A motherboard is the physical arrangement, typically used in smaller computers such as personal computers (PCs), that links together the basic circuitry and components of the computer. It consists of a main printed circuit board containing the primary electronic components of a computer system, such as the (1) microprocessor, (2) main memory, (3) random access memory (RAM), (4) basic input/output system (BIOS) that contains the basic set of instructions required to control the computer when it is first turned on, (5) expansion boards and slots, (6) integrated circuitry controls for such things as the mouse, keyboard, and monitor, (7) mass storage interfaces for such things as the hard disk, floppy disk, and CD-ROM drives, (8) bus controllers and connectors, and (9) other electronic components that give additional functions to the computer. The motherboard, sometimes called the system board, is critical to the operation of the computer because it provides its main computing capability and controls all...