Motherboard Form Factors

Full Size AT (obsolete), size: , Announced: , Reference:

The PC/XT and AT formats were not compatible. The AT form factor was very popular in the late 1980s, and was the basis of many "clone" manufacturers' units (for compatibility with IBM.)

ATX / Mini ATX / Extended ATX Form Factor, size: , Announced: , Reference: ATX Specification 2.2

The first significant change in case and motherboard design in many years, the ATX form factor was invented by Intel in 1995. ATX and its variants have now become the industry standard in most segments of the market, replacing the former reigning champion, Baby AT. The ATX design has several significant advantages over the older designs, but the enormous installed base of existing Baby AT cases and motherboards has caused the change to ATX to take many years. The ATX case is similar to a Baby AT case except that the holes in the back are altered to fit the changed design of the ATX form factor motherboard, in particular the integrated I/O ports. In most cases a user-replaceable I/O template is used to allow different configurations of I/O ports installed directly on the motherboard. The ATX case also uses a different, ATX power supply, which is also used for NLX form factor cases. Most ATX cases have more features than AT cases because they are newer, and they are sometimes more expensive for the same reason, though this is less common now that AT case production has dropped in volume. Intel has also specified a "Mini ATX" motherboard size, which is slightly smaller than the full-sized ATX specification. These boards use the same ATX form factor power supplies and cases. The main difference is that full ATX motherboards have a maximum size of 12"x9.6", and Mini ATX boards have maximum dimensions of 11.2"x8.2". You may also come across motherboards, particularly high-end models used in performance workstations or servers, that use the "Extended ATX" form factor, also sometimes called "EATX". This form factor is essentially the same as ATX, except that the board can be up to 12"x13" in size. The different form factors in the ATX family are similar, and the biggest differences between motherboards of different ATX-style form factors are dimensions, and the placement of mounting holes. This means that most cases are "downward compatible" with the smaller ATX variants, as long as they have provided appropriate sets of places to put mounting hardware. If a case will support installation of a full-sized ATX motherboard, it may also support a Mini ATX, microATX or FlexATX board as long as the designers of the case have taken the smaller form factor variants into consideration.

Baby AT (obsolete), size: , Announced: , Reference:

Not long after the introduction of the IBM PC/AT and the AT form factor, a smaller version of the AT form factor was created called the "Baby AT" form factor. Baby AT is similar to AT, except that it is smaller in the width dimension. This means that Baby AT power supplies and motherboards will fit into full-sized AT cases, but not vice-versa. Until the rise of ATX, Baby AT form factor PCs dominated the industry. Many Baby AT cases are also supplied with "slimline" LPX power supplies.

BTX size: , Announced: , Reference: All the BTX pdfs

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.

FlexATX, size: , Announced: , Reference:

ITX (obsolete), size: , Announced: , Reference:

FlexATX variation, never produced.

LPX / Mini LPX (obsolete), size: , Announced: , Reference:

One problem with the LPX form factor is that it is only a "pseudo-standard"; it was never formalized into a hard standard, the way for example ATX and NLX have been. Many companies make systems that use slimline cases and LPX-style motherboards and power supplies, but they often differ slightly in size, shape, or other characteristics. This means you cannot expect to move a power supply from say, a Compaq LPX system into a similar-looking Packard Bell system. LPX systems are essentially proprietary.

microATX, size: , Announced: , Reference:

microBTX, size: , Announced: , Reference:

mini-ITX, size: , Announced: , Reference:

Another FlexATX variation.

NLX, size: , Announced: , Reference:

NLX is Intel's proposal for the future of mass-marketed, retail PCs, replacing LPX. One extra advantage of NLX over LPX is that it is a true standard, unlike LPX, making interchangeability of components more likely than it was for the older form factor. NLX seems destined to become of the most popular form factors in the PC world, complementing the ATX "family" of form factors. The NLX specification does not define a new, specific "NLX" power supply form factor. NLX systems are intended to use ATX form factor power supplies.

PC/XT Form Factor, size: , Announced: , Reference:

The PC/XT form factor was replaced by the AT form factor when the IBM PC/AT was released in 1984, though IBM PC/XT cases, as well as large numbers of clones, continued to be found on the market for some time.

PicoBTX, size: , Announced: , Reference:

SSI CEB, size: , Announced: , Reference: http://ssiforum.oaktree.com/ViewUserDocuments.aspx

SSI’s goal is to enable future server market growth by standardizing interfaces between components including boards, chassis, and power supplies and by developing common server hardware elements. At http://ssiforum.oaktree.com/pdfs/SSI%20CEB%20v1-1.pdf is a pdf which has done an incredibly good job of not just specifying the product but also cross referencing other sources and defining terms.

Here are some of the main points which may or may not be right:

• Not compatible ATX power supply You need an SSI power supply. There are no converters.
• Basically the same mounting holes as an ATX but slightly longer 10.5" vs 9.6" but far shorter than the EATX standard at 13". Apparently they needed something slightly larger than an ATX form-factor and knew many existing ATX cases would be able to accomodate a board slightly less than an inch longer so people could keep their cases.

WTX (obsolete), size: , Announced: , Reference: www.wtx.org

In 1998 Intel introduced the new WTX form factor, where the "W" is intended to stand for "workstation". Maximum WTX motherboard size is a whopping 14"x16.75", over double the maximum size of a regular ATX board. The goal of the WTX form factor is to support both current and future high-end motherboard and CPU technologies, and other features in demand by workstation and server users. To that end, the form factor is geared specifically towards flexibility of design; for example, exact mounting hole locations are not prescribed for the case. Instead, the motherboard is designed to mount to a metal plate that comes with it, and the plate installed into the case. You can find detailed specifications and other information about WTX at the WTX Home Page. While the WTX form factor includes a specification for beefy WTX power supplies to power WTX systems, some WTX cases come with ATX power supplies.

Motherboards

Motherboards

So my check off list consists of the following:

1. 16GBs or more consisting of atleast eight DIMM slots of the right memory?
2. Boots off USB stick?
3. Fits in a 2U, 3U, 4U, and tower with an extended ATX profile? (Be careful to get the exact dimensions, some MBs say extended when they are almost 14"x14"!
4. 2(x16)PCI-E (2.0) slots to hold graphics and raid.
5. Old fashion PCI slots to support legacy raid
6. Old fashion 133MHz PCI-X slots
7. Recover from single bit errors and detect two bit errors via ECC
8. Uses standard parts, including power, heat sinks, etc..
9. more to follow...

For the latest information on the motherboards there is no better source than the manufacturer itself.

1. Super Micro
2. Intel sucky website and old non-2.0 PCI motherboards
3. TyanOk site, not many boards, but they keep up.
4. Msi No real server boards.
5. Asus DSEB-D16/SAS This motherboard is great. I like how it can take a max of 64GB of 4 channel 800 ECC FBDIMM using 16 slots. And it has PCIX plus two PCIE-16 version 2. Not that it would need any cards since it has everything on the MB already.
6. Gigabyte Technologies Their website is geared towards somebody looking for documentation on a board they already have. Even then it's not so good. When you are trying to find a server board solution the site falls totally apart. It's always amazing to see large companies restrict business with lousy web designs. They should borrow Tyan's approach and make it clear what your new server mother boards are. Not only can't you find what you are looking for it lags out! As it is I gave up on their site.
7. Abit They do not have server boards?! (Lots of hobbyist boards though.)

MAKE/MODEL	FORM FACTOR	CHIPSET	# x16 PCIE 2.0 SLOTS	133MHz PCI-X	OLD PCI	OTHER	ECC FBDIMM SLOTS	MAX MEMORY	THE UNUSUAL
ASUS DSEB-D16/SAD	SSI EEB 3.61, 12" x 13"	2 * Socket LGA771 Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® 5400 Series (45nm) Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® 5300 Series Dual-Core Intel® Xeon® 5200 Series (45nm) Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® 5100 Series Dual Core/Quad Core	Total PCI/PCI-X/PCI-E Slots: 4 Slot Loacation 1: 1 * PCI-E x16 Gen2 Slot Loacation 2: 1 * PCI-E x8 slot (x8 link) Slot Loacation 3: 1 * PCI-E x16 Gen2	Additional Slot 2: 1 * PCI-X 100/133MHz (for LSI 8300XLP ZCR Card)		Additional Slot 1: 1 * SO-DIMM socket for optional ASMB3-SOL	Total Slots: 16 (4-channel) Memory Type: Fully-Buffered DIMM DDR2 533/667/800 Reg. ECC Memory Size: 512 MB, 1G, 2G, 4G*	Capacity: Maximum up to 64 GB	Up to 90% efficiency Some fancy fail-over on ports. RAID on up to 6 SATA
SuperMicro X7DWA-N	Ext ATX 12"x13"	Intel 5400 (Seaburg)	2 PCI-E x16 (Gen 2.0)	2 PCI-X 133MHz	2 PCI	1 UIO slot	8 FBD populated in pairs	64GBs
TYAN Tempest i5400PW (S5397)	Ext ATX 12"x13"	Intel® "Seaburg " MCH +6321ESB chipset	Two (2) PCI Express x16 slots(w/ x16 PCI-E Gen2 signals) from MCH	Two (2) PCI-X 133/100MHz slots	One (1) PCI 32/33MHz slot (PCI device component height limit = 9.2mm)	One (1) PCI Express x8 slot(w/ x4 signals)	Sixteen (16) 240-pin DDR2 FBDIMM sockets on board	Maximum of 128GB DDR2-533 / 667 / 800	proprietary CPU heatsink mounting holes, EPS12V/SSI (24+8+4+4 pin) power connectors for 5x +12V input

CYGWIN

Cygnus makes "CYGWIN". Their product is much better than their incredibly ugly logo. Cygwin allows much of the same functionality as a true *nix system. It's a must have on all M$ boxes. It is FREE and has been getting better and better as the years go by. I've been using it since probably 1995 to 2000 when I did much of my C/C++ programming for AIX and HPUX from a M$ machine. The cygwin platform was wonderful. Despite Ubuntu and other great distros available there are still reasons to keep M$ about. (For example to run applications like Quicken, Photoshop, etc..) Cygwin flattens the learning curve between each M$ mickey mouse release allowing real users to continue being productive.

Setup

1. Download their package onto the hard disk. Cygwin allows you to do everything off the net but why bother taking the chance of downloading anything more than once?
2. Use cygwin's setup to install the things you need. Only use what you need, if you need more later you can always install that option. Installing the whole thing usually causes problems that most users don't seem to ever recover from. (For instance xampp, svn, junction link magic, and other tools built for M$ work better than what comes with cygwin and they are free too.)
3. That's it!

Examples

References

1. http://www.cygwin.com/
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cygwin

Topics to still cover...

1. Getting around on the hard disk...

RSYNC

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Synergy!

Synergy allows one ring to rule them all. Err, wrong story isn't it...? Oh yes, now I remember, Synergy allows one keyboard and mouse rule all the monitors and their associated boxes, whether linux, windows, mac, etc., for free. Similar to a KVM switch but that in that you don't have multiple keyboards and mice to deal with. Unlike a KVM switch you are not limited to seeing only one monitor. And it's free, free, freeeee. (KVM switches cost hundreds and even thousands of dollars.) It also handles the clipboard, screen savers, etc.. Put the monitors on a wall next to each other and specify their positions relative to each other.
Then update the hostnames file c:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts to include their names and internal IP addresses. For example the /etc/hosts file may contain for your internal network:
192.168.1.100 OneXP
192.168.1.101 TwoXP
If it does not be sure to add it. Then make sure your "computer name" located in XP at "Start->Settings->Control Panel->System->Computer Name" matches OneXP or TwoXP.

References

1. Synergy's Website

Topics to still cover...

1. Updating this to 6 monitors including Linux, BSD, and Mac.

Firefox

Introduction

Firefox is a browser. Like Internet Explorer. Like Opera. Like you didn't know. Unlike Internet Explorer, IE for short, Firefox runs on most platforms with a graphical interface. On Ubuntu you can use Firefox and Opera. Despite IE being installed by default on every machine sold 36% of the world has seeked out, downloaded, and switched to Firefox. Each year Firefox grows 5 to 7% while M$ loses that percentage of the browser market. (See the browser stats.) However Opera may be faster and support standards better than Firefox. Opera does not have the add-on tools like Firefox does though.

This is a lame post meant to help me remember what my main add-ons are.

Add-ons

1. Foxmarks
   Synchronizes the bookmarks across all the PCs. Also allows access to your bookmarks from afar. Nothing is better than knowing all the bookmarks you've spent your precious time finding will always be available throughout the years. Automatically.
2. Personal Menu.
   Most monitors are landscape and don't have nearly as many vertical pixels as they do horizontal pixels. Despite this Firefox uses quite a few horizontal menus decreasing your vertical viewing even more. This is further exasperated by non-fluid websites that put all their information into a narrow column. To counter this you can use the add-on "Personal Menu" to consolidate all the various impotant icons on to just one visible menu. You paid for the pixels so get the most out of them!
3. StumbleUpon
   It's like a dating program, one that actually works not like the real ones, and it's fantastic. You put in what are looking for in a mate, err website, and hit the StumbleUpon button. Next thing you see is something that you never knew you were looking for but there it is... A great way to spend those moments at the end of the day where the clock just won't move to 5 quickly enough! On the other hand, if you have any employees with this installed fire them immediately! (Just kidding.)
4. Unhide Password
   Ok, how many times have you forgotten the password that automatically gets filled in by default? You can see the "****" but you now have no idea whatsoever what it is. "Unhide Password" will show you what's under it. And as a cautionary note perhaps you'll realize that if you can find it so easily others can do the same...

Topics to still cover...

1. Firefox settings
2. How to write your own add-ons.

SVN

Introduction:

Yesterday I wrote a bit on USB Memory Sticks and realized I needed to write up a bit on version control. I wanted to learn a little about how to get SVN to work on windows without having to have an apache server or any other processes running. It was remarkably simple and portable. Follow the link below. It's fantastic.

SVN Linux:

SVN Windows:

Use SVN Tortoise. See the tutorial below on how to set it up in M$. Now you can take your memory stick and store the results on M$ or Linux.

Alternatives:

Here are a list of version control software packages.

ClearCase.

I wish I owned it but I don't have the thousands of dollars or time to use it. They need to introduce a version for the rest of us, those of us who don't want to spend money, that works for up to three or perhaps 10 people. Without hooking future generations of people with a simple free version the product will become extinct. With new products coming out from Apple making backups easy and intuitive, and their clones on other platforms, ClearCase is already living on borrowed time.

CVS.

Don't know much about it. It was built to replace RCS. It in turn seems to have been replaced by SVN.

GIT.

Don't know anything about this.

RCS.

Does not do binaries unless you manually convert the hex to ASCII or something similar before converting. My favorite version control package because it is available on all systems.

VSS, Visual SourceSafe.

Something for M$ platform users only. The database always becomes corrupted given enough time causing M$ users to make horrible screaching noises!

References:

1. SVN with no server
2. SVN Tortoise
3. SVN Tortoise Manual
4. SVN Home Page

Topics to still cover...

1. Free online version control.
2. Put together a section on the Ubuntu equivalent to the Macintoshes "Time Machine".
3. Put together a section on SVN on Ubuntu.
4. Put together steps on how to do common tasks in SVN.
5. Put together SVN common commands section.
6. Add info on where to donate to the authors.

USB Memory Sticks

Introduction

Obviously USB Memory Sticks keep increasing in size. 16GB sticks are being replaced with 32GB sticks. Next year there will probably be 64 and 128GB sticks. At that point the emphasis will move from size to features:

• Built in security based on encryption and such.
• Physical robustness. Able to take physical abuse such as being run over by a car, thrown in a frozen lake, and shot by a cannon. At some point we'll probably see a USB stick dropped by an astronaut from the space station to be recovered later in frozen chunk of ice in the artic region...
• Special USB sticks allowing the user to take their desktop from machine to machine without leaving any foot prints. So it might be possible to run your linux applications on any machine, whether they be at a public library or at your kids PC, in the future.

How to use them currently

Separate the system and user data from each other. User data includes the scripts and modifications needed to change a base Ubuntu install into the final running box. That means all of the CLI apt installs, copies, seds, etc., needed to modify a particular Ubuntu release to the production Ubuntu box. Now store your user data on to a usb stick. Back up the USB stick on to another system and do a diff. If everything checks out put it into your favorite version control system.

References

• http://www.corsairmemory.com/products/voyager.aspx
• http://www.corsairmemory.com/products/survivor.aspx
• Pricing

Topics to still cover...

1. Put in base scripts showing how to separate data from system.
2. Include a section on version control.

Asterisk

Asterisk

Asterisk is a big and complicated topic. However the functionality and savings it offers to any sized company makes it a must know topic. For the novice start with the following:

1. VOIP Podcasts. Download all the episodes and listen to as time permits.
2. Download the book Asterisk: The Future of Telephony. This covers, as of January 2008, the latest stable version of Asterisk. Use the downloaded copy so you can quickly find what you need.

Topics to still cover...

1. Migrating over to Asterisk in stages including redudancy and fallback.
2. Recording all phone conversations.
3. Price points.

LCD Monitors

LCD Monitors

The current price point for value is at 1680x1050 resolution as of January 2008. However you can find two other higher resolutions if you have the money.

1. ~22", 1680x1050, $150 to $250 generally.
   Everybody sales these. Don't go for anything lower.
2. ~24", 1920x1200, $400 to $600 generally.
   
3. ~30", 2580x1600, ~$2000.
   You can find a review of DELLs here: http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,2244008,00.asp

Vertical	Horizontal	Total	Price	Pixels per dollar	Cost
1680	1050	1764000	200	8820	0% more per pixel
1920	1200	2304000	500	4608	90% more per pixel
2500	1600	4000000	2000	2000	340% more per pixel

There are also issues of being able to drive all the pixels. Those larger monitors are not suppported as well. It's probably better to have 2 or 4 monotors on your desk, with one keyboard and mouse, and use synergy than to use one big monitor and a KVM switch.

Topics I want to talk about in the future

1. Viewing angles are hype on 99.99% of the monitors.
2. Robustness.

Enigmail

Enigmail

1. Read the documentation on the enigmail link above. It points to the latest GnuPG installer for $MS among other things. There you will see a pointer to the M$ GnuPG Installer 1.4.8 that must be run.
2. Next install Enigmail by using a right mouse click and "Save Link as ..." to save the extension locally. Then navigate to the Thunderbird menu Tools > Addons and click on the Install ... button to install Enigmail. It will reboot itself.
3. Generate a key pair for the email addresses you want. So simple there's no explanation needed.
4. Publish the external key from thunderbird: OpenPGP->KeyManagement, select the key just created, then Keyserver->UploadPublicKey.

Actually the simple tutorial is here http://enigmail.mozdev.org/documentation/quickstart-ch3.php

Google Analytics

Today, being the first day of the year, I installed Google Analytics. I've been meaning to do that for some time now, well, since I put up this blog about a week ago. It's so easy that it does not require more than a minute of time for somebody who knows what they are doing. Basically type in analytics.google.com and fill out the panel consisting of three text boxes. Like what's the sites name, what's your name, what's your email. Then it gives you either legacy code or newer code with some additional unspecified cool features. I chose the cool features. You paste this code at the bottom of the template right before the closing body tag. Done, it's that easy!
<script type='text/javascript'>
var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");
document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));
</script>
<script type='text/javascript'>
var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker("UA-3315021-1");
pageTracker._initData();
pageTracker._trackPageview();
</script>