INSTALLING DVD DRIVE

	Step 1 Before you start: Ground yourself. Lightly touch your PC's metal chassis to discharge any current from your body. Then unplug the power cable. What you'll need: A phillips-head screwdriver, needlenose pliers, and antistatic wrist strap. Turn off the computer and open the case. Locate an available PCI slot for the MPEG-2 decoder card (if your kit includes one). If you're installing a SCSI drive and you don't yet have a SCSI controller in the system, you'll need a second slot for the SCSI card.
	Step 2 Remove the end bracket for the selected slot, insert the card, and secure the card's own end bracket.
	Step 3 Locate an available 5.25-inch drive bay that opens onto the front of the case. Remove the bay cover if necessary.
	Step 4 Configure the jumpers on your DVD drive. For an IDE drive, set the jumpers for either master, slave, or sole drive, depending on what else is on the channel. For a SCSI drive, set the jumpers to the correct ID or termination setting.
	Step 5 Secure the drive in the bay.
	Step 6 Attach the cables. Connect the DVD drive to the IDE or SCSI bus and to the power supply. Also connect the DVD drive to your sound card - or connect the decoder card (if included) to the DVD drive and sound card. (If you already have a CD-ROM drive, you can use a micro stereo patch cord to connect the external headphone jack on the DVD drive to your sound card's line-in jack).
	Step 7 Close the case, turn on the power, and install any necessary drivers or software.

ASSIGNMENT No:2-PACKAGE TYPES

Processors Package Type Guide (Desktop Processors)


FC-LGA4 Package Type

The FC-LGA4 package is used with Pentium® 4 processors designed for the LGA775 socket. FC-LGA4 is short for Flip Chip Land Grid Array 4. FC (Flip Chip) means that the processor die is on top of the substrate on the opposite side from the LAND contacts. LGA (LAND Grid Array) refers to how the processor die is attached to the substrate. The number 4 stands for the revision number of the package. This package consists of a processor core mounted on a substrate land-carrier. An integrated Heat Spreader (IHS) is attached to the package substrate and core and serves as the mating surface for the processor component thermal solution such as a heatsink.You may also see references to processors in the 775-LAND package. This refers to the number of contacts that the new package contains that interface with the LGA775 socket. The pictures below include the LAND Slide Cover (LSC). This black cover protects the processor contacts from damage and contamination and should be retained and placed on the processor whenever it is removed from the LGA775 socket.

FC-PGA2 Package Type

FC-PGA2 packages are similar to the FC-PGA package type, except these processors also have an Integrated Heat Sink (IHS). The integrated heat sink is attached directly to the die of the processor during manufacturing. Since the IHS makes a good thermal contact with the die and it offers a larger surface area for better heat dissipation, it can significantly increase thermal conductivity. The FC-PGA2 package is used in Pentium III and Intel Celeron processor (370 pins) and the Pentium 4 processor (478 pins).

FC-PGA Package Type

The FC-PGA package is short for flip chip pin grid array, which have pins that are inserted into a socket. These chips are turned upside down so that the die or the part of the processor that makes up the computer chip is exposed on the top of the processor. By having the die exposed allows the thermal solution can be applied directly to the die, which allows for more efficient cooling of the chip. To enhance the performance of the package by decoupling the power and ground signals, FC-PGA processors have discrete capacitors and resistors on the bottom of the processor, in the capacitor placement area (center of processor). The pins on the bottom of the chip are staggered. In addition, the pins are arranged in a way that the processor can only be inserted one way into the socket. The FC-PGA package is used in Pentium® III and Intel® Celeron® processor.

S.E.C.C. Package Type

S.E.C.C. is short for Single Edge Contact Cartridge. To connect to the motherboard, the processor is inserted into a slot. Instead of having pins, it uses goldfinger contacts, which the processor uses to carry its signals back and forth. The S.E.C.C. is covered with a metal shell that covers the top of the entire cartridge assembly. The back of the cartridge is a thermal plate that acts as a heatsink. Inside the S.E.C.C., most processors have a printed circuit board called the substrate that links together the processor, the L2 cache and the bus termination circuits. The S.E.C.C. package was used in the Intel Pentium II processors, which have 242 contacts and the Pentium® II Xeon™ and Pentium III Xeon processors, which have 330 contacts.

CPGA (Ceramic Pin Grid Array)

CPGA stands for Ceramic Pin Grid Array, a type of connection for CPUs where the processor's die is attached to a heat-conducting ceramic plate which is pierced by an array of pins which make the requisite connections to the socket.

Popular CPUs that employ CPGA are the "classic" Socket A Athlon and the Duron, both from AMD.

OPGA (Organic Pin Grid Array )

The Organic Pin Grid Array (OPGA) is a type of connection for integrated circuits, and especially CPUs, where the silicon die is attached to a plate out of an organic plastic which is pierced by an array of pins which make the requisite connections to the socket.

CPU SOCKETS

Socket 370 (PGA370)

Socket 370 (also called PGA370) is a PGA socket designed to work with Intel Celeron and Pentium III processors in Pin Grid Array (PGA) package. There are three different revisions of the socket 370:

• Originally the Socket 370 (PGA370) was designed for Celeron Mendocino CPUs. These processors were manufactured in plastic PGA (PPGA) package, ran at speeds 300 MHz - 533 MHz, and had 66 MHz front-side bus and 2V core voltage. Original Socket 370 is not compatible with Coppermine and Tualatin Intel processors. It is possible to run Coppermine processors in this socket with the help of special PPGA-to-FC-PGA adapters, for example, PowerLeap PL-NeoS370.
• To support newer Coppermine Celeron and Pentium III processors Intel revised specifications for the socket 370. The revised socket was mechanically compatible with the original specification, but there were differences in electrical specifications. As a result, new Coppermine CPUs would not work in the original socket, even though they would fit into it. Revised Socket 370 supported Coppermine processors running at speeds 533 MHz - 1133 MHz with FSB 100 and 133 MHz and core voltages in the range from 1.5V to 1.8V. Tualatin Pentium III processors were not directly supported by the socket, though it was possible to run them in the socket with the help of Tualatin adapters (for example, PowerLeap Neo/T). Many motherboards with this PGA370 socket revision also supported Celeron processors in PPGA package.
• With the introduction of new Tualatin Pentium III core the socket 370 was revised once again. Like the previous revision of the socket, the second revision was mechanically compatible with old sockets, but electrically incompatible with previous socket revisions. This socket revision supported Tualatin processors in the range from 1 GHz to 1.4 GHz with FSB 100 and 133 MHz and core voltages 1.45V and 1.5V. Majority of motherboards with this revision of the socket 370 were also compatible with older Coppermine Pentium III and Celeron processors.

Visually it's not possible to distinguish between different revisions of the socket 370 (PGA370), they all look like the socket on the picture below:

The socket has 370 pin-holes - hence the name Socket 370, and it has the same size as the Socket 7. There are two differences between these sockets:

1. Socket 370 processors don't have 2 corner pins while Socket 7 processors don't have only one corner pin. The extra corner pin doesn't allow Socket 7 processors to fit into PGA370 socket.
2. There are 6 rows of pins between the edge and the center of the processor for Socket 370 processors, and 5 rows for Socket 7 processors.

Socket 462 (Socket A)

Socket 462 (also called Socket A) is a PGA socket designed for AMD K7 family of processors. This socket can be used with AMD Athlon and Duron processors ranging in speed from 600 MHz to 2200 MHz (3200+) and with bus frequences ranging from 100 MHz to 200 MHz (400 MHz DDR). For a full list of supported processors please see below. Socket A has 462 pin holes (hence the name "Socket 462") with 11 pluged pin holes. Socket dimensions are 5.59 cm (5.24 cm without lever) x 6.55 cm or 2.2" (2.06" without lever) x 2.58", which is almost the same as Socket 7/Super Socket 7. Supported processors Athlon (Socket A) (600 MHz - 1400 MHz) Athlon XP (1333 MHz - 2333 MHz, or 1500+ - 3200+) Athlon MP (1000 MHz - 2133 MHz) Duron (550 MHz - 1800 MHz) Sempron (socket A) (1500 MHz - 2200 MHz, or 2200+ - 3300+) Mobile Athlon 4 (850 MHz - 1400 MHz) Mobile Athlon XP-M (Socket A) (1200 MHz - 2200 MHz, or 1400+ - 3000+) Mobile Duron (650 MHz - 1200 MHz) Athlon 64, 64 FX, Sempron 64 and Opteron processors use different type of socket. There are no Intel or VIA processors compatible with this socket. NOTE: Not all processors may be supported by all motherboards. Please see "Upgrading socket 462 motherboards" section below on how to determine what microprocessors can be supported by your motherboard. Compatible sockets None. Compatible package types 462-pin ceramic Pin Grid Array (PGA) package, 462-pin organic PGA. Upgrading socket 462 motherboards While you can fit many socket 462 processors into your motherboard, not all of them may be supported by the board. To determine what processors are supported you'll need to: Determine manufacturer and model of your motherboard, Search on manufacturer's website for the motherboard model. To determine upgrade options for brand name computers (like Dell or HP) try to search for computer model on computer manufacturer website. For upgrade information for ASUS, DFI, ECS, Gigabyte Technology, Jetway, MSI and PC Chips motherboards please check CPU-Upgrade motherboard database.

MOTHERBOARD FORM FACTORS

AT (form factor)

The AT form factor was the first modern motherboard form factor to be widely used. AT (Advanced Technology) was released in 1984 by IBM. Unlike the PC and XT form factors that preceded it, AT became a widely used design during the booming home computer market in the 1980s. IBM clones made at the time began using AT compatible designs, contributing to its popularity. In the 1990s many computers still used AT and its variants. Since 1997, the AT form factor was largely supplant by ATX.
Design

The original AT motherboard, later known as "Full AT", is 12 inches (305 mm) wide and 13.8 inches (350 mm) deep, which means it will not fit in "mini desktop" or "minitower cases". The board's size also means that it takes up space behind the drive bays, making installation of new drives more difficult. The power connectors for AT motherboards are two nearly identical 6-pin cables. Unfortunately, the two power connectors it requires are not easily distinguishable, leading many people to damage their boards when they were improperly connected. When plugged in, the two black wires on each connector must be adjacent to each other, creating a row of 4 black wires (out of the total 12) and a correct connection. Technicians developed mnemonic devices to help assure proper installation, including "black wires together in the middle" and "red and red and you are dead."

Variants

Baby AT motherboard.

In 1985 IBM introduced Baby AT. Soon after all computer makers abandoned AT for the cheaper and smaller Baby AT, using it for computers from the 286 processors to the first Pentiums. These motherboards have similar mounting hole positions and the same eight card slot locations as those with the AT form factor, but are 2" (51 mm) narrower and marginally shorter. The size (220x330 mm) and flexibility of this kind of motherboard were the key to success of this format. While now obsolete, a few computers are still using it, and modern PC cases are generally backwards compatible to fit Baby AT.

In 1995, Intel introduced ATX, a modern form factor which gradually replaced older Baby AT motherboards. During the late 1990s, a great majority of boards were either Baby AT or ATX. Many motherboard manufacturers continued making Baby AT over ATX since many computer cases and power supplies in the industry were still compatible with AT boards and not ATX boards. Also, the lack of an eighth slot on ATX motherboards kept it from being used in some servers. After the industry adapted to ATX specifications, it became common to design cases and power supplies to support both Baby AT and ATX motherboards.

ATX form factor

The ATX form factor is a replacement for the older AT and baby AT form factors. Invented by Intel in 1995, it incorporates the first major change in the layout of PC motherboards to occur in years. The ATX motherboard rotates the orientation of the board 90 degrees. This allows for a more efficient design, with disk drive cable connectors closer to the drive bays and the CPU closer to the power supply and cooling fan. All Intel motherboards currently produced are ATX motherboards. Generally speaking, an ATX motherboard is required to use the newest Intel processors. Because of this and the general improvements that ATX brings, the ATX form factor is the form factor of choice for both commercial mass-production systems and for home PC builders.

ATX motherboard and case design

The ATX case looks very similar to the baby AT case, except that the holes in back for ports and keyboard and mouse connectors have been altered to allow for the different design of the ATX motherboard. In particular, the ATX motherboard has integrated I/O ports mounted directly on the edge of the board. Most ATX motherboards have, from left to right, stacked keyboard and mouse ports, stacked USB ports, printer and game ports along the top, and two serial ports along the bottom. This design can differ based on the manufacturer of the motherboard. This allows for a much more effective use of interior case space, and decreases the number of cables and connectors that can become disconnected or damaged.

ATX cases often have more drive bays for a given case size. For example, a mid-tower ATX case will often have more available drive bays than a baby AT case of the same size. The ATX case design also generally provides easier interior access to expansion bays.

The ATX power supply is different in a number of important ways. ATX power supplies and motherboards function at 3.3 volts or lower, instead of 5 volts, reducing motherboard cost, energy consumption, and heat production. The fan on the power supply is reversed so that it blows air into rather than out of the case, which helps keep the case clean and reduces heat buildup. This is necessary due to the high heat produced by the new generation of Intel Pentium II/III and AMD processors. The ATX power supply is turned on and off using electronic signaling instead of a physical toggle switch. This allows the computer to be turned on and off using software control, thus improving power management and energy-saving features. Because of this, ATX power supplies must be matched with ATX motherboards.

BTX(Form Factor)

BTX (Balanced Technology eXtended) is a new personal computer form-factor that has been designed to replace the ATX case and motherboard layouts our computer components are currently built around. At the moment it is an Intel-only proposed standard, as AMD currently has no plans to support the BTX form-factor. There is no reason why it couldn't in the future though

The form-factor of a computer affects the case layout, the positioning of components on the motherboard and the power supply positioning and connections. It allows motherboard, case and power supply manufacturers to know that their products will inter-operate with other parts designed to the same standard.

For example, ATX cases can be designed to accommodate ATX motherboards, since according to the standard, the case manufacturers know exactly where the I/O ports are going to be, and where the PCI expansion ports need to be placed. Likewise, ATX motherboard manufacturers know how many screw holes to place in their boards and where they need to be positioned to fit ATX cases, etc.

BTX, proposed by Intel and recently ratified, makes some fairly radical changes to case and motherboard design in order to provide increased cooling for the components that need it most: the processor, chipset and video card. To put it simply, these components are moved so that they can all be effectively cooled by the airflow passing through the case.

The case itself is modified so that front and rear vents are available to send the required airflow across the motherboard and out the rear of the computer. The rest of the motherboard components have also been shifted to accommodate all this positioning.

Effectively, the BTX form-factor attempts to standardize case cooling so it can provide a steady flow of fresh air that modern components desperately need, while minimizing the amount of noise necessary to deliver it. The motherboard redesign will allow this to happen with a minimum of active cooling, with a single 'thermal module' both cooling the processor and creating the stream of air that will cool the other components.

Let's run through the actual changes that the BTX standard makes to traditional ATX components, as there are a few other developments to consider.

BTX Changes: Thermal Solutions and Motherboard

The most obvious change to the motherboard is how the heatsink interfaces with it. The orientation of the processor heatsink has been altered from the standard downward facing fan/heatsink design to one that blows air through from side-to-side. Instead of the comforting, fan-topped hunk of aluminum or copper we've all become familiar with, BTX introduces something completely new, the 'thermal module.' The so called thermal module consists of the heatsink, fan, and fan duct.

Dell, to name just one manufacturer, has long been using air ducts to reduce noise from inside the PC, while at the same time cooling its PC's internal components just as effectively. The thermal module takes this one step further. Combining a single large fan, a heatsink for the processor and some form of ducting to guide airflow, the thermal module will be the key for effective cooling of BTX systems.

COM Express

COM Express is the PICMG industry standard for Computer-on-Modules, developed with embedded industry participation under the sponsorship of Intel, Kontron, PFU, and RadiSys.

The goals of the COM Express standards effort include the creation of specifications for small-form-factor modules to satisfy all performance segments of the embedded industry. For example, high-performance segments can use COM Express to replace PCI-X and AGP with PCI Express and replace parallel ATA with Serial ATA. COM Express also provides a bridge between legacy-free and legacy functions by incorporating optional PCI and IDE interfaces.

According to Wade Clowes, vice president and general manager of RadiSys Commercial Segment, "COM Express makes it an order of magnitude easier to configure a range of embedded products. RadiSys customers will be able to offer a line of products from low-end to high-end, using the same carrier board and swapping-out the COM module."
Functional Overview

COM Express is designed as a CPU-agnostic standard that will enable the embedded industry to adopt all-LVDS interfaces, while maintaining support for legacy interfaces, as illustrated in Figure 1.


Figure 1
COM Express board-to-board connectors consist of two rows of 220 pins each. Row AB, which is required, provides pins for PCI Express, Serial ATA, LVDS LCD channel, LPC bus, system and power management, VGA and TV-out, LAN, and power and ground interfaces. Row CD, which is optional, provides SDVO and legacy PCI and IDE signals next to additional PCI Express, LAN and power and ground signals.

COM Express provides support for:

• Up to 32 PCI Express lanes with 80-gigabit per second (Gbps) aggregate bandwidth
  
• External x16 PCI Express graphics
  
• Up to four Serial ATA-150 links with 600-megabyte per second (MBps) aggregate bandwidth
  
• Up to three 1-Gbps Ethernet ports, with provision for 10-Gbit Ethernet in the future
  
• Up to eight USB 2.0 ports
  
• Up to two channels of LVDS
  
• Up to two channels of Serial DVO

COM Express is also designed to accommodate the next generations of PCI Express (5 GHz) and Serial ATA (300 Mbps) interfaces, effectively doubling existing data rates to 160 Gbps and 1.2 GBps (gigabytes per second), respectively.

As shown in Figure 2, COM Express includes two module footprints, a compact Basic Form Factor measuring 125 mm x 95 mm and an Extended Form factor of 155 mm x 110 mm. These form factors share the same connector and signaling definitions and have overlapping mechanical assemblies. This makes it possible to interchange a Basic Form Factor module with an Extended Form Factor module, and vice versa. The Extended Form factor makes room for double the memory capacity and dual-channel memory configurations, in addition to larger processors and chipsets. Standardized height and heat spreaders further facilitate interchangeability between modules from different manufacturers.


Figure 2 COM Express footprint definitions, including Basic Form Factor (top) and Extended Form Factor (bottom)
The Extended Form Factor has a power budget of 160 Watts to support larger processors and chipsets. It also can accommodate dual-channel memory configurations. Standard height and heat spreaders facilitate interchangeability.

The form factor flexibility of COM Express enables developers to segment their designs for different classes of embedded applications, noted Kishan Jainandunsing, vice president of Technology and Business Development at PFU Systems. "The Basic Form Factor is extremely well suited for highly power sensitive, small devices such as portable applications for medical imaging and test and measurement. The Extended Form Factor is a good choice for mobile or stationary applications where performance is more important than low power dissipation, such as 4D ultrasound machines, arcade gaming devices, multimedia kiosks and electronic advertising billboards. Interchangeability between the two form factors is a bonus."

LPX Form Factor

One power supply form factor that has given Baby AT a run for its money over the last 15 years has been the LPX form factor. The "LP" in "LPX" stands for "low profile", another name given to these power supplies. They are also often called "slimline" power supplies because LPX cases are often called slimline cases, and "PS/2" power supplies after the famous IBM model. The main goal of this form factor is size reduction. The height in particular of the power supply is significantly reduced, facilitating the design of much smaller, consumer-oriented PCs. The connectors of the LPX form factor power supply are the same as that of the Baby AT and AT.

Diagram of the side and rear views of an LPX form factor power supply, with approximate dimensions. Note the much smaller height dimension compared to the AT or Baby AT form factors; the power cord outlet and monitor pass-through have been moved next to the power supply fan vent instead of below it. This is key to allowing the production of smaller, "slimline" PC systems. Many LPX systems no longer have the monitor pass-through. All of these systems use remote power switches.

Original image © PC Power & Cooling, Inc. Image used with permission.

While never officially specified as a standard, the LPX or "slimline" power supply basically became one anyway. Due to its small size and convenient rectangular shape, these power supplies were put into all sorts of cases; not just LPX cases but Baby AT and even full-sized AT cases. Until the rise of its anointed successor, NLX, LPX systems were made in large quantity, and millions of these power supplies are still in use.

Rear view of an LPX power supply, showing its power cord and motherboard and drive connectors.

MINI ITX

VIA Mini-ITX Mainboard Form Factor: 17cm x 17cm The Mini-ITX mainboard form factor is a highly integrated native x86 mainboard measuring only 170mm x 170mm and enables the development of an infinite variety of small form factor PC systems. More than 33% smaller than the FlexATX mainboard form factor, the Mini-ITX is aimed at the development of Thin-Clients, wireless network devices, digital media systems, set-top boxes and more. The Mini-ITX mainboard successfully integrates various combinations of readily-available chipset and processor components from VIA that come with rich feature sets that include ultra low power native x86 processors, onboard LAN and various integrated AGP graphics and audio options. Further enhancing its versatility, the Mini-ITX mainboard can include CompactFlash and CardBus slots, TV-Out connector, SPDIF 5.1 audio, USB 2.0, 1394 (Firewire), integrated MPEG2/MPEG4 decoding, support for up to DDR400, Serial ATA and much more. A key advantage of the Mini-ITX mainboard is that it is based on the low power VIA processor platform that comprises of either a VIA C3™ processor or a fanless VIA Eden™ ESP processor, together with a choice of highly integrated VIA chipsets and VIA companion chips. VIA processor platforms are unique in that the workload is shared across the whole platform rather than being focused on the CPU, i.e. platform centric as apposed to CPU centric. Due to their low power consumption, these platforms generate less heat and therefore require less active cooling, allowing the use of quieter, lower profile coolers that are better suited to the ergonomic, small form factor systems that have more application flexibility than the more traditional tower PC.

VIA EPIA Mini-ITX Mainboard from VIA Embedded Platform Division Through its mainboard business unit VIA Embedded, VIA produce the VIA EPIA Mini-ITX Mainboard for small, quiet PCs ranging from silent desktops to digital media rich Hi-Fi and entertainment PCs. You can download high and low resolution pictures, BIOS, drivers, manuals, and datasheets for VIA EPIA Mini-ITX mainboards from the VIA Embedded website. Trailblazing into an exciting new market, there is an increasing number of independent chassis, power supplies and other accessories manufacturers for the Mini-ITX form factor. For information on where to buy VIA Embedded Mini-ITX mainboard as well as information on what chassies are available, please go to the VIA Arena web site or contact our VIA Embedded channel partners from the VIA Embedded web site.

VIA EPIA Mini-ITX Case Mods and Car PC Projects With the I/O ports as the tallest components on the board (including the CPU cooler), the Mini-ITX mainboard is also becoming increasingly popular among the rapidly emerging enthusiast user group. The small size, quiet operation and low profile of the VIA EPIA Mini-ITX makes it ideal for moving the PC to different parts of the home, from stylish case modifications for the living room to in-car PCs. With the VIA EPIA Mini-Itx, your imagination is its only limitation!

NANO-ITX

Via Technologies has revealed the latest member of its diminutive nano-ITX form-factor motherboard family. The Epia NR combines a fanless 1.0GHz Via C7 processor with a high-integration CX700 core-logic chip, targeting healthcare, industrial automation and digital signage, the company said.


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The Epia NR is related to nano-ITX boards Via introduced in March, but, in what the company claims is a first, natively supports LVDS in two single- or one dual-channel monitor configuration without the need for a daughterboard. Via's Epia LT, a mini-ITX board with similar capabilities, was announced in June.

Thanks to the low-power C7 processor, among other power-stingy components, the board can operate at claimed typical power consumptions below 15.5 watts. Additionally, Via's Padlock Security Engine technology offers "military grade encryption and superior data security," the company said.


(Click to enlarge)
Key features of the Epia NR, as listed by Via, include:

• Processor -- Via C7 processor in NanoBGA2 package, clocked at 1.0GHz
  
• Chipset -- Via CX700 Unified Digital Media IGP Chipset
  
• Memory -- SODIMM socket, for up to 1GB DDR2 533 DRAM
  
• Storage interfaces:
  • UltraDMA 133/100
    
  • 2 serial ATA
• Graphics:
  • integrated VIA UniChrome Pro II 3D/2D AGP graphics with MPEG-2 video decoding accelerator
    
  • LVDS panel pin connector for 2 single-channel LVDS panels or 1 dual channel panel (optional)
    
  • VGA port
• LAN -- choice of Via VT6107 10/100Mbps Fast Ethernet controller, or Via VT6122 Gigabit Ethernet controller (manufacturing option)
  
• Audio:
  • Via VT1708A high definition audio codec
    
  • line-in/out, mic-in, S/PDIF out
• Other I/O ports:
  • 6 USB 2.0 ports
    
  • LPC bus
    
  • SMBus
    
  • 2 serial ports (COM1 5V/12V selectable)
    
  • Type I CompactFlash slot (shared with IDE, default slave)
    
  • PS2 keyboard/mouse
• Expansion -- 1 Mini-PCI Slot
  
• Size -- 4.7 x 4.7 inches (120 x 120 mm)

(Click to enlarge)
Via says the Epia NR nano-ITX motherboard is compatible with "all leading embedded and desktop operating systems," including Windows XP Embedded, Windows XP/2000, Windows CE, and Linux.

Availability

Pre-production samples of the Epia NR motherboard are immediately available for project (volume) customers, with limited production quantities expected in early August, the company said. Pricing was not disclosed.

Requirements for Installing Windows Vista

Hardware requirements for Windows Vista may change before its official release. The present requirements can provide a guideline, and are as follows:

•	A computer with one gigahertz or higher processor clock speed recommended; 300 MHz minimum required (single or dual processor system); Intel Pentium/Celeron family, or AMD K6/Athlon/Duron family, or compatible processor recommended
•	512 megabytes (MB) of RAM or higher recommended
•	5 gigabytes (GB) of available hard disk space
•	A video adapter capable of supporting the Windows Server "Longhorn" Display Driver Model (LDDM) drivers used in Windows Vista
•	A DVD drive

Overview of Scenarios

These scenarios cover the steps required to install Windows Vista as either an upgrade to an existing operating system, or on a new computer to which you will transfer settings and files. The steps are very similar for the Windows Vista setup in both scenarios; the scenarios differ in the state of the computer at the beginning of the procedures, and the transfer of data after the Windows Vista installation.

Upgrading to Windows Vista

Avoiding Software Conflicts

This section addresses a temporary issue that may be present when you upgrade from Windows XP to Windows Vista.

If you are upgrading a computer running Windows XP and Windows AntiSpyware Beta 1, you may see software conflicts with Windows Defender when you upgrade to Windows Vista. To avoid this, uninstall Windows AntiSpyware Beta 1 before starting the upgrade process described in this section.

Steps for Upgrading to Windows Vista

Step 1: Assess Hardware Requirements

Step 2: Backup Important Data

Step 3: Upgrade to Windows Vista

Step 1: Assess Hardware Requirements

Hardware requirements for Windows Vista may change before its official release. The present requirements can provide a guideline, and are as follows:

•	A computer with a modern CPU, as detailed in the Windows Vista Capable PC Hardware Guidelines (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=54987)
•	512 megabytes (MB) of RAM or higher recommended
•	5–10 gigabytes of available hard disk space (exact amount depends upon several factors, including features installed and virtual memory settings selected)
•	A DirectX 9–class graphics adapter that supports WDDM and Pixel Shader 2.0, capable of supporting the Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) drivers used in Windows Vista
•	A DVD drive

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Step 2: Backup Important Data

You should back up files, or save them to a safe location, before upgrading to Windows Vista. While this step is optional, it is important to have a current backup of important data before making significant changes to the computer to prevent data loss.

To save your important data to a safe location, your options will depend on the original operating system and the backup options available to you. The following list provides a few suggestions:

•	Windows Backup, or other backup software
•	Copy the important data to a network folder
•	Burn the data to a CD or DVD
•	Backup to an external hard disk

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Step 3: Upgrade to Windows Vista

The procedure for upgrading to Windows Vista assumes that you are already running a previous version of Windows on your computer. Upgrades are supported for the following versions of Windows:

•	Windows XP SP 2
•	Windows Vista

Upgrade to Windows Vista

1. Start Windows Vista Setup by inserting the DVD while running Windows, and click Install Now. If the autorun program does not open the Install Windows screen, browse to the root folder of the DVD and double click setup.exe. 2. Click Next to begin the Setup process. 3. Click Go online to get the latest updates (recommended) to retrieve any important updates for Windows Vista. This step is optional. If you choose not to check for updates during Setup, click Do not get the latest updates. 4. In Product key, type your product ID exactly as it appears on your DVD case. Click Next to proceed. 5. Read and accept the License Terms. Click I accept the License Terms (required to use Windows), and then click Next. If you click I decline (cancel installation) Windows Vista Setup will exit. 6. Click Upgrade (recommended) to perform an upgrade to your existing installation of Windows. 7. Windows Vista Setup will proceed without further interaction. Note: To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Administrators group on the local computer, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority. If the computer is joined to a domain, members of the Domain Admins group might be able to perform this procedure. As a security best practice, consider using Run as to perform this procedure.

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Migrating to Windows Vista

To migrate to Windows Vista from a previous version of Windows, you should have a computer running a supported version of Windows that contains applications, settings, and data to be moved to a new computer running Windows Vista. The migration tools in Windows Vista provide three options for migrating your settings and files:

•	Network connection
•	Removable media (such as a USB flash drive or external hard disk)
•	CD or DVD

In addition to a choice of transfer method, you have a choice of migration tools. Windows Easy Transfer, included in Windows Vista, can be used to migrate settings and files for all of the users on a single computer to a new computer. If you want to migrate files and settings for a number of users on multiple computers, use the User State Migration Tool (USMT).

Steps for Migrating to Windows Vista

Step 1: Migrate User Settings Using the User State Migration Tool

Step 2: Migrate User Settings Using Windows Easy Transfer

Step 1: Migrate User Settings Using the User State Migration Tool

You can use Microsoft Windows User State Migration Tool (USMT) 3.0 to migrate user accounts during large deployments of Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Vista operating systems. USMT captures user accounts including desktop, and application settings, as well as a user's files, and then migrates them to a new Windows installation. Using USMT can help you improve and simplify your migration process. You can use USMT for both side-by-side (where you are copying the data from the old computer to a new computer) and wipe-and-load (where you are saving the data and then formatting the computer's hard disk and performing a clean install) migrations. If you are only upgrading your operating system, USMT is not needed.

USMT is intended for administrators who are performing automated deployments. If you are migrating the user states of only a few computers, you can use Windows Easy Transfer. For more information about USMT, see "Step-by-Step Guide to Migrating Files and Settings" on the Microsoft Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=37680).

USMT allows you to do the following:

•	Configure USMT for your unique situation, using the migration rule (.xml) files to control exactly which user accounts, files and settings are migrated and how they are migrated.
•	Automate your migration using the two USMT command-line tools, which control collecting and restoring the user files and settings.

USMT is described in full detail in "Getting Started with User State Migration Tool" on the Microsoft Web site (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=56578).

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Step 2: Migrate User Settings Using Windows Easy Transfer

You can use Windows Easy Transfer to move user accounts, files and folders, program settings, Internet settings and favorites, and e-mail settings from an existing Windows computer to a new computer running Windows Vista.

Step 1: Preparing for the Transfer

Step 2: Capturing Files and Settings from the Existing Computer

Step 1: Preparing for the Transfer

Windows Easy Transfer in Windows Vista supports the following operating systems:

•	Windows 2000 SP 4
•	Windows XP SP 2
•	Windows Vista

Preparing Windows Easy Transfer

1. Open Windows Easy Transfer on your Windows Vista computer: click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, click System Tools, and then click Windows Easy Transfer. Click Next to proceed. 2. If you have any programs open, you will be prompted to close them. You can opt to save your work in each program, and then close them individually, or you can click Close All in Windows Easy Transfer to close all running programs at once. Click Next. 3. Click Start new to begin the process of preparing Windows Easy Transfer to gather information from existing computers. 4. Click This is my new computer. 5. Select the destination for Windows Easy Transfer files. You have the option of creating the wizard files on CD or DVD, removable media, or a network drive. To use removable media or CD/DVD, you must have a drive in your computer that supports writing data to the appropriate media. Click Network drive. Note: Both computers must support the transfer method you choose. For example, if you write the data to CD or DVD, the destination computer must also have a CD or DVD drive. If you choose to transfer the data across the network, both computers must be connected on the same network. 6. Type a path and folder name in which you will store the Windows Easy Transfer files. The default value is C:\migwiz. Click Next.

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Step 2: Transferring files and settings

Perform this step on the existing computer from which you are migrating user settings and files. Once the files and settings have been collected from your old computer and saved, you will move to the new computer to complete the wizard.

Transfer files and setting using a network

1. Start Windows Easy Transfer on the computer from which you wish to migrate settings and files by browsing to the removable media or network drive containing the wizard files, and then double clicking migwiz.exe. 2. If you have any programs open, you will be prompted to close them. You can opt to save your work in each program, and then close them individually, or you can click Close All in Windows Easy Transfer to close all running programs at once. Click Next. 3. Determine the transfer method to use. Click Through a network. Note: Both computers must support the transfer method you choose. For example, both computers must be connected to the same network. 4. Click Connect directly via network to begin the transfer. Alternately, click Save to network location if you want to store the files and settings in a file to be loaded later. If you choose to store the data in a network location, you will be prompted to provide the path. 5. Click Everything - all user accounts, files, and program settings (recommended) to transfer all files and settings. You can also choose to determine exactly which files should be migrated by clicking either Only my user account, files, and program settings, or Custom. 6. Review the list of files and settings to be transferred, and then click Start to begin the transfer. Click Customize if you want to add or remove files or settings.

Transfer files and settings using removable media

1. Start Windows Easy Transfer on the computer from which you wish to migrate settings and files by browsing to the removable media or network drive containing the wizard files, and then double clicking migwiz.exe. 2. If you have any programs open, you will be prompted to close them. You can opt to save your work in each program, and then close them individually, or you can click Close All in Windows Easy Transfer to close all running programs at once. Click Next. 3. Determine the transfer method to use. Click On a CD or other removable media, such as a flash drive. Note: Both computers must support the transfer method you choose. For example, both computers must support the same type of removable media. 4. Click To a network drive to save the files to either a network folder or a folder on a removable drive. 5. In Where do you want to save your files, type the path to a folder on the removable drive, and then click Next. 6. Click Everything - all user accounts, files, and program settings (recommended) to transfer all files and settings. You can also choose to determine exactly which files should be migrated by clicking either Only my user account, files, and program settings, or Custom. 7. Review the list of files and settings to be transferred, and then click Start to begin the transfer. Click Customize if you want to add or remove files or settings. 8. Click Close once Windows Easy Transfer has completed moving files. 9. Move the removable media to the new computer and launch Windows Easy Transfer. Click Next. 10. Click Continue a transfer in progress. 11. In Where did you copy your files, click Removable media. If Removable Media is unavailable, click Network Drive. Click Next. 12. In Locate your saved files, type the path to your saved files or click Browse. Click Next once you have located the files. 13. Choose user names on your new computer that match the names on the old computer. You may have to create new accounts in this step. Type in a user name to create an account on the local computer. Type in a user name in the format domain\user to create a profile for a domain user. 14. In Choose the drives for files on your new computer, select the destination drive for each source drive location. For example, for files that came from the D: drive on your old computer, you must determine which drive they should be moved to on the new computer. 15. Review the list of files and settings to be transferred, and then click Start to begin the transfer. Click Customize if you want to add or remove files or settings. 16. Click Close once Windows Easy Transfer has completed moving files.

Transfer files and settings using a writable CD or DVD

1. Start Windows Easy Transfer on the computer from which you wish to migrate settings and files by browsing to the removable media or network drive containing the wizard files, and then double clicking migwiz.exe. 2. If you have any programs open, you will be prompted to close them. You can opt to save your work in each program, and then close them individually, or you can click Close All in Windows Easy Transfer to close all running programs at once. Click Next. 3. Determine the transfer method to use. Click Burn a CD or DVD. Note: Both computers must support the transfer method you choose. For example, both computers must have a working CD or DVD drive. 4. In Choose your media, type the path to the writeable CD or DVD media. Click Next. 5. Click Everything - all user accounts, files, and program settings (recommended) to transfer all files and settings. You can also choose to determine exactly which files should be migrated by clicking either Only my user account, files, and program settings, or Custom. 6. Review the list of files and settings to be transferred, and then click Start to begin the transfer. Click Customize if you want to add or remove files or settings. If there is not enough free space on the writeable media, Windows Easy Transfer will tell you how many blank discs will be required. 7. Click Next once the CD or DVD burn process has completed. 8. Click Close once Windows Easy Transfer has completed moving files. 9. Move the CD or DVD media to the new computer and launch Windows Easy Transfer. Click Next. 10. Click Continue a transfer in progress. 11. In Where did you copy your files, click Read CD or DVD. 12. In Choose your media, select the drive letter for your CD or DVD drive where the disc is located. Click Next once you have located the files. 13. Choose user names on your new computer that match the names on the old computer. You may have to create new accounts in this step. Type in a user name to create an account on the local computer. Type in a user name in the format domain\user to create a profile for a domain user. 14. In Choose the drives for files on your new computer, select the destination drive for each source drive location. For example, for files that came from the D: drive on your old computer, you must determine which drive they should be moved to on the new computer. 15. Review the list of files and settings to be transferred, and then click Start to begin the transfer. Click Customize if you want to add or remove files or settings. 16. Click Close once Windows Easy Transfer has completed moving files.