ATX STYLE MOTHER BOARD

AT STYLE MOTHER BOARD

This is a true clone or an "AT" style motherboard.  It was the standard size motherboard for 20 years.  It had a mazimum speed of 550 Mhz.  Do not buy a computer with this old style keyboard connector. This board has all but dried up in the market place. You must turn off the a.c. power to shut down the computer.

This article was written in 2003. In 2007 all AT mother boards are gone, some maybe still working but impossible to buy one. But the lesson here is look at the ATX design it has survived, but some large name brand computers still using "odd ball" parts that are hard to find. So look at the rear of the computer for the real story.

Left is an "AT" Right is an " ATX"

Pictured above is a HP on the left and a Compaq on the right.  Neither one of the computers have standard motherboards.  Upgrade or replacement is not an option unless it comes from HP or Compaq.  Large namebrand companies over the years have been selling throw away computers.  Most brands giving you no upgrade options for faster CPU's or new mother boards.

Still not convinced?  Look at the CD-ROM (rounded edges face plate) and the floppy drive (located behind a facade, look at the location of the eject button and the LED light).  Both drives are so strange they have to come from HP. An industry standard floppy drive is shown on top.  It won't even fit this computer.

HP and Compaq are trademarks of those prespective companies.  AT and ATX are trade marks of International Business Machines.  All are acknowledged.