Question

Difficulty: MediumMotherboards Form Factors and Connectors

A technician is preparing to replace a motherboard in a mid-tower workstation chassis. The upgrade requires maintaining physical compatibility with the existing computer case while supporting standard desktop power supply delivery and expansion requirements. Which TWO of the following motherboard specification details should the technician verify before purchasing the replacement board?

  1. Standard ATX form factor dimensions (12×9.6 inches12 \times 9.6\text{ inches}) and mounting hole patterns compatible with the chassis standoffsAnswer
  2. 24-pin main ATX power connector and 8-pin EPS12V auxiliary CPU power socket presence for power supply cable connectivityAnswer
  3. C
    Dual SO-DIMM slot configuration for primary system memory installation
  4. D
    Legacy M.2 SATA-only keying on all M.2 slots to guarantee NVMe drive protocol operation

Answer

The technician must verify standard ATX form factor dimensions (12×9.6 inches12 \times 9.6\text{ inches}) with compatible mounting hole patterns and confirm the motherboard features both a 24-pin main ATX power connector and an 8-pin EPS12V auxiliary CPU power socket.
The standard ATX form factor uses a 12×9.6 inches12 \times 9.6\text{ inches} board layout with fixed standoff mounting locations that fit mid-tower chassis. Additionally, a desktop system requires both the primary 24-pin ATX power header for board logic and an 8-pin EPS12V connector for dedicated processor power delivery.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Evaluate chassis form factor and mounting requirements
Confirm standard ATX measurements (12×9.6 inches12 \times 9.6\text{ inches}) align with mid-tower case screw standoffs
Motherboards must physically fit inside the enclosure and align with predefined mounting standoffs to prevent short circuits.
2
Identify power connection standards required for full motherboard powering
Require a 24-pin main power connection and an 8-pin EPS12V CPU power connection
Modern desktop motherboards derive main system power via a 24-pin connector while utilizing an 8-pin EPS12V cable for processor voltage delivery.

Key Concept

Motherboard Form Factors and Power Connectors
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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