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Difficulty: MediumMotherboards Form Factors and Connectors

A technician is replacing a failed desktop motherboard inside a standard ATX mid-tower chassis with a replacement Micro-ATX motherboard. Which of the following statements correctly describe the compatibility and installation requirements for this hardware upgrade? (Select TWO.)

  1. The Micro-ATX motherboard can be mounted into the existing ATX chassis by repositioning the brass case standoffs to match the mounting hole layout of the smaller board.Answer
  2. The Micro-ATX motherboard will offer fewer maximum expansion slots than the standard ATX motherboard it replaces.Answer
  3. C
    The technician must install small outline dual in-line memory modules (SO-DIMMs) because standard desktop DIMM slots are not supported on Micro-ATX boards.
  4. D
    All M.2 drive slots on the new Micro-ATX motherboard are guaranteed to support both NVMe PCIe and SATA protocols regardless of physical slot keying.

Answer

Micro-ATX motherboards can be installed inside standard ATX chassis by adjusting the brass standoffs to align with the smaller board's mounting pattern, and Micro-ATX boards provide a maximum of 4 expansion slots compared to 7 on standard ATX boards.
Micro-ATX motherboards (9.6 x 9.6 inches) are designed to be backward compatible with standard ATX cases (12 x 9.6 inches) by moving brass standoffs to match the Micro-ATX mounting pattern. Because of the reduced vertical length, Micro-ATX motherboards feature a maximum of 4 expansion slots, whereas standard ATX motherboards feature up to 7 expansion slots.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Evaluate chassis and mounting compatibility between ATX and Micro-ATX form factors.
ATX chassis are backward-compatible with Micro-ATX boards because screw hole placement standards align, though standoffs must be moved to avoid short-circuiting the smaller board.
Ensures proper mechanical fit and electrical safety when installing a smaller board into a larger case.
2
Compare expansion capability limits between ATX and Micro-ATX form factors.
Micro-ATX boards measure up to 9.6 x 9.6 inches and support a maximum of 4 expansion slots, whereas standard ATX (12 x 9.6 inches) supports up to 7 slots.
Identifies the structural constraints associated with selecting a Micro-ATX form factor.

Key Concept

Motherboard Form Factor Backward Compatibility and Dimensions
Estimated Time:1m 15s
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Topics

Motherboards Form Factors and Connectors

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