User Guide

Overview
1-4
1.3 System Board Parts
1.3.1 Microprocessor
The AX53 system board supports Intel Pentium, AMD K5 and Cyrix 6x86
processors. Chapter 2 tells how to install and upgrade the processor.
1.3.2 ASICs
The application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) are the Intel 82439HX and
Intel 82371SB that belong to the Intel 430HX PCIset. This chipset allows the
system to support a higher memory (512 MB) and a pipelined-burst cache. It
also offers an error checking and correction (ECC) feature that enables the
system to detect, as well as correct the DRAM errors.
The Intel 82439HX that comes in a unique ball-grid array (BGA) packaging,
acts as the memory controller data path and the DRAM data bus buffer. The
BGA packaging offers better stability than the regular quad-flat packaging
(QFP).
The Intel 82371SB operates as the PCI/ISA bridge and IDE controller.
1.3.3 BIOS
The board supports the AMI basic input-output system (BIOS). The BIOS is a
program that performs the power-on self test (POST) upon booting. During
POST, this program activates the peripheral devices, tests onboard memory
and prepares the system for operation. For more information on AMI BIOS,
see Chapter 3.
1.3.4 Expansion Slots
The board has two ISA, three PCI and one PCI-/ISA-shared slots. The ISA
expansion slots are the black parallel bars on the system board. The PCI slots
are those with white color and are shorter than the ISA slots. There are rows
of golden pins inside each slot that serve as a clutch to secure the contacts of
the expansion board. For information on how to install the expansion boards,
see Chapter 2.