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+--- Thread: What your computer does while you wait. (/showthread.php?tid=522)
What your computer does while you wait. - latch - 12-11-2010
This is an interesting article- not much of it is new to me but the analogies are pretty cool. The dude doesn't explain why we need clock cycles or the differences between dynamic(he briefly mentions capacitors though) and static ram and why that's relevant in digital circuitry and how it affects performance. You will just have to forgive him for that faux pas.
I think most people don't care how their computer works.
Anyways, here is the article:
http://duartes.org/gustavo/blog/post/what-your-computer-does-while-you-wait
RE: What your computer does while you wait. - Mark - 12-11-2010
Northbridge controls PCI-E? i'm sure it's Southbridge. :ermm
RE: What your computer does while you wait. - latch - 12-11-2010
(12-11-2010, 07:09 PM)Mark Wrote: Northbridge controls PCI-E? i'm sure it's Southbridge. :ermm
No. Regular plain ole vanilla PCI is on south bridge. PCI-E replaces AGP and require a big fat pipe on the north.
RE: What your computer does while you wait. - bigsharn - 13-11-2010
hence why you have a P30 series/P40 series Northbridge, which works with Crossfire (and X30/X40 series which works SLI)
SB is RAM, CPU and PCI if I remember correctly
RE: What your computer does while you wait. - latch - 13-11-2010
(13-11-2010, 01:18 AM)bigsharn Wrote: hence why you have a P30 series/P40 series Northbridge, which works with Crossfire (and X30/X40 series which works SLI)
SB is RAM, CPU and PCI if I remember correctly
If you have a gander at the pictures in the article, you will see what is connected to what bridge.
The computer needs to send data to and from the memory and video constantly, so the north bridge handles that. Since more stuff is going on there, more heat is generated. In this picture you see the northbridge has the green heatsink while the southbridge doesn't even have one.
[spoiler]
![[Image: VITX-F.jpg]](http://www.egdahl.com/x/VITX-F.jpg)
[/spoiler]Some northbridges even have fans too.
RE: What your computer does while you wait. - Mark - 13-11-2010
The northbridge handles the CPU. I've had to cover most of this in my A+ prep.
RE: What your computer does while you wait. - latch - 14-11-2010
(13-11-2010, 08:20 PM)Mark Wrote: The northbridge handles the CPU. I've had to cover most of this in my A+ prep.
latch already got his A+!
RE: What your computer does while you wait. - Mark - 14-11-2010
(14-11-2010, 12:47 AM)latch Wrote: latch already got his A+!
I read. I passed my 701 on Friday, 702 is next week. Which i'll also pass. Make room for a second member. :tongue