive rails onto the side of the drive and fasten it with screws. Once the drive rails have been placed on both sides of the drive, slide the drive and rails into the appropriate slot in the case. Make sure to affix the drive rails so that the drive is flush with the case when it is fully inserted into the case.
Drive Cage: Slide the drive into the slot in the case so that the drive bezel is flush with the computer case. When this is done, fasten the drive to the computer case by placing screws into the appropriate slots or holes in the case.

Attaching the Internal Audio Cable
Many people use the CD/DVD drive inside of their computer to listen to audio CDs. In order for this to work, the audio signal from the CD needs to be routed from the drive to the computer audio solution. This is typically handled by a small two wire cable with a standard connector. Plug this cable into the back of the CD/DVD drive. The other end of the cable will plug either into a PC audio card or motherboard depending upon which the computer uses for audio. Plug the cable into the connector labeled as CD Audio.

Attaching the Drive Cable to the CD/DVD
At this point, the CD/DVD drive needs to be attached to the computer through an IDE cable. For most users, the drive will reside as a secondary drive to the hard drive. If this is the case, locate the free connector on the IDE ribbon cable between the computer and the hard drive and plug it into the drive. If the drive is going to be on its own cable, plug the IDE cable into the motherboard and one of the other connectors of the cable into the CD/DVD drive.

Plug the Power to the CD/DVD
The only internal item left to do for installing the drive is to plug it into the power supply. This is done by locating one of the 4-pin Molex connectors from the power supply and inserting it into the power connector on the CD/DVD drive.

Closing up the Computer Case
At this point the drive is fully installed into the computer case so it can be closed up. Replace the panel or cover to the computer case. Be sure to fasten the cover or panel back to the case using the screws that were set aside when the cover was removed

Powering up the Computer
All of the installation steps for the CD or DVD drive are now completed. The only thing left to do is return power to the computer. Plug the AC cord back into the power supply and be sure to flip the switch to the on position.
The computer system should automatically detect and begin using the new drive. Since CD and DVD drives are very standardized, it should not be necessary to install any specific drivers. Be sure to consult the instruction manual that came with the drive for any specific instructions for your operating system.

cpu package socket and slot

With the time those of you who admire mainboards on non-Intel chipsets get more and more arguments for their point ofview. Of course, the main argument has been known for a long time already: only a mainboard on VIA Apollo Pro133A can supportall the today's coolest features (such as AGP 4x mode, UltraDMA/66 and 133MHz FSB), perform quite well and at the same timehave a reasonable price. As we have already mentioned in our reviews, the main opponent of VIA Apollo Pro133A is i820, whichshows relatively low performance in combination with SDRAM. However, the opinion that all mainboards built on VIA chipsets arevery unstable, makes most users consider i440BX the best today's chipset, which is absolutely unfair to VIA. In this review wewill try to help you get rid of this prejudice.

First of all, VIA Apollo Pro133A based mainboards attracted Tyan - a famous American mainboard manufacturer known for itsserver solutions and high quality products. And secondly, another well-known manufacturer - Micron chose these particularmainboards on VIA chipset for its Millenia Max PC family. That is why all problems with the mainboards on VIA chipsetsusually occur not because of the chipset errors but because of the negligence and inaccuracy of some mainboard manufacturers,who try to make their products as cheap as possible at any rate. Sure, VIA Apollo Pro133A, as any other new chipset, was notdeprived of some defects, which could crop up if the system was equipped with certain graphics cards. However, all the latestchipset and driver revisions are very likely to be absolutely correct and improved by the time you are reading this review.

cpu package type

Package includes

* Asus Motherboard P5B-MX Intel 946GZ/ICH7 LGA775 FSB1066MHz 2DDR2 SATA Video Audio Gb LAN MATX , Brand New
* Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 2.2Ghz LGA775 FSB800 2M L2 CPU Retail , Brand New
* Syncmax 1GB PC4200 DDR2-533 RAM , Brand New

Specifications:

* CPU:
o CPU Clock Speed: 2.2 GHz
o Bus Speed: 800 MHz
o Bus/Core Ratio: 10
o L2 Cache Size: 2MB
o L2 Cache Speed: 2GHz
o Package Type: LGA775
o Manufacturing Technology: 65nm
o Thermal Design Power: 65W
* Memory:
o Major Brand 1GB PC4200 DDR2-533 RAM
* Motherboard:
o Asus Motherboard P5B-MX Intel 946GZ/ICH7 LGA775 FSB1066MHz
o
CPU
- LGA775 socket for Intel Core2 Quad / Core2 Extreme / Core2 Duo / Pentium D / Pentium4 / Celeron D Processors
- Intel Hyper-Threading Technology ready
Chipset
- Intel 946GZ & ICH7
Front Side Bus
- 1066(O.C.) / 800 / 533 MHz
Memory - Dual channel memory architecture
- 2 x DIMM, max. 4GB, DDR2 667 / 533 MHz, non-ECC, un-buffered memory
Expansion Slots
- 1 x PCI-E x16, 1 x PCI-E x1, 2 x PCI
VGA
- Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3000 (Intel GMA 3000) integrated
- High Definition Video Processing with max. resolutions 2048 x 1536 bpp(@ 75Hz)
- Max. shared memory of 256MB, Support Microsoft DX 9, OpenGL 1.4
Storage
- 1 x UltraDMA 100/66/33, 4 x SATA 3.0 Gb/s ports
LAN - Attansic L1 PCI-E Gigabit LAN controller
Audio - Realtek ALC883 6-channel High Definition Audio CODEC
- Support Jack-Sensing, and Enumeration
- Coaxial S/PDIF out port onboard
USB - 8 x USB 2.0 ports (4 ports at mid-board, 4 ports at back panel)
Back Panel I/O Ports
- 1 x PS/2 Keyboard, 1 x PS/2 Mouse,
- 1 x Serial port, 1 x Parallel port, 1 x VGA port
- 4 x USB 2.0/1.1, 1 x RJ45 port, 6-Channel Audio I/O
Internal I/O Connectors
- 1 x IDE connector for two devices, 4 x SATA connectors
- 1 x Floppy disk drive connector, Front panel audio connector
- 1 x S/PDIF Out Header, Chassis Intrusion connector, 1 x CPU Fan connector, 1 x Chassis Fan connector
- System panel connector, CD audio in, 1 x USB connectors support additional 2 USB ports
- 1 x 4-pin ATX 12V Power connector, 24-pin ATX Power connector
BIOS - 4 Mb Flash ROM, AMI BIOS, PnP, DMI, WfM2.0, SM BIOS 2.4, ACPI 2.0a
Manageability - WfM 2.0, DMI, WOL by PME, WOR by PME, PXE, Chassis Intrusion
O/S Compatibility - Windows Vista/XP/2000
Accessories
- 1 x UltraDMA 133/100/66 cable, 1 x FDD cable, 1 x SATA cable
- 1 x SATA power cable, I/O Shield, User manual
Form Factor
- uATX Form Factor, 9.6" x 8" (24.5cm x 20.3cm)

Warranty:

* 3 year manufacturer warranty for the CPU
* 3 year manufacturer warranty for the motherboard.
* Life Time manufacturer warranty for the memory.
* Different motherboard and CPU available, plase ask for further detail.

Types of Form Factors

You've probably heard the term motherboard a thousand times, but do you know what it really means and how it relates to the rest of your computer?
The form factor of a motherboard determines the specifications for its general shape and size. It also specifies what type of case and power supply will be supported, the placement of mounting holes, and the physical layout and organization of the board. Form factor is especially important if you build your own computer systems and need to ensure that you purchase the correct case and components.

The Succession of Motherboard Form Factors

AT & Baby AT
Prior to 1997, IBM computers used large motherboards. After that, however, the size of the motherboard was reduced and boards using the AT (Advanced Technology) form factor was released. The AT form factor is found in older computers (386 class or earlier). Some of the problems with this form factor mainly arose from the physical size of the board, which is 12" wide, often causing the board to overlap with space required for the drive bays.

Following the AT form factor, the Baby AT form factor was introduced. With the Baby AT form factor the width of the motherboard was decreased from 12" to 8.5", limiting problems associated with overlapping on the drive bays' turf. Baby AT became popular and was designed for peripheral devices — such as the keyboard, mouse, and video — to be contained on circuit boards that were connected by way of expansion slots on the motherboard.

Baby AT was not without problems however. Computer memory itself advanced, and the Baby AT form factor had memory sockets at the front of the motherboard. As processors became larger, the Baby AT form factor did not allow for space to use a combination of processor, heatsink, and fan. The ATX form factor was then designed to overcome these issues.
Key Terms To Understanding Motherboard Form Factors
motherboard
The main circuit board of a microcomputer.

form factor
The physical size and shape of a device. It is often used to describe the size of circuit boards.

AT
Short for advanced technology, the AT is an IBM PC model introduced in 1984.

ATX
The modern-day shape and layout of PC motherboards.

BTX
The BTX specification provides new tools and design space for developers to lay out desktop systems, whether designing small, compact systems or very large, expandable systems.

Baby AT
The form factor used by most PC motherboards prior to 1998.


ATX
With the need for a more integrated form factor which defined standard locations for the keyboard, mouse, I/O, and video connectors, in the mid 1990's the ATX form factor was introduced. The ATX form factor brought about many chances in the computer. Since the expansion slots were put onto separate riser cards that plugged into the motherboard, the overall size of the computer and its case was reduced. The ATX form factor specified changes to the motherboard, along with the case and power supply. Some of the design specification improvements of the ATX form factor included a single 20-pin connector for the power supply, a power supply to blow air into the case instead of out for better air flow, less overlap between the motherboard and drive bays, and integrated I/O Port connectors soldered directly onto the motherboard. The ATX form factor was an overall better design for upgrading.

micro-ATX
MicroATX followed the ATX form factor and offered the same benefits but improved the overall system design costs through a reduction in the physical size of the motherboard. This was done by reducing the number of I/O slots supported on the board. The microATX form factor also provided more I/O space at the rear and reduced emissions from using integrated I/O connectors.

LPX
White ATX is the most well-known and used form factor, there is also a non-standard proprietary form factor which falls under the name of LPX, and Mini-LPX. The LPX form factor is found in low-profile cases (desktop model as opposed to a tower or mini-tower) with a riser card arrangement for expansion cards where expansion boards run parallel to the motherboard. While this allows for smaller cases it also limits the number of expansion slots available. Most LPX motherboards have sound and video integrated onto the motherboard. While this can make for a low-cost and space saving product they are generally difficult to repair due to a lack of space and overall non-standardization. The LPX form factor is not suited to upgrading and offer poor cooling.

NLX
Boards based on the NLX form factor hit the market in the late 1990's. This "updated LPX" form factor offered support for larger memory modules, tower cases, AGP video support and reduced cable length. In addition, motherboards are easier to remove. The NLX form factor, unlike LPX is an actual standard which means there is more component options for upgrading and repair.

Many systems that were formerly designed to fit the LPX form factor are moving over to NLX. The NLX form factor is well-suited to mass-market retail PCs.

BTX
The BTX, or Balanced Technology Extended form factor, unlike its predecessors is not an evolution of a previous form factor but a total break away from the popular and dominating ATX form factor. BTX was developed to take advantage of technologies such as Serial ATA, USB 2.0, and PCI Express. Changes to the layout with the BTX form factor include better component placement for back panel I/O controllers and it is smaller than microATX systems. The BTX form factor provides the industry push to tower size systems with an increased number of system slots.

One of the most talked about features of the BTX form factor is that it uses in-line airflow. In the BTX form factor the memory slots and expansion slots have switched places, allowing the main components (processor, chipset, and graphics controller) to use the same airflow which reduces the number of fans needed in the system; thereby reducing noise. To assist in noise reduction BTX system level acoustics have been improved by a reduced air turbulence within the in-line airflow system.

Initially there will be three motherboards offered in BTX form factor. The first, picoBTX will offer four mounting holes and one expansion slot, while microBTX will hold seven mounting holes and four expansion slots, and lastly, regularBTX will offer 10 mounting holes and seven expansion slots. The new BTX form factor design is incompatible with ATX, with the exception of being able to use an ATX power supply with BTX boards.

Today the industry accepts the ATX form factor as the standard, however legacy AT systems are still widely in use. Since the BTX form factor design is incompatible with ATX, only time will tell if it will overtake ATX as the industry standard